Saw II (DVD)
The running time is 1 hr. 32 mins..
Lionsgate has found itself at the forefront when it comes to the hard R-rated features as of late. It all seemed to start with Saw, back in 2004 when I can just hear the execs saying, "Good Lord, these kids really eat this shit up! Let's give 'em what they want!" and Saw II was born and on top of that were other gore fests such as this year's Hostel from Eli Roth, which has been met with overwhelming praise from the horror audience.
As for Saw II, the creators had a tough task of outdoing themselves. The first film was inventive and original with a twist ending that had everyone guessing until the final frame. So does the sequel meet or exceed the original? Hell yeah it does, and watching it on DVD only solidified my feelings.
With the first Saw I quickly realized, as I screened the DVD, that the mystery of the film and its original appeal quickly evaporated. The acting in that film was so bad that to watch it again was really hard. This is not to say that there are any Oscar worthy performances in Saw II, it is just simply saying that they are no where near as bad as Cary Elwes was in the first picture. That guy stunk up the place.
As for Saw II, the one thing that really makes this film better than the original is the engaging storyline, it is something that audiences can connect with as detective Eric Matthews (Donnie Wahlberg) finds out his son has been kidnapped and placed in serious danger by the maniacal serial killer Jigsaw. Matthews is thrown headfirst into the thick of things and doesn't even realize the implications his actions will have on Jigsaw's game, and neither will you unless you pay attention to the clues.
I can't help but be impressed by the imagination employed to bring this sequel to the big screen in the short amount of time the filmmakers had. It is truly a testament to the sick nature of writer Leigh Whannel and writer/director Darren Bousman, and I say this in all respect.
As for the DVD it has plenty of goodies to keep the Saw fanatic busy for a night.
First off is the audio commentary with writer/director Darren Bousman and actors Donnie Wahlberg and Beverley Mitchell. Now this commentary is okay. You do get some insight into the making of the film, some clues are pointed out and so on, but I think a great commentary would have been with the duo that created the first film James Wan and Leigh Whannel. I am sure those two would have had a lot to say.
Other features focus on the making of the film including a look at all the props and a really cool feature showcasing the making of and executing of four of the traps used in the film. If you are a fan of storyboards and concept art, that stuff is in there as well.
Overall, if you bought the first one this is a must buy. Saw II is better than the original and the repeated viewing factor is way up compared to the first one. If you aren't a horror fan or at all squeamish I won't even make a recommendation. I simply have to ask what you are doing reading a review of a DVD called Saw?
Enjoy!