FOR THE LOVE OF FILM: Saw: The Final Chapter

For The Love Of Film is UTG’s newest creation from film nerd and lover of all movies Justin Proper. Sometimes you need some help to figure out how to enjoy movies, and we are here to help! No longer will you need to fear movie night because your friends have no taste in film. With this column you will be able to love even the worst gems to ever grace the silver screen.

I love the Saw franchise. Starting with the first movie in 2004, I never missed a midnight screening of the films. The 80’s had their slasher flicks, the 90’s got the Hellraisers, but the 00’s had Jigsaw. The series spanned seven films, and was known for its gruesome traps and twist endings. Most people would agree that the movies got progressively worse over time, but what series doesn’t?

Not this one, that’s for sure.

Saw: The Final Chapter (or Saw 3D, as it is sometimes referred to as) starts right where the last movie left off. The plot is…ummm…who cares. There are people, they get put in traps, cops try to catch the bad guy before everyone gets killed. A ton of plot is in this movie but unless you just watched the last six films in the series you are going to probably be a little confused. Jigsaw’s widow (because he died three movies ago…or was it four? Two? Whatever.) is here, along with the former detective Hoffman (who is now the main villain) and in a surprise turn of events we even get to see Dr. Gordon (the dude who hacked his own foot off in the first movie) alive and kicking (heh). The main trap is set up for a guy who claimed to be a survivor of Jigsaw and is making a fortune off of his motivational book about the (fake) experience.

“What is Jigsaw trying to teach me?! If only it was spelled out more clearly!!”

Critics hated this movie. Just hated it. Most felt that it was just the same old stuff from the last movies but somehow even more mediocre. The acting was bad, the plot was weak, dialogue stiff and forced, and people even hated the 3D. The traps did not live up to the creativity of the previous installments and Jigsaw barely had any screen time (an odd complaint considering he died in the third film).

Pictured: The series creators looking totally excited at the Saw 3D premiere.

I am not going to sit here and say this movie was good. However, I am also not going to pretend like I did not enjoy it, in all of its awful glory. First, I would like to tackle the complaint that this movie was in 3D. I understand the complaint, I usually hate movies that are 3D. Saw: The Final Chapter did what 3D movies should do, and that is shoot the movie in 3D. Most of the reason people hate gimmicky 3D movies is because they are shot in 2D and then converted to 3D later. This makes them look like shit. When a movie is actually shot in 3D it is a whole different story. The 3D in this film was awesome. Sure, it was used as a gimmick, but at least it was used as a gimmick correctly.

Unlike this saw, which is being incorrectly used for cutting people instead of wood.

Another great thing about this film is the fact that you get to see that guy from Linkin Park die. That is right, folks, Chester Bennington is continuing his reign of cameo terror and this time he is brutally murdered. I rewound and watched his death scene over and over.

Those wounds, they will not heal.

Speaking of Chester Bennington dying, the trap he is in was one that they had been trying to get into the Saw movies for a while, but kept getting told no because it was too gruesome. That pretty much sums up the best part about this movie. It is a blood soaked finale that has a higher trap count and body count than any of the previous films. You know you are not watching these for the plot by the time the seventh one rolls around, so why not enjoy the completely ridiculous and over the top gore? Also, you finally get to see someone die from the reverse bear trap jaw thing from the first movie. You know, the trap you were mad the girl escaped because seeing it go off and kill her would have been freaking amazing. Yeah, that happens this time, and it is freaking amazing.

Spoiler Alert: Things don’t turn out well for her.

The Saw movies are far from perfect (except the first one, that shit was absolute gold), but who cares? They are entertaining and original. Instead of just having a monster kill random people you have an unknown entity trapping people based on their own moral shortcomings. This all comes to a head in the last movie which finally closes out the series that may have went on a few movies too long, but it ends it with a bang. Well, more like it ends it with a pile of dismembered corpses, but you know what I mean. Drop a comment below if you have a suggestion for another bad horror movie you would like me to cover, you know you want to.

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One Response to “FOR THE LOVE OF FILM: Saw: The Final Chapter”

  1. mechkobe says:

    Just like that, the whole SAW 3D was shot in 3D actually lol.. You should make some research next time..