Saw VI (2009)

Saw VI has been waiting for a night that I could watch it alone.  My wife despises these movies, and I don't blame her.  I enjoy them however because no matter how sick and disgusting the mind that created them, they are genius on that same sick disgusting level.

Saw VI picks up where the previous left off and continues from there.  This installment is as sick and gruesome as the rest, and follows a similar format.  There is a main "test" subject that we meet, and as you can guess it is someone that Jigsaw, played by Tobin Bell, was not fond of.

As with most of the Saw films, all the main characters were acted quite well.  Casting was done very well in this 5th sequel, something I was very disappointed in with the last, Saw 5.  Costas Mandylor returns as Mark Hoffman, and now he is running the show.

Contraptions and tests were amazing as usual.  Realistic gore and effects of said contraptions were done very well.  I had no problem with how things looked, but I did have slight problems with a few of the set ups and executions of the contraptions.  The first problem we come to is when the main "test" character William, played by Peter Outerbridge, has to pick up a lever with each hand and hold two people up.  Jigsaw's famous dummy flies out of the darkness and hits the glass in front of William and scars the crap out of him, yet he is able to hold on to both handles, not even knowing what is on them yet.  With a situation like that, and imagining what your nerves would be like, I would think most people would instinctively react and drop the handles to cover their face.

Second contraption issue I had a problem with was pretty similar.  6 of his best employees are facing death and he can choose 2 of them to save by having his hand pierced with a huge needle the size of a railway iron.  William must keep constant pressure on two buttons to keep the chosen employee from death, and he is able to do so while a dull huge iron needle is shoved through the very same hand.

My only other confusion with the film is the first mini game before the main focus.  We see the game play out and one of the contestants win, but we never find out what happens to that contestant.  Did she end up living and getting out, or did she die anyways?  Leaving this unknown is not usual for this franchise flick.

As I said above, the contraptions themselves were well thought out, looked great and functioned great, I just was leery about the user operation of a few of them.

Now to the ending of the film.  Where to start I am not even sure.  There is a surprise at the end with the three captives waiting at the finish line, but I will not say what it is.  All you need to know is I did not think it was completely necessary to imply throughout the main game what they did.  I also did not agree with the very last test that was placed, it was seemingly un-winnable, a concept that Jigsaw was not fond of.  Being as this last test was a part of his will, I did not think it should have gone against his game principles laid down in the prior 5 installments.

Acting was good, filming was good, and effects were amazing as usual.  Contraptions looked and functioned good, but I was not totally happy with the user controls.  Most of the tests fit into the story well, and people seemed "deserving" of having a part.  Saw VI was not my favorite installment however, and I really was not happy with the way it was ended.  I am giving this sequel a 3 star rating.  I hope that the final chapter can redeem the way this ended, and save this amazing franchise that you either hate or love.  Which is your vote?