
Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Adam (Leigh Whannell) wakes up in a dank room across from Dr. Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes) and the body of a guy who has blown his own brains out. Not a happy place, obviously, and it gets worse when both men realize that they've been chained and pitted against one another by an unseen but apparently omniscient maniac who's screwing with their psyches as payment for past sins. Director James Wan, who concocted this grimy distraction with screenwriter Whannell, has seen Seven and any number of other arty existential-psycho-cat-and-mouse thrillers, so he's provided Saw with a little flash, a little blood, and a lot of ways to distract you from the fact that it doesn't make a whole hell of a lot of sense. Wan and Whannell (who's not the most accomplished actor, either) pile on the plot twists, which after some initially novel ideas become increasingly juvenile. Elwes works hard but looks embarrassed, and the estimable Danny Glover suffers as the obsessed detective on the case. The denouement will probably surprise you, but it won't get you back the previous 98 minutes.--Steve Wiecking
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Saw III (Unrated Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Tobin Bell , Shawnee Smith , Angus Macfadyen , Bahar Soomekh , and Donnie Wahlberg Director: Darren Lynn Bousman Manufacturer: Lions Gate ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000LC3ID8 Release Date: 2007-01-23 |
Amazon.com
The first Saw picture actually had an idea behind it, to say nothing of the ingenuity of its low-budget production; making a silk purse out of a bloody, maggot-ridden human ear, as it were. With Saw III, the franchise pretty much settles into gore for gore's sake, as it explores newer and better ways to traumatize the body--and the audience. Events from Saw II are sewn up at the beginning of the film, and a detective on the trail of mad killer Jigsaw is quickly trussed up and subjected to one of the villain's sadistic games (this one has escape possible only by means of a key sitting in the bottom of a beaker of acid). Then we catch up with Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) himself, as he awaits death from his debilitating illness; once again he's tended by helper Shawnee Smith. The movie follows parallel plots: Jigsaw blackmails a doctor (Bahar Soomekh) into keeping him alive, and tortures a vengeful soul (Angus Macfayden) into recognizing the futility of revenge. Original Saw creators James Wan and Leigh Whannell worked on the script of this one, and it fully buys into the series mythology, referring backwards to previous events and, for all we know, preparing us for future installments. But if future installments are as pointlessly repugnant as this one, there's not much to look forward to. --Robert HortonDescription
Jigsaw has disappeared. With his new apprentice Amanda (Shawnee Smith), the puppet-master behind the cruel, intricate games that have terrified a community and baffled police has once again eluded capture and vanished. While city detectives scramble to locate him, Doctor Lynn Denlon (Bahar Soomekh) and Jeff (Angus Macfadyen) are unaware that they are about to become the latest pawns on his vicious chessboard
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Saw - Unrated (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Leigh Whannell , Cary Elwes , Danny Glover , Ken Leung , and Dina Meyer Director: James Wan Manufacturer: Lions Gate ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000AMWIVM Release Date: 2005-10-18 |
Amazon.com
Saw opens with a gruesome scenario: Two men are chained to the walls of a grimy bathroom with a bloody corpse lying on the floor between them. Tape recordings tell them that one of the men has to kill the other, or his wife and child will die. The corpse is holding a gun in one hand, but it's out of reach...but whoever has locked these two up has thoughtfully provided a hacksaw that can't cut through the heavy chain, but might cut through a little flesh and bone. From there, Saw jumps back and forth as the two men slowly unravel how they know each other and that their tormentor is one of those all-knowing, all-capable serial killers (it goes without saying that Saw is hugely influenced by Seven and the movies of Dario Argento), a fellow known as Jigsaw who disguises his voice and lets a creepy puppet (lifted almost directly from the eccentric animations of the Brothers Quay) be his visual representative. But imitation isn't inherently bad; what puts Saw ahead of its horror compatriots is a gleeful enthusiasm that a dozen sequels to Halloween couldn't muster. Saw has problems--it's clumsily overwritten (every detail of what's going on, no matter how visually evident, will be explained by the characters); most of the situations are static and implausible; and though the cast includes talented veterans like Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride) and Danny Glover (Lethal Weapon), the acting has the depth of a puddle. The rapid pace and frequently frenzied camerawork keep things in motion and while the philosophical underpinnings of Jigsaw won't challenge Hegel or Schopenhauer, they do offer more food for thought than most contemporary horror. Discriminating fans of the genre who like their gore with a glimmer of an idea will embrace Saw.The Uncut Edition differs only slightly from the theatrical release; it reinserts a little more gore that was cut to get an R rating and tightens up the editing (the uncut version is actually a teensy bit shorter than the theatrical release). The extras are plentiful (if a bit thin): Two audio commentaries (one by director James Wan, screenwriter/actor Leigh Whannel, and Elwes), one by the producers--thankfully, no one takes themselves too seriously. Also included are a trio of typically self-congratulatory making-of featurettes ("He was amazing to work with" etc.), an animated storyboard of a sequence they couldn't afford to shoot, a DVD-ROM game in which you can construct your own puppet, a couple of self-mocking Easter Eggs, and lots of promotional stuff for Saw II. There's a very curious faux-news show purporting to be an investigation of the "real" Jigsaw, which uses clips from the movie as if they were documentary footage--it's hard to say whether this is a misguided attempt to make the movie seem creepier or a bit of flimsy humor. Most fans will find the regular DVD release satisfactory; this special edition is largely for hardcore enthusiasts. --Bret Fetzer
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Saw II - Unrated (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Tobin Bell , Shawnee Smith , Donnie Wahlberg , Erik Knudsen , and Franky G Director: Darren Lynn Bousman Manufacturer: Lions Gate ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00008YOD2 Release Date: 2006-10-24 |
Amazon.com
Saw II brings back many features of the original Saw: elaborate sadistic scenarios designed to "test" the victims' will to live; Tobin Bell as the Machiavellian (yet doomed) serial killer Jigsaw; Shawnee Smith as Amanda, a survivor of one of Jigsaw's "games", forced to play again; Dina Meyer (Starship Troopers), whose role as a detective is considerably expanded; and the stunningly godawful dialogue of screenwriter Leigh Whannel. The set-up this time is even more preposterous than before, as a rough-and-tumble cop named Eric (Donnie Whalberg, Band of Brothers) watches, on video monitors, his son trapped in a house filled with nerve gas and a handful of other victims, all of whom are mysteriously connected. Eric has captured Jigsaw, but the implacable killer refuses to reveal where the cop's son is being held... unless Eric will play by Jigsaw's rules. Fans of Saw will love Saw II, as the tortures are more gruesome than before; viewers who found Saw either detestable or laughable won't like Saw II either, as the characters rarely behave like actual people (even when a moment's explanation would solve a conflict, no one bothers to communicate, even though their lives are on the line). It's a festival of body fluids, agonized grimaces, and shrieks of pain--and if that's your thing, this is your movie. --Bret Fetzer
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What the Peeper Saw
Starring: Mark Lester , Britt Ekland , Hardy Krüger , Lilli Palmer , and Harry Andrews Director: Andrea Bianchi , and James Kelley Manufacturer: Televista ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000GAKD0Q Release Date: 2007-07-03 |
Description
Marcus, a wealthy widowed English author brings Elise, his beautiful young bride, to his isolated home in rural Spain. Elise's new life of comfort turns nightmarish when her 12-year-old step-son begins behaving more than a little strangely. The brilliant and lonely child is out to destroy all the love and trust between his father and step-mother with his surreptitious pranks. He revels in exploiting and feeding Elise's paranoia about him and plots to drive a wedge deeper between her and Marcus...or is the poor child simply the victim of a neurotic woman's overactive imagination? Also included is the original uncut u.K. version entitled 'Night Child.'
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Saw III - Unrated (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Tobin Bell , Darrell Dennis , Barry Flatman , Sally Kellerman , and Angus MacFadyen Director: Darren Lynn Bousman Manufacturer: Lions Gate ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000LC3IDI Release Date: 2007-01-23 |
Description
Jigsaw has disappeared. With his new apprentice Amanda (Shawnee Smith), the puppet-master behind the cruel, intricate games that have terrified a community and baffled police has once again eluded capture and vanished. While city detectives scramble to locate him, Doctor Lynn Denlon (Bahar Soomekh) and Jeff (Angus Macfadyen) are unaware that they are about to become the latest pawns on his vicious chessboard
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Dancehall Queen
Starring: Audrey Reid , Paul Campbell (IV) , Carl Davis (IV) , Mark Danvers , and Cherine Anderson Director: Don Letts , and Rick Elgood Manufacturer: Palm Pictures / Umvd ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00049QR04 Release Date: 2004-10-19 |
Amazon.com
A Cinderella story from the mean streets of Kingston, Jamaica, the alternately comic and gritty Dancehall Queen is an intriguingly dark crowd pleaser. Marcia (Audrey Reid) is a single mom and street vendor barely scraping by even with a financial assist from the seemingly avuncular Larry (Carl Davis), a gun-toting strongman with a twisted desire for Marcia's teenage daughter. Complicating things is Priest (Paul Campbell), a murderous hood who killed Marcia's friend and now is terrorizing the defenseless woman. Facing three big problems--Larry, Priest, and a lack of money---Marcia arrives at an inspired solution: develop an alter ego, a dancing celebrity called the Mystery Lady who can compete in a cash-prize contest and pit both of the men against one another. Which is exactly what she does, and it's great fun watching Marcia instigate her complicated plan with a little help from sympathetic friends. Colorful, rowdy, funny, and dangerous, Dancehall Queen is a clever and ceaselessy energetic movie steeped in Kingston street life and the desire to keep body and soul together at home. Reid is a delight as the everyday figure who transforms into an icon in the evenings, and the dance scenes are amazingly bawdy. --Tom Keogh
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Saw II (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Tobin Bell , Shawnee Smith , Donnie Wahlberg , Erik Knudsen , and Franky G Director: Darren Lynn Bousman Manufacturer: Lions Gate ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000CRR31U Release Date: 2006-02-14 |
Amazon.com
Saw II brings back many features of the original Saw: elaborate sadistic scenarios designed to "test" the victims' will to live; Tobin Bell as the Machiavellian (yet doomed) serial killer Jigsaw; Shawnee Smith as Amanda, a survivor of one of Jigsaw's "games", forced to play again; Dina Meyer (Starship Troopers), whose role as a detective is considerably expanded; and the stunningly godawful dialogue of screenwriter Leigh Whannel. The set-up this time is even more preposterous than before, as a rough-and-tumble cop named Eric (Donnie Whalberg, Band of Brothers) watches, on video monitors, his son trapped in a house filled with nerve gas and a handful of other victims, all of whom are mysteriously connected. Eric has captured Jigsaw, but the implacable killer refuses to reveal where the cop's son is being held... unless Eric will play by Jigsaw's rules. Fans of Saw will love Saw II, as the tortures are more gruesome than before; viewers who found Saw either detestable or laughable won't like Saw II either, as the characters rarely behave like actual people (even when a moment's explanation would solve a conflict, no one bothers to communicate, even though their lives are on the line). It's a festival of body fluids, agonized grimaces, and shrieks of pain--and if that's your thing, this is your movie. --Bret Fetzer
Average customer rating: |
Saw
Starring: Leigh Whannell , Cary Elwes , Danny Glover , Ken Leung , and Dina Meyer Director: James Wan Manufacturer: Lions Gate ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: B0006SSOHC Release Date: 2005-02-15 |
Amazon.com
Adam (Leigh Whannell) wakes up in a dank room across from Dr. Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes) and the body of a guy who has blown his own brains out. Not a happy place, obviously, and it gets worse when both men realize that they've been chained and pitted against one another by an unseen but apparently omniscient maniac who's screwing with their psyches as payment for past sins. Director James Wan, who concocted this grimy distraction with screenwriter Whannell, has seen Seven and any number of other arty existential-psycho-cat-and-mouse thrillers, so he's provided Saw with a little flash, a little blood, and a lot of ways to distract you from the fact that it doesn't make a whole hell of a lot of sense. Wan and Whannell (who's not the most accomplished actor, either) pile on the plot twists, which after some initially novel ideas become increasingly juvenile. Elwes works hard but looks embarrassed, and the estimable Danny Glover suffers as the obsessed detective on the case. The denouement will probably surprise you, but it won't get you back the previous 98 minutes.--Steve Wiecking
Average customer rating: |
Saw III (Unrated Edition) [Blu-ray]
Starring: Tobin Bell , Darrell Dennis , Barry Flatman , Sally Kellerman , and Angus MacFadyen Director: Darren Lynn Bousman Manufacturer: Lions Gate ProductGroup: DVD Binding: Blu-ray Similar Items:
ASIN: B000LPR9ZS Release Date: 2007-01-23 |
Description
Jigsaw has disappeared. With his new apprentice Amanda (Shawnee Smith), the puppet-master behind the cruel, intricate games that have terrified a community and baffled police has once again eluded capture and vanished. While city detectives scramble to locate him, Doctor Lynn Denlon (Bahar Soomekh) and Jeff (Angus Macfadyen) are unaware that they are about to become the latest pawns on his vicious chessboard
Average customer rating: |
Saw 2 [Blu-ray]
Starring: Tobin Bell , Ho Chow , Conrad Coates , Sam Malkin , and Glenn Plummer Director: Darren Lynn Bousman Manufacturer: Lions Gate ProductGroup: DVD Binding: Blu-ray Similar Items:
ASIN: B000H5TVKS Release Date: 2007-02-06 |
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