Saw VI

Plot: Special Agent Strahm is dead, and Detective Hoffman has emerged as the unchallenged successor to Jigsaw's legacy. However, when the FBI draws closer to Hoffman, he is forced to set a game into motion, and Jigsaw's grand scheme is finally understood.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oeKt45VmDk

Starring: Tobin Bell (Saw V & "Charmed"), Costas Mandylor (An Affirmative Act & Saw V), Mark Rolston ("The Defenders" & "Lie to Me"), Shawnee Smith ("Law & Order: LA & Saw III), Peter Outerbridge ("Happy Town" & "Flashpoint"), Tanedra Howard ("Scream Queens"), George Newbern ("Hot in Cleveland" & "Nip/Tuck"), Angus Macfadyen (Shadows of the White Nights & "Lie to Me"), Scott Patterson ("The Event"), Bahar Soomekh ("Miami Medical" & "Ghost Whisperer").

Written by: Marcus Dunstan (Saw IV-V & The Collector) & Patrick Melton (Saw IV-V & The Collector)

Directed by: Kevin Greutert (editor of Saw I-V)

Review: The Saw series edges are still sharp but the surprises are dulling. I love this series. I find it inventive, disturbing, and a fascinating psychological look at human behavior. They're movies that make you think which is a rarity in the horror genre. The being said, the twists at the end are getting ridiculous in terms of revealing yet another apprentice in the jigsaw legacy. This twist ending here that was part of the main victim's story not only surprised me but was compelling as well. However, the part of the plot revolving around Jigsaw's apprentices always seem to come out of nowhere with some flashback put in to explain why, which has been clever in some of the other films, but is now contrived. I'm really excited about the new film and hope the 3D is used well. I hope they end this series (as Saw 3D is purportedly the last) with a serious mindfuck of a twist that is also clever, because that's my only complaint about Saw VI: the plot surrounding jigsaw's little helpers (also a problem in 2, 4 & 5 as well).

Fun Facts: VH1's reality show "Scream Queens" (2008) winner Tanedra Howard won a role for this film. She plays the role of Simone. The movie contains storylines that are fully explained in Saw (2009). Less than a week before its premiere, the film was rated 'X' in Spain due to its "glorification of violence", therefore couldn't be shown in mainstream theaters, only in approved x-rated cinemas. Disney/Buena Vista then pulled the film from distribution, even though they already had a strong marketing campaign going on and over 300 copies of the film ready to be sent to theaters. Buena Vista tried to appeal the rating but was unsuccessful (this process took almost a year). In the end, they released the film in a cut version. Prior to the film's release, Costas Mandylor (Hoffman) didn't even know if his character lived or died in the ending due to shooting multiple endings. Had the lowest opening weekend of any "Saw" film in the US, only making US$14.1 million. In William Easton's office, there are several crystal landmark statues. One of them is the CN Tower in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Every Saw installment except the first has been filmed in Toronto. In the early planning stages, one discarded story idea had Detective Hoffman taking on the mafia. The first "Saw" film to use digital timers on body-worn traps. David A. Armstrong's last Saw film as Cinematographer. Director Kevin Greutert mentioned in the DVD/Blu-Ray commentary track that the twitching and shivering Amanda (Shawnee Smith) does in her scenes with Cecil (Billy Otis) was real due to low temperatures and rain in Toronto at the time of filming. Shawnee couldn't stop shivering because she was so cold and they were shooting outdoors. The extended driving scene with Amanda (Shawnee Smith) and Cecil (Billy Otis) seen in the Unrated Director's Cut was supposed to have a track from Smith & Pyle, Shawnee's country-rock band, playing over the radio but it was unable to be included in the final cut.

Rating:

Writing-B

Acting-B

Directing-B

Music-B

Cinematography-C

Editing-B

Visual Effects-A

Makeup-A

Hair-B

Costumes-B

Art Direction-B

"Stamped Out but worth seeing"-You really have to watch all the movies because they are all connected to one another, tying up loose ends and answering questions from previous films.