Saw II (Widescreen Edition) Reviews

• A solid follow up to the horror classic.

  
  By AEJ0EGQ79Y0KK on 2006-02-01
  The diabolic Jigsaw is back in the follow up to the smash "Saw" which came out of nowhere to become one of the biggest grossing horror films of all time. Not content to rest on the mayhem he created in the first film, Jigsaw is back kidnapping those he deems unworthy of life, and forcing them to earn their lives back in a series of brutal and bizarre games, where death is all to often the result.
  The sequel picks up shortly after the events of the first film where Detective Eric Matthews (Donnie Wahlberg) is investigating yet another victim. The fact that the victim is missing a puzzle shaped piece of skin leaves no doubt as to who is behind this killing, and Matthews and his task force set up their efforts to stop the killer before he can strike again.
  A sudden inspiration leads Matthews and his team to a factory where they soon discover Jigsaw amongst all of his toys and traps. The frail Jigsaw is dying from a terminal illness, and he reveals to Matthews that he has a game underway, one where a group of people are trapped in a remote house filled with traps that are also filling up with a deadly gas. Only those who can survive the traps and decipher the clues will be able to locate the antidotes and survive the mayhem.
  Matthews is even more determined to find the locale of the house as his son is one of the individuals trapped inside slowly dying from the poison. Matthews and his team can see what is happening in the house via a video monitor and while the team attempts to determine the location and save the individuals, Jigsaw (Tobin Bell), plays a dangerous game with Matthews as he attempts to interrogate him for information.
  The film moves back and forth from the interrogation to the individuals trapped in the house and keeps the tension going. While not as claustrophobic or as gory as the original, "Saw 2"
  benefits from an interesting premise and a rousing finale that sets the stages for the pending "Saw 3". Some may find a bit of issue with the pacing as it does not contain as the tension and scares are scarcer than they are in the first release.
  Solid performances throughout makes "Saw 2" a cut above most horror films and is not to be missed by fans of the original.
  Bonus Materials Include
  Commentary with director Darren Lynn Bousman, Donnie Wahlberg and Beverley Mitchell
  Jigsaw's Game Making-of Featurette
  Bits and Pieces: The Props of Saw II
  Bits and Pieces: The Traps of Saw II
  Featurettes
  Storyboards
  4 stars out of 5
  Gareth Von Kallenbach
  
  
  

• Saw II

  
  By AW99SBGWEXP0J on 2005-11-02
  Detective Eric Mason (Wahlberg) has finally caught the Jigsaw Killer, John (Bell). But, John has one last game to play. He has kidnapped some people and imprisoned then in an old house. Poisonous gas is being pumped into the house and Mason only has two hours to find them before the gas kills them all. To make matters worse, one of the trapped is his son.
  
  "Saw II" is a worthy successor to last year's surprise hit "Saw". Tobin Bell is excellent as Jigsaw, this time full and center and interacting with Wahlberg's Mason. He is a creepy little man suffering from terminal cancer who just wants to teach others to appreciate what they have. Unlike most horror movies, he gives good insight into the killer's motives. The twist at the end is slightly more satisfying than the original's, and the gore and violence is about the same. "Saw II" is a solid scary movie, and I'm sure it is not the end of the "Saw" series.
  
  

• I want to play a game. Jigsaw is back, using a bigger trap and extracting more blood than ever!

  
  By A2PN7Z2VTHICL8 on 2006-03-13
  As true to the horror genre as the first 'SAW', 'SAW II' brings us back to the bloody depths of Jigsaw's intriguing games and puzzles, where blood is the price you pay for not playing by the rules. I am as pleased with this sequel as I was with the original, bringing blood and horror back to horror where it belongs. Hopefully, 'SAW III' will rise from the ashes of this grisly phoenix to entertain horror aficionados again.
  
  Detective Eric Matthews has cornered and caught John (Tobin Bell) the jigsaw killer. Or has he? When John tells Matthews another game is in progress, and shows Matthews footage that his son has been recruited for the game, Matthews is forced into Jigsaw's nightmare of trying to unravel the clues.
  
  The trap? Several people are locked inside a dilapidated old house. (The atmosphere of the house is sinister and disturbing, but not as filthy as the bathroom in the original.) The doors to the house will open in three hours, but the players are already breathing in a poison gas that will kill them within two hours. The players include Matthews' son Daniel (Erik Knudson) and Amanda (Shawnee Smith), who previously escaped one of Jigsaw's traps and is forced to play again. John's tape informs them that there are antidotes hidden throughout the house, one of which is in the safe in the middle of the room they are in. He tells them they all possess the combination to the safe; that the numbers are in the back of their mind. Once they figure out what they all have in common, they will know why they are there. X marks the spot (again). Let the game begin.
  
  Amanda tries to warn her fellow players that she has dealt with Jigsaw's traps before, and that they must follow the rules, but the fear of death and the clash of personalities have the players all running for their own lives. Needless to say, the house has many lovely traps awaiting our game-players. We get to observe not only the players desperate struggle to survive, but witness Detective Matthews degeneration into his own madness as he struggles with John's mental games in order to save his son's life.
  
  Without the 'whodunit' value of the original 'SAW', the surprise in 'SAW II' comes strictly from the clues of the game, not a 'whodunit' but 'what was the most important clue'? It is still a puzzle for the viewer to solve, and I will go no further on revealing any hints. Suffice to say, pay attention, and get ready to be shocked, stunned, grossed out, and gagging with exquisite horror and delight as the blood begins to flow. Watch for the peek at the original bathroom.
  
  I must add, I have never felt so drawn to a psychopathic killer in my life as I am to John. I would kiss Jigsaw's cancer-withered lips and toes if I could find him. I just hope he doesn't find me first.
  
  One more quick note. When I saw Donnie Wahlberg in 'The Sixth Sense', I wondered how an awful ex-pop singer (the word singer used loosely) could turn into such a great actor. While his performance in 'The Sixth Sense' was superior, he plays his role as Detective Matthews quite skillfully. Kudos also to Tobin Bell and Shawnee Smith.
  
  If you loved 'SAW', you are going to love 'SAW II'. If you love blood, guts, building terror, violent deaths, desperately selfish personalities, and cunning killers, this movie is for you. Definitely a 'buy', 10 stars. Enjoy!
  
  
  

• Those who do not appreciate life...

  
  By A1VCPMT1RRS7K0 on 2006-03-17
  In this sequel, we get to see more creatively twisted scenarios created by Jigsaw. This time Jigsaw, played wonderfully by Tobin Bell, gets the cops by the balls when they come to capture him. He is no longer able to flee and he has set up one of his finest and most brilliant "scenarios" elsewhere.
  
  We get to see much more of Jigsaw this time around, allowing us to get a true feel for what he is doing, and why. We are granted insight into his personal situation and his frame of mind. Jigsaw uses peoples' "dirty laundry" to entrap them and fuel their desire to live, as he did in the first. He believes, given his experiences, that those who do not appreciate life do not deserve life.
  
  The movie is interesting, twisted and creative - and it follows up on the first movie very well. You even get to briefly revisit the scene from the first movie, which was a great added touch. The twist near the end of the movie is unexpected and clever. I doubt that I would be as interested to see a third installment into the series, but this one was certainly solid.
  
  The bonus features are also quite interesting. You get to see how Jigsaw's traps were created and put into action for the film. There is also a cool featurette highlighting the props used in the movie.
  
  Highly recommended for horror fans.
  
  

• 0.5 STARS: OVERRATED!!! OVERRATED!!! OVERRATED!!!

  
  By A3FUBUJAIGM87T on 2006-06-23
  From a "real" horror movie fan's perspective like myself, I can honestly say that "Saw II" is OVERRATED in the extreme and boring. What was so scary about this movie? Nothing!! The acting sucked something awful, and this really hurt the movie's effectiveness...I came away feeling cheated. I mean, let's face it, the original "Saw" wasn't that good to begin with!! The original "Saw" was a "Seven" clone, but "Saw II" is much worse..."Saw II" is simply boring. In this movie, yhou have a bunch of people in a room screaming and raising hell trying to get out of a booby trapped house by Jigsaw, the cancer-ridden wuss of a killer from the original movie who gets caught by the police but is holding one of the police officer's son hostage in a not so safe place. More than anything else, the people in this house end up driving each other crazy and killing each other (at least that big dufus was), and their stupidity and lack of charisma is so evident that I was frankly bored stiff with this movie...the movie has no substance or style. Of course, by the movie's end, we have a very predictable twist, which I believe makes the movie even lamer than it was when it started. You can listen to these glowing reviews if you want to, but I thought the movie was trash.
  
  
• Oh yes, there will be plot holes
  By A21WQCKXUXDYM1 on 2006-11-09
  If you are going to use a poor, terminally ill cancer patient as your main villan you are going to run into some serious problems with your plot.
  
  1) How does a man going through an incredibly expensive terminal disease, cancer, who has no money in the first place (check out the car he's driving when he attempts suicide) find the money to purchase multiple warehouses, tens of thousands of dollars in electronic equipment, pay for contractors to redesign and reconstruct said buildings, pay for electricians to wire everything, pay for all the equipment that goes into making the traps, etc?
  
  2) How does someone who's so terminally ill in the first movie that he looks like he's at death's door find the strength/energy to run around putting these plans into action? Nevermind the time and energy he somehow found to design these elaborate traps and to become a master welder and electrician.
  
  3) How does he go about getting contacts to purchase a poisonous gas? You can't exactly go down to Wal Mart and look in the Poisonous Gas aisle. At least not where I live.
  
  I don't expect too much realism when I watch horror movies. However, if you're going to use a poor, terminally ill cancer patient as the main villan, you'd better do a bang up job of connecting all the dots. If not - you get one star.
  
  
• Suprisingly Superior Sequel
  By A1N0RABYB0NZ9G on 2005-10-30
  2004's Saw was something I never thought I'd see in this day and age - a horror movie with a clever, engrossing plot that didn't center around a scantily-clad, sex-crazed co-ed cast. It was, in my opinion, the closest anyone, with the exception of Rob Zombie with House of 1,000 Corpses and The Devil's Rejects, has ever come to a horror classic in at least a decade, maybe even longer. Can lightning strike twice? Absolutely.
  
  This is one of those rare occasions where the sequel builds upon the greatness of its predecessor. The first Saw was amazing, but Saw II is phenomenal. It boasts an even better cast, a faster pace and a chilling storyline that's by no means a stale rehash of what we saw in the original. On top of that, the "kill scenarios" are even smarter and, yes, even more gruesome than what we saw a year ago.
  
  Within the opening minutes of the movie, the Jigsaw Killer's caught. Once he's in police custody, he engages in mind games with the main police officer, a seemingly troubled individual played by former New Kid on the Block Donny Wahlberg. The results of these games are shocking, violent and totally unexpected.
  
  If you liked the first Saw, you'll love this movie. It's even better than the original.
  
  
• A Real, Refreshing Horror Movie And A Respectable Sequel.
  By AZSN1TO0JI87B on 2005-10-31
  Well, here it is. Just one year after the original "Saw" was a surprise hit, "Saw II" has arrived, and rather swiftly at that. I was kind of skeptical walking into the theater about whether or not this movie could live up to the first one. Afterall, sequels that are put out this quickly tend to lack in quality (especially when it comes to the horror genre). But rest assured, "Saw II" definitely delivers. In typical sequel fashion, it ups the ante on gore, the cast is bigger, the jumps are higher and the story more complicated. Just like the first movie, it is whip-smart and will keep you guessing right until the very end.
  
  Now, I'm not gonna pretend that this movie is perfect. While it is obviously better than 99 percent of the "horror" movies out today (and the fact that it isn't a remake earns it bonus points) it still does suffer in a few parts. The main point being that the cast is too large, and in turn, hardly any of the characters are developed to the point where the audience really cares. Half of what made "Saw" so good was the dynamic between Cary Elwes and Leigh Whannell, whose characters were fleshed out really well and truly carried the movie. Here, the cast is tripled, and when you cram them into a 90 minute time slot, there just isn't much time to get to know them. Donnie Wahlberg as the bad cop/bad father and Tobin Bell as "John" are the standouts and both are absolutely brilliant in the film. The other actors were good, but just not enough screen time. Also, the torture/death scenes -- while inventive -- were a little predictable. You see what's going to happen before you're supposed to. Even still though, the plot (which was written once again by Whannell) twists and turns so many times and keeps you on your toes the whole way. This is really one movie where you're not gonna want to step out to the bathroom. Each bit of dialogue is crucial. Like the original, this one is a giant jigsaw puzzle that only makes sense in the final minutes. Director Darren Lynn Bousman is a perfect successor to James Wan, despite the fact that most of his experience lies in music videos. The man handles this film with much class and style. It looks and feels just like the first one did -- without coming off as a retread (the tie-in to the original at the end of the movie was a nice touch, by the way).
  
  Overall, despite it's few flaws, "Saw II" is the must-see movie this Halloween season. If you loved the first, you'll want to check this out. I guarantee it will surprise you and will leave you walking out with so many questions and so much to talk about. And not to give anything away, but there is definitely room left for "Saw III" -- which is already in the works. Hopefully next Halloween we can look forward to having our nerves fried once again.
  
  
• A Little Better than the First Saw
  By A1TW9ZGRDQQZ2Y on 2006-01-16
  The acting went from below average in SAW to pretty decent in SAW II. The story was similar to the original and there was plenty of gore as well. I enjoyed the flick Hostel a little more than both SAW films, but this one will sit proudly in my DVD collection right beside the first SAW.
  
  
• A Horror Masterpiece
  By AJ0PLMJGUBTJO on 2005-10-28
  Saw 2 is a horror masterpiece. Jigsaw has begun a new game with 8 contestants in a house of horror. Anmd thats all you need to know about the movie because saying anything more would ruin it.
  
  The way Saw and Saw 2 are connected is brilliant. And Amanda gives a performance that would leave you speachless. The ending is incredible. You would not see it coming. A must see.
  
  
• It is game over when you go to see "Saw II"
  By A2NJO6YE954DBH on 2005-10-28
  I was not originally planning to see "Saw II" in the theater. "Saw" was the last horror film I made a point of going to see instead of just waiting for the DVD, but that was on the strength of strong reviews and since "Saw II" just opened today the critical and public verdicts have yet to be determined. But then I saw the trailer and discovered that Beverly Mitchell was in the cast and that tipped the scale towards going to the first showing on the first day, because the possibility of seeing Lucy Camden Kinkirk die a horrible death in a splatter flick appeals to me (the character drives me up the wall). I know lots of people went to go see "House of Wax" just to watch Paris Hilton die on screen, so it is not like I am the only sick person on the planet.
  
  It goes without saying that your enjoyment of "Saw II" is predicated entirely on your having seen the original. There is not a recap per se, but we begin with a reminder of exactly the sort of games that Jigsaw plays. Then we are introduced to Detective Eric Mason (Donnie Wahlberg), who is brought in on the case because Jigsaw has left him a message. Mason is one of those world-weary cops who has enough personal and professional problems without having a psycho killer playing mind games with him, so he does not want to play. But of course Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) forces the issue as once again there are games within games within games.
  
  So, while Jigsaw is playing his little game with the police, on the monitors we see the interiors of a house when Jigsaw has trapped a group of people like rats. I do not need to get ahead of the movie in terms of introducing the characters beyond pointing out that we already know two of them. One is Daniel (Erik Knudsen), who is Marsh's son, and the other is Amanda (Shawnee Smith), who has the distinction of being the only person ever to have survived one of Jigsaw's little games. The game this time has two parts. The first is that they are all breathing a toxic gas. A door to the outside will open in three hours, but unless they get to an antidote they will all be dead within two ("There will be blood," Jigsaw promises). The second part of the game is that each person in the house will get to play their own little personal game in an effort to get their hands on the antidote.
  
  If you are expecting everybody to take turns playing their own personal game, then you are going to be disappointed, because that possibility disappears before they even get out of the first room. With more than two characters playing the game we certainly do not get to know any of them as well as we did last time. Still, "Saw II" plays off of the original, which is exactly what you want it to do, and one of the strengths of this film is how it finds a new way to do old things in a new way, which is also what you want it to do. Unlike most contemporary horror films (e.g., "Jeepers Creepers"), this one has a better payoff than a set up. At least that is what I was thinking when I was sitting in the dark watching the end credits. So while I do not think many people will find "Saw II" superior to the original, I also think most people will not be as disappointed watching "Saw II" as they usually are when they watch a sequel to a horror film they liked.
  
  Director Darren Lynn Bousman ("Butterfly Dreams," "Identity Lost") co-wrote the script with Leigh Whannell, who came up with the original story for "Saw" and wrote the screenplay with director James Wan, and I have a complaint in that the director undercuts the writers and actors at key moments. Take the opening sequence, where within a minute of the movie starting they have come up with a situation where you want to close your eyes rather than see what is happening on screen. But just when you are about to close your eyes and keep them shut, editor Kevin Greutert goes into overdrive and we are at the other end of the spectrum where things are flashing by so quickly you cannot tell what you are seeing. That strikes me as rather counterproductive for this type of a movie and is the reason I ended up rounding down on this one (and not because of what does or does not happen to Mitchell's character). Despite that, "Saw II" should deliver the goods this Hallowee weekend, which is just what horror fans need to hear.
  
  
• Better than the first
  By A457S8SW690NM on 2005-10-29
  Better than the first. Now, that's something rare in movies and was highly unlikely to me that this movie could surpass the excellent first one. Saw II is one hell of a good movie with everything clicking right. The acting is solid notably the guy who played Jigsaw. If you watched the first one and liked it, then stop reading this right now and go watch it.
  This movie still has the same twists the first one did notably another great one at the end. The end sure is unpredictable and will continue this Saw franchise.
  Saw II opens with a guy being trapped and receiving orders from Jigsaw. Everything goes wrong for him and he gets his face smashed. Detective Matthews is on the case. He has an argument with his son and his son runs off. Guess what. They find Jigsaw..he's still the old guy and he has cancer and is breathing on a respirator. But wait..there's something else. Inside the room they find Jigsaw, there's 4 or 5 tvs and on them..it's not pretty. There are 8 people stranded in a room. One of them is Matthew's son. They have been given a toxic gas that will kill them if they don't get an antidote.
  What happens next is one hell of a good and really suspensful movie. Believe me, there are some serious gross out moments like in the first one.
  The movie's cleverness and geniune creepiness comes from Jigsaw though. All that he says makes perfect sense. He makes a serious point witch is very creepy. He's like John Doe in Seven, all that he says makes sense. He says that he is only putting people in this position because they don't cherish life which is the truth. The drug dealers, the suicidal people, all of them..But if you're placed in Jigsaw's position where they tell him he's going to die, then he starts to view life differently..starts to cherish it. Every glass of water, everything. And that is what makes the movie so fascinating because you see why Jigsaw became what he is and why he's doing it. This adds to the creepiness of the movie. The huge twist given in the movie is fascinating and the twisted irony at the end is brilliant. Just pay attention to everything Jigsaw says and in the end you'll see. All he wants is for detective Matthews to listen..so remember that.
  Saw II is one of the best movies of the year and I'm not talking about stupid horror like the texas chainsaw massacre. This movie is unforgettable and I will definitely watch it again. A complete must see...Saw II is a success, even comparable to the silence of the lambs and red dragon. Now that's something to say and besides the acting which is better in the silence of the lambs (by far), I think this movie is better. Now that's unbelievable. Saw II is a piece of genius..watch it.
  
  
• "Oh yes, there will be blood!"
  By AD7IBJCYSJ9EE on 2005-10-31
  I took my friends to see this movie yesterday. As a fan of the first, I expected this one to be awesome, too. It is.
  
  INTRO: The original Saw was quite a horror movie. It told about a killer who would put his victims in deadly situations, and they had to figure out how to get out.
  The ending was quite a cliffhanger, so we KNEW there would be a sequel. And now we have it. And the sequel rocks!
  
  THE STORY: This takes a few months after the first. Det. Mathews has found Jigsaw and it seems that it will end swell. But Jigsaw reveals that he has Mathews's son in one of his games. The son, along with other people, are trapped in a house filled with nerve gas. They will have to find antidotes to the nerve gas while avoiding traps to survive. Can Mathews find where Jiggy's "game" is? Can Mathews's son survive?
  
  OPINION: What a great horror ride! Suspense, horror, and tons of blood! What I liked about this film is that it goes back to the roots of horror. With all the PG-13 horror movies out, it's nice to see an R-rated one for once. Plus, the ending has a HUGE twist.
  
  If you liked the original, you'll love Saw II!
  
  Oh, and BTW, this film has made over $30 million on it's opening weekend. It's a hit!
  
  
  
• Good
  By A4JP4T1F95D0A on 2005-11-01
  I wasn't sure about this one. They seemed to want to rush a quick sequel out the door with a new writer and director. I am glad to say that this movie is very good. Though it uses much of what made the first movie effective, it also has a differant feel to it. The victims are confimed to an entire house as opposed to one room. Also, you see a great deal of Jigsaw in this one and learn a lot of his back story. The twist at the end seemed to confuse a few people in the audience, but it is not hard to understand if you pay attention. This film will be fun to watch a second time now that I know the ending to try and pick up all the clues that were left. Continues the story nicely and worth your time and money.
  
  
• Good Sequel (Especially for the Horror Genre)
  By A9IBXP33KVH24 on 2006-01-11
  Saw II is an especially good sequel. If you enjoyed the first movie, you will definitely find the second to your liking.
  
  There are several disturbing scenes, which is what makes these movies interesting. While the movie had the same feel as the first one, it certainly was not a reproduction of the first.
  
  For starters, there are several people in a house together who must try to find a way out. This allows for more relationships to form and the possibility of the viewer feeling empathy for one or more of the victims.
  
  The ending was very clever and definitely allows for more sequels. Some have said the ending was predictible, but unless they heard something about the movie in advance, I find this hard to believe.
  
  If you like smart horror movies (or the first Saw movie), you will not be disappointed with Saw II.
  
  
• Better than the first!!!
  By A7K2V3AJIAC63 on 2006-02-01
  When i say better than the first, you probably think that i do not like the first one; on the contrary, i loved the first one. It is probably my favorite movie of all time. This one is better. The deaths are cooler, there is more blood, and the end is just as twisted as the first. When i went in to see this movie, i was like okay, this will probably not be as good as the original , but it will be worth watching. Boy, did i eat my words when i was finished. I was amazed that it was so good. I was even surprised that the ending was twisted because if you saw the first one, then you already know everything. WRONG. I was impressed with this movie for it's twists and turns. Kudos to the film makers and actors for giving us such a great movie. I am really looking forward to Saw 3. And when i see it, I will be prepared for another twisted ending. These movies are the number one suspense/twisted ending movies. These movies are my favorite series, and i hope they just get better and better!
  
  
• in my opinion 4 stars b/c its actually a good sequel
  By A2NUHWMHA9XNKV on 2006-02-13
  Great sequel
  I saw this movie in the theater and I really enjoyed it! It is in my opinion way better that the first Saw. It keeps you guessing the whole movie and just when you think you have it figured out, another twist develops and you're wrong again. I really loved it and look forward to adding the DVD to my collection.
  
  Don't get me wrong the first saw is ok but its rare that a sequel is better than the first...
  
  I just wanna say you have 2 types of people on amazon, the type who really likes something and the type who hates on everyone for liking it, not because they think its bad but because they don't want to jump on the wagon like everyone else and admit its a good movie...
  
  
• Taking Pleasure in Sadism
  By AW4ZFI912SN2K on 2006-11-21
  This film was truly appalling. I was cajoled into seeing it by a group of acquaintances, and it came close to making me literally sick. The only purpose of this sort of entertainment is as an outlet to those lacking the guts to carry out sadistic fantasies of torture. Honestly, there was NO other point to this movie than to sit and watch realistic depictions of people being tortured and killed for 90 minutes. Anyone who truly finds that enjoyable, stimulating, or entertaining needs mental help.
  
  
• Don't forget the rules.
  By A3116ITCY40DC6 on 2005-10-28
  On October 29th 2004, I sat down and watched the film "Saw" from the first moment, ti'll the moment the lights came back on. I was captured by it. To me nobody elses opinion really mattered much. It was violent gritty yet under neath it all there was a message that few movies had touched upon. On October 28th 2005. I found myself on the same road going down the same street in the same town to the same movie theatre. My purpose? To see the sequal "Saw 2" at first, I wasn't sure what to think, with Donnie Walburg ( ex boy band member) however, as soon as it began. I realized I was in for the same suprise I had when I viewed the first. From the first scene on which involves an updated version of the "venus fly trap" head gear and another victim. Our hero played by Donnie is a cop who is losing touch with his son and his own world. After a message from Jigsaw on the ceiling of a victim's death. It becomes apparent, he has a bone to pick with the detective. Soon they return to the place where Jigsaw has watched his victims die/survive for who knows how long. With that, the game begins. Donnie's acting trys a little too hard to be like Bruce willis' style of tough badass cop. He does a GREAT job though. The story is incredible. However, is it better than the first? About equal actually. There is one scene where you see a certain "something" or somebody actually, I just don't wanna give the plot away so we'll leave it at that, that may put the second one in the back seat to the first. The ending is nothing short of stunning, my jaw was on the floor. All I have to say is.......The second one ends, where the first began.
  
  
• This movie is F!@#$%* disturbing! SUPERB! OUTSTANDING MOVIE!
  By AWD7NXK81LG75 on 2005-10-29
  I loved the movie Saw, and even bought the Uncut Special Edition. I've been waiting months to see this movie, and today was the day! This had to have been better than the first, in some ways. It's scary, gory, thrilling and just plain terrifying! This movie screwed with my mind from beginning to end! ALL HORROR FANS MUST SEE THIS MOVIE! THE ENDING IS SO UNEXPECTED, SO TWISTED, YOU WOULD NEVER EXPECT IT IN A MILLION YEARS! THIS IS JUST PLAIN PERFECTION!
  
  
• better than the first
  By A2R6FZRA0V2GC0 on 2005-10-29
  Though not perfect, I thoroughly enjoyed saw 2. I originally was going to wait until it came out on dvd, as I thought it would be the exact same as the first. This is a very different film! First, I feel this movie can stand completely on it's own merits. No need to see SAW first. Second, I felt this had way more plot. Yes, it could have developed the main characters more. I wonder if the extended version will correct this. You get much more of the history behind jigsaw, not that it tries to garner any sympathy....there are a couple of plots holes, but on the whole II is more clever than I by far. Some events are predictable, but I almost feel they were put there for the audience to identify with. You feel like YOU are playing the game! The audience actually broke into spontaneous applause at the end of the movie, which does NOT happen much these days (at least in the movies I see) I thought the ending could have been a little better, but if you see the movie you'll understand why they ended it the way they did. For those who prefer their movies wrapped up in a neat bundle at the end, this movie is NOT for you! Please don't bring your kids or siblings....one dad towed his shellshocked 8 year old out of the theater. I'd hate to pay for his future counseling sessions....
  
  
• "Saw II" is an impressive sequel!
  By A3LZBOBV9H1HDV on 2005-10-30
  "Saw II" is an impressive sequel! This is a solid follow-up to the original "Saw" (2004). The cast led by Tobin Bell as John / Jigsaw and Shawnee Smith as Amanda (who, both reprise their roles from the original) is great. The directing by Darren Lynn Bousman (who also wrote the screenplay) is great. The story & screenplay by Leigh Whannell (who starred in the original as Adam and also wrote the screenplay to the original) & Darren Lynn Bousman (who also directed) is excellent! The music by Charlie Clouser (who also did the music to the original) is excellent! The cinematography by David A. Armstrong (who also did the cinematography to the original) is great! The film editing by Kevin Greutert (who also did the film editing to the original) is great. The casting by Stephanie Gorin (who also did the casting to "Godsend" (2004) & Amy Lippens (who also did the casting to the original "Saw" (2004) is great. The production design by David Hackl is great! The art direction by Michele Brady is great! The costume design by Alex Kavanagh (who, most recently, did the costume design to "George A. Romero's Land Of The Dead" (2005) is great. This is an impressive follow-up to a horror movie original. This is just as inventive as the original "Saw" (2004) was, or is! This movie will keep you guessing until the very end!
  
  
• A great sequel
  By A268EEWUXYCA8Q on 2005-11-02
  Wow. After seeing all of the negative reviews roll in, with only a couple good ones, I was kind of worried about Saw II. It didn't exactly have the best track record. The script started as the director's own script that had absolutely nothing to do with the Saw universe. And then when Lion's Gate decided to make a sequel they found this script and thought it could fit into the universe, so they gave it to the original screenwriter and he took a stab (pun not intended but I'll go with it) at making it work for their sequel. Normally when you have a script and then have other people work on it, you get a conflict of interest and the script falls apart. See Jurassic Park 3 and its huge list of screenwriters to get an idea of that.
  
  BUT! I thought this movie was great for a couple of reasons. A lot of times, with sequels, you could simply switch in a different villain and name the movie Bob's House of Horror and it would work. I mean, seriously, the Jason movies? The Michael Myer movies? Change those guys with someone else and it would work. There's no real connection outside of the killer to the series. And then there are movies that are intricately connected. The Scream trilogy is. Not saying that all three Scream movies are great, but they are intricately connected. A good sequel acknowledges the first movie and then finds a way to change how you viewed it. It changes things, raises the stakes and makes you rethink what happened in the first film. Scream 2 and 3 did this and so does Saw II.
  
  The big worry for me going into Saw II was that it would be there simply to cash in on the success of Saw. Sure, the Jigsaw killer would be there, up to his old tricks. But that would be it. It'd be another Jason, another Michael Myers. I'm happy to report that is not the case. Instead it is connected at a fundamental level to the first one. It answers some lingering questions about the killer, it brings in a character from the first one and it...well I don't want to spoil it. There are a couple twists. I saw the majority of them coming. The big one lacked the punch of the first one's dead body on the floor, but it definitely was more realistic and fit in perfectly with the story. It was a good twist, but it didn't make my jaw drop.
  
  It is incredibly gory. Incredibly. I don't think overall its as intense as the first film, it definitely has its cringe-worthy moments. There is a scene toward the end that mimicks the nominal scene from the first film (not in the same way but its definitely an homage to it) that I almost didn't watch. I did the kind of squint your eyes so you can just barely see it manuever. Thinking about it makes me shudder.
  
  But what Saw I did, Saw II does bigger and better for the most part. The characters were more fully developed, the dialogue was better and the production values were higher. It was nice, after the first film's 18 days of filming, that they spent more time and money getting it right. The premise still can't live up to the original with the two people chained in a room, without knowing where they are or who they are with set up. That scene is so claustrophobic, so intense that just making it 8 people in a house doesn't do it justice. In fact, it wasn't as intense as the first one. More in your face and bloody, yes. But the adrenaline run from the last 30 minuts of the first film was never quite reached in this one. However, it is definitely a worthy sequel. It didn't feel rushed. It felt fully composed. And, above all, it was good.
  
  Just remember, if you ever get stuck in a Jigsaw situation, for God's sake, follow the rules!
  
  
• Vengeance begets more vengeance
  By A2Z0A3DOG0EVTY on 2005-11-05
  
  
  As a Christian I always find it funny when people accuse me of legalism, and hypocrisy. For don't we live in a world where everybody expects everybody to do and act the way we want them too? Don't we all at some point ostracize people for being a little off o r out of place? The freaks call the beautiful stuck up, and the beautiful pay no attention to the ugly. We flip off the guy who cuts us off and we hate him because he inconvenienced us for one small moment. We're all guilty of doing somebody wrong, and then when we are wronged we expect the other person to apologize. We want vengeance, and we want the world to think and act just like us. If not we hate them. Trust me we're all guilty at some point, even I am
  
  That is just one of the wild thoughts that permeated my mind while sitting through SAW II. Yes, I'll admit it's odd that I would have a somewhat religious epiphany while people are hacking themselves to pieces. But that's the beauty of Horror. It's about processing the horror into something productive, while enjoying the scares.
  
  The Jigsaw Killer (Tobin Bond) is back. This time he's locked a bunch of people in a gory fun-ouse of his own design. The house is slowly filling with a gas that will kill the inhabitants unless they can find the antidote. One of the Jigsaw Killers victims is the son of Eric Matthews (Donnie Wahlberg), a local cop. Matthews and the local swat team have the Jigsaw Killer in their grasp. What follows is a psychological game that matches the law with a man whose unafraid to die.
  
  SAW II is one of those rare sequels that works because you get to find out more about the psychopath. In this film we get to delve into the mind of the Jigsaw Killer (who goes by the name of John), see a little more about why and how he operates. Tobin Bond keeps him creepy and yet charismatic enough to be believable. Like a poor mans Hannibal Lecter there is a method and meaning to his madness but he's not a cartoon. He's a man on his deathbed with nothing to lose, and a theory of life that is so practical that if he channeled his concepts into motivational speaking and not murder and carnage he could be a millionaire.
  
  I liked that the movie didn't play fast and loose with the carnage and at the same time realized when enough was enough. In this PG-13 Horror movie world it's so easy to pull back to reach a younger audience. But SAW II is smart enough to raise the bar, and let you process the mystery. Whose holding the cards? Is it the Jigsaw Killer? Is it the cops?
  
  I also thought the ensemble in the house worked well together, I just wish the screenplay had given them more to do than just stumble around and scream at each other. I also thought the stunning revelation about "X marking the spot" came far to late for the characters to really care about who was in the picture. When your life is almost over you're not really worrying about who put you in jail.
  
  Director Darren Lynn Bousman tries his dandiest not to make the same mistakes of the first film, by laying off the camera tricks in favor actually allowing the actors to act. Sure he wiggles the camera around a little, adds some quick cuts to places. But he doesn't use those devices to amplify action that's boring. My one little qualm was with the screenplay. I liked the stuff in the house so much more than the police procedural parts. I wished that the movie had delved into the whole numbers thing and the mysteries of the people in the house a little more.
  
  SAW II is engrossing if you let it be. On the surface it could be construed as just another slasher knock-off. But the power lies in the Jigsaw character and how and why he's manipulating the background. It's also a film that explores our own dark side. Jigsaw's real beef with the people in the story is that their wasting their lives. Their killing their bodies, they're hurting other, and their tearing their families apart. But the truth lies in the fact that legalism, and your own pursuit to change another persons thinking can also be skewed. So the next time you cut that guy off, or the next time you cut off that guy. Just think to yourself, I've been wronged but should I really wrong back. Vengeance begets more vengeance. Sometimes it's good to walk away.
  
  
• Just as Good as the Original
  By A3V9XWGAGV0MFV on 2005-11-10
  In Halloween of 2004, director James Wan and writer Leigh Whannell created a movie called Saw, a movie about a serial killer that locked a young man and a doctor in a dirty, disgusting bathroom and forced them to play his sick game of survival. The majority of the critics considered the movie as being nothing more than an excuse to get another scary movie out, but the viewers had a different opinion. It quickly grew a decent size fan base, and because of the surprising success of Saw, only one year later came its own sequel. Saw II, directed by first time film director Darren Lynn Bousman, is a great way to have a bloody good time. From beginning to end, from the first victim of the film to the surprising twist at the end there is never a dull moment. The plot and story are absolutely amazing, and the acting was quite good. It seemed a lot more like an normal movie than the first Saw did. Saw II is a very good movie, a sequel that is just as good as the original.
  
  The movie begins with an informant, trapped in a room with a television set, a mirror, a knife, and a strange device wrapped around his neck. The killer's doll appears on the television, and tells him the device is a "death mask", that is set to slam shut on his face and force the nails inside into him. He is given a clear picture of where the key to remove the device has been hidden. Unfortunately, he is unable to get the key and the mask slams shut. Detective Mathews (Donnie Wahlberg), after having a small argument with his son, is called in to investigate. "Look closer Detective Mathews" is written on the roof. That night, he begins rethinking the recent events, and the things he saw inside the room. He remembers something he kind of overlooked. Using this information, he manages to find Jigsaw's (Tobin Bell) location. He, Kerry (Dina Meyer), and the S.W.A.T. team raid the building and find the tired old man resting in a chair, wearing a hooded black robe. "Is this close enough?" Mathews asks. The team prepares to move Jigsaw down to the station, but he reveals a problem. He points them towards another room, and inside the room are monitors displaying a group of people trapped inside a house. Detective Mathews immediately recognizes one of them as his son. The people trapped within the house, who also includes Amanda (Shawnee Smith) from the first Saw, and Detective Mathews, find themselves playing another of Jigsaw's sick, twisted games.
  
  There is something good about this sequel that cannot be said about most sequels, and that is that the filmmakers actually tried to make a good movie out of this. When most sequels are filmed, the creators know that because of the success of the first film, assuming the first film was successful of course, then people will go watch it just because of that. So there is no real reason for the filmmakers to put any real effort into the film, and we get crappy sequels like Spider-Man 2. However, with Saw II, this is not the case. This movie had very good effort put into the story, the plot, and the ending. Everything that made the original film good. The interaction between all the characters trapped in the house, and the frustration within Detective Mathews is all presented very well, and then there is the ending. The ending is absolutely brilliant, just like it was with the first Saw. So the things that make this movie very good are mostly the plot, the story, and the incredible ending, and for the viewers who like to have a whole lot of people getting killed and blood pouring left and right around the screen, there is plenty of that as well.
  
  There is one problem with the movie that really brings it down just a bit, and it is not the fact that it is low budget. It is the fact that the characters are not as good as the first films. In the first film, there were only two people in the room, and a detective, so they really were able to give a very good back story to all the characters. However, with Saw II, it is completely different. Because there is a much larger group trapped inside the house, it seemed that this was more of a Final Destination type movie, where they all seem to be there just to get knocked off. One character dies right at the beginning, and all he ever did was mention that he spent three years in college drunk. The filmmakers never explain the real reason why the people in the house deserved to be stuck playing Jigsaw's game. This does not really kill the movie, it does not really make the movie bad in any real way, but it is a little extra detail that would have been a slight improvement for the movie. Other than this, the movie is very good. Some very good direction, good visuals, some decent acting, nothing completely fantastic except for the story and the ending.
  
  So, the sequel to the surprising enjoyable Saw, turns out to be just as good as the original. There are lots of good moments that had viewers shocked and disgusted. A very good story that leads up to a great ending, with a surprising twist. There is plenty of good kills and lots of blood for the viewers that like that kind of material. This is one of the best, and most intelligent, slasher type films to be released in the last decade. The best thriller to be released in 2005.
  
  Overall = 8.8/10
  
  Favorite Scene = (SPOILER) The ending where we discover that Kerry was right all along. She knows how Jigsaw operates, and knows that when he says something, he means it. I'm not going to talk about what happens, but I'm sure other people have already spoiled it.
  
  
  
• I wouldn't kick it out of bed for eatin' crackers.
  By ABK0V7DLYO5NU on 2005-11-20
  I suppose it would be ok to give away a description of the first scene and not make anyone to angry. I would hate to spoil this horror mystery for anyone interested.
  
  At the outset, we join a new victim of the Jigsaw killer shortly before his terror inducing, blood-pressure raising death. As in the first movie, a beaten and bloodied man awakens to his horror with a strange contraption attached to his neck. A close-up shows us his first person view of an open mask lined with what appears to be old nails. Loud noises, amplified breathing sound and cut shots accompany, I suppose to add tension and it does quite a good job of it. I found myself unintentionally squeezing my wife's knee harder and harder (happened many times during the movie). An old banged up TV abruptly turns on, as in the first movie, with the face of the goofy but creepy puppet slowly waxing into view. The subject is then informed by said puppet that unless he finds the key to his death mask within the allotted time, the spring mechanism will activate and...Well, you know. The TV screen then switches to a recording showing the subject unconscious on a table and a hooded man performing some sort of vivisection on the sleeping man in the area of his eyes. You then notice the blood crusting his right eye as his trembling hand reaches to feel the swollen socket, eye still intact. The voice-over puppet explains that since the subject in his daily life was an informant, that it only fitting that the key hidden behind the very thing he used to make his money. The following xray flashed on screen guarantees that the key is indeed behind his eye. That is when he finds the scalpel, and Mr. Puppet tells him to choose between his eye and his life. We are then treated to the wonderful visual feast that is a man attempting to cut out his own eye. This is mostly shown in close-up and I hope it doesn't ruin it for you knowing that he does manage to slice himself pretty good before giving up.
  
  If the scene I have just described disturbed you then I think the director accomplished what he set out to do. If it kinda' makes you nauseous, you may want to either bring a barf bag or don't go see it. For gods' sake, do not let your children go see it either. I think half of the people in the theater were under 18. This really isn't a movie for kids, or for most adults either. On the other hand, if you can separate movies from reality and just want to get a little adrenalin pumping for once at the movies, then this is definitely for you.
  
  I really cannot say much else about the plot without ruining it. Suffice it to say that the two main stories follow a police detective, old and worn out (played beautifully by Danny Walberg) and his son, a budding criminal. The son and his group of fellow captives struggle to find the antidote to a deadly nerve agent hidden somewhere in the booby-trapped house they the have awakened in. At the same time the father struggles to get the where-abouts of his son out of the captured "Jigsaw", the apparently infirm old man from the first movie. Many of the questions left from that movie are answered in an acceptable manner and if you've seen the first and even remotely enjoyed it then this is definitely for you.
  
  It is a great mystery and if you can figure out how everything went down before the surprise ending, then you my friend are a smarter man than I. But, don't break your arm patting your back, because that ain't sayin' much.
  
  
  
• Alot Better than the Original
  By A1FT3AS139GFJT on 2006-01-30
  Dont get me wrong I loved the first one I own it and watch it all the time, but I went see this in theaters and I was just blown away.I didnt think this woulda beat the first one but the first 10 min I said here we go Im in for a ride here and I was, this movie explains it all, the whole saw killings all the reasons why jigsaw became jigsaw and o yea the ending with the 2 diff twists, and I aint guna spoil it, jus when this comes out on DVD buy it, you will love it.
  
  Overall: 5 out of 5.......Brilliant
  
  
• Saw II
  By on 2006-02-01
  Saw 2 was a very good movie. If you enjoyed Saw then you will enjoy Saw 2. I thought that Saw 2 was better then the first one but the first one was still very good. I went to Saw 2 with a couple of friends one day and we all enjoyed it. Seeing it in theaters was awesome. It was a little bit loud. There is a heavy bass sound going on almost through the whole movie. I didn't get any sleep the night before going to Saw 2 from spending the night at a friends house and staying up all night. I thought I was going to end up falling asleep but I didn't because it was so good. I can't wait till this comes out on DVD I will definatly buy it the day it comes out! Very good movie. i recommend
  
  
• Sick and Twisted...just the way I like my horror movies
  By AFUEWMQLYXTJW on 2006-02-06
  Wow! I thought Saw was one of the most demented movies I had ever seen until I saw part 2.Jigsaw means buisness alright,this one's got even more gore and wicked twists.I think that these movies will go on for years due to their originality and popularity.This is one the best horror movies EVER,don't forget to buy it on dvd,Valentine's Day!
  
  
• Saw II--The Reprieve
  By A14ERYCO5B9RA1 on 2006-07-09
  If you liked "Saw," you'll like #2. Twists and turns, revelations and plots, plots-within-plots, and a resolution that begs for Saw III.
  
  I liked it, especially late at night with a cold drink and some popcorn.
  
  

• Saw
• Saw III (Unrated Widescreen Edition)
• Saw IV (Unrated Widescreen Edition)
• Saw III - Unrated (Full Screen Edition)
• Hostel (Unrated Widescreen Edition)