Jigsaw

JIGSAW

Director : Michael and Peter Spierig

Year : 2017

Genre : Horror

Rating : *1/2

It's been 7 years since the grueling 'Saw' franchise reached it's apparent end with 'Saw : The Final Chapter' but of course in horror cinema, evil never truly dies. Directed by the hugely talented Spierig Brothers ('Daybreakers', 'Predestination'), the imaginatively entitled 'Jigsaw' acts as both a sequel and a reboot to the violent horror series and while it may not be as needlessly horrific as some of the later installments in the franchise, the film still boasts some entertainingly gory moments of mutilation and dismemberment which are sure to satiate the blood-lust of the same cinemagoers who made the first 'Saw' movie such an unexpected smash hit back in 2004.  Unfortunately however, it also boasts the same hokey acting, terrible dialogue and overly pretentious morals that have dogged the franchise since the disappointing 'Saw III'. 

Taking place a decade after the last spate of brutal murders, 'Jigsaw' follows yet another group of unlikable layabouts whose past sins have made them the targets of a deranged psycho who follows in the bloody footprints of the deceased John Kramer - better known to the public as ''The Jigsaw Killer'' (Tobin Bell). Locked in an elaborate maze-like barn with no means of escape, our central quintet must endure the sadistic games conjured up by the unknown villain while also repenting for the sins which have put them there in the first place. Meanwhile away from the deadly devices, the witless police try to figure out who is committing the gruesome atrocities and, more importantly, why. Is it a copycat killer or has John Kramer miraculously risen from the grave to slice and dice a whole new generation of criminals and sadists?

As is to be expected from a film in this critically-derided series, the acting throughout 'Jigsaw' ranges from OK to simply dreadful and while some of the trademark traps are creative and entertainingly nasty, a large majority lack the suspense or gruesome payoffs that have become synonymous with the franchise. Many of the deaths take place off-screen and while I applaud the directorial duo for trying to hearken back to the psychological terror of the first film, fans are bound to be disappointed by the lack of gory mayhem on offer here. When we do eventually bear witness to a characters demise, a combination of bad acting and an overuse of unconvincing CG effects immediately dilute the shocking impact of the moment - the film's overblown final death being a particularly fake few seconds of computer generated hilarity. Other elements that undermine the movie include - but are not limited to - consistently weak characterisations, laughably poor dialogue, confusing and downright silly character motives and plot holes that not only put the narrative of the picture out of balance but, quite remarkably, the entire 'Saw' saga itself. No doubt future sequels will attempt to undo the damage caused by 'Jigsaw's unbelievable contrivances but it's going to take one hell of a skilled surgeon, or screenwriter, to sew up these gaping wounds. 

Mercifully coming in at less than an hour and a half, 'Jigsaw' doesn't outstay it's welcome and while I can't profess that I enjoyed the film at all, it is undoubtedly more ambitious and better crafted than half of the movies that have preceded it - a statement which is surely the dictionary definition of damning with faint praise. 'Jigsaw' certainly won't convert newcomers to the series but die-hard aficionados  are sure to be satisfied with the albeit limited amount of blood and guts on offer in this occasionally diverting yet predominantly dreary horror caper.