SAW IV
2007 | Dir. Darren Lynn Bousman | 93 Minutes
"You think it's over just because I'm dead? It's not over. The games have just begun."
FBI Agents Strahm and Perez take on the Jigsaw case, deducing that there is another accomplice in addition to Amanda. Their investigation leads them to Jigsaw's ex-wife Jill. Meanwhile, Officer Rigg must play Jigsaw's game in an attempt to save the lives of two missing detectives.
Written by Feast screenwriters Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan with Darren Lynn Bousman returning again to the direct, Saw IV feels very much like a step down from the previous installment on a creative level. While Rigg's series of tests is structured like Jeff's from Saw III by design, in line with one of the late film twists, the traps just aren't as inspired as the ones from previous films with the sole exception of the totally bonkers head-smashing final set piece. On a story level, Rigg is the closest the Saw series has ever delivered to an uncompromised purely heroic protagonist, and his character flaw targeted by Jigsaw in no way fits the fatal punishment he receives at the end. Posthumously - and the opening moments of the picture make it abundantly clear that Jigsaw has indeed passed away with an extended graphic autopsy sequence - the film tacks on an additional layer of tragedy to Jigsaw's origin story revealing that his wife Jill had a miscarriage accidentally caused by a desperate drug addict at the methadone clinic she runs. It's a somewhat melodramatic development but the gravitas Tobin Bell brings to the flashbacks makes it work, convincingly illustrating civil engineer John Kramer's transformation into the Jigsaw Killer despite some ridiculous overacting from Jill's FBI interrogator and the sleaze ball junkie who set the tragedy in motion all but undercutting the drama. Though the sequel as a whole is somewhat lacking, it features an abundance of signature clever Saw twists, chiefly the revelation that, aside from the autopsy scene, the events of this movie take place concurrently with Saw III. The twist surrounding Rigg's game is similar to the secret waiting game of Saw II but with far bloodier, viscerally satisfying results. Hoffman revealed to be a secret Jigsaw accomplice doesn't have nearly as much of an impact as the Amanda reveal in Saw II, mainly because the audience is in the dark about his motivations, but it supplies the ending of this chapter with a bit of intrigue if nothing else.
Spinning so many plates managing the continuity of the series, the fact that editors Kevin Greutert and Brett Sullivan manage to keep it all coherent is nothing short of a magic trick, particularly during the final act that seamlessly intercuts footage from the climax of Saw III. One transition in particular featuring Rigg tossing the scalped pimp Brenda through a mirror straight into the following scene featuring the FBI agents at the police station deserves special mention, simply brilliant work from the editors and production designer David Hackl. The score by series composer Charlie Clouser features a superb new variation of the series theme music that serves as the origin theme for Jigsaw as well as an awesome extended remix of the theme that plays during the climax of the film.
Even after his character's death, Jigsaw remains the most engaging character of the film thanks to Tobin Bell's dedication to the role, and this installment gives him the opportunity to truly play a more tender side of the character, albeit incredibly briefly. Lyriq Bent takes the spotlight as Rigg after appearing as a bit player in the last two installments, and he really makes the most of it, filling the role of a courageous lawman very well. After making a cameo appearance in Saw III, Betsy Russell returns as Jill, gracefully playing the part with much more nuance than most Saw actors. Scott Patterson is a prime example of fun bad Saw acting, portraying the impatient Agent Strahm with as much subtlety as a wrecking ball. Athena Karkanis does a much better job at embodying a believable federal agent as Strahm's partner Perez. The supporting cast also features Billy Otis as the unhinged dope fiend Cecil, Costas Mandylor as the mysterious secret Jigsaw collaborator Detective Hoffman, Justin Louis as the slimy lawyer Art, and Donnie Wahlberg and Angus Macfadyen briefly reprising their roles as Detective Matthews and Jeff to inflate the body count and tie up loose ends during the grand finale.
Saw IV is an entertaining if less than stellar sequel. Despite doubling as a decent prequel and leaning into some clever twists, the traps featured in this installment, the main draw of the franchise, are somewhat uninspired, particularly in comparison to what's come before. The ending provides more questions than answers, and unfortunately some of the excitement present in previous installments is absent from this picture.
BEST TRAP
It's incredibly satisfying to see Detective Matthew's head crushed by two big blocks of ice. Perhaps it's because the ultimate fate of his character had been left dangling since Saw II. Perhaps it's because Matthews was such a despicable, irredeemable, one-note character. It's most unfortunate that Rigg was shot in the process though.
FRAGMENTS
- Making cameo appearances, patients at Jill's methadone clinic include razor wire maze victim Paul from Saw, death mask victim Michael from Saw II, peep hole revolver victim Gus from Saw II, and chain trap victim Troy from Saw III, while razor box victim Addison from Saw II propositions John outside the clinic
- Kim Roberts returns as the nurse who reprimanded Lynn for being emotionally absent in Saw III, responding to Jill's medical emergency in this installment
- The crime scene photographer getting arrowed in the face by accident is simply senselessly brutal
- Tying Jigsaw's signature pig masks to his fascination with the Chinese Zodiac is an odd bit of over-explanation that's symptomatic of lackluster prequel storytelling
- Jeff was never the best protagonist, and Strahm shooting him dead before he even gets a chance to play Jigsaw's game to save his daughter seems oddly fitting
- In the theatrical cut of the film, there's a shot of Hoffman tearing off his binds and rising from his chair in the final trap room during the twist montage, but this shot is strangely absent in the widely available unrated cut
SUPPLEMENTAL STUFF
- Video: Dead Meat - Saw IV (2007) KILL COUNT
