Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

Saw VI Blu-ray Movie Review

The following review may contain spoilers for previous entries in the 'Saw' franchise.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman January 27, 2010

You choose who lives or dies.

Death, taxes, and Saw. No doubt about it, they have plenty in common, all three capable of reliably bleeding one dry, though Saw proves a bit more punctual, predictable, and welcome in its annual October release schedule (though it would be rather ironic to see the series switch to a tax day release schedule, especially if the filmmakers decide to take on the IRS rather than insurance companies in the next installment). The latest Energizer Bunny of a Horror franchise is now on its sixth entry and is still as gruesome as ever, not to mention as meticulously involved as, well, a 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle that, when assembled, doesn't show cuddly kittens or a scenic landscape but instead a complexly-realized series of gruesome traps and deaths born of a master manipulator with the uncanny ability to predict convoluted turns of events, read people's psyches, and understand both the base elements and more intricate structure of the human condition than any other person in history. With this kind of insight into future events, John Kramer, AKA "Jigsaw," could have had himself a career as the next Miss Cleo if the whole torture/revenge/lesson-teaching routine hadn't worked out for him.

Don't breathe.

Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) is dead, but his legacy lives on through Lieutenant Mark Hoffman (Costas Mandylor), the man who is continuing on with his mentor's work of punishing the guilty for their various crimes while giving them a choice to live or die as they reflect on their lives and perceived maladies that have landed them in the deadly grasp of another torturous device. With the police still believing the recently-deceased Special Agent Peter Strahm -- not Hoffman -- to be Jigsaw's apprentice, Hoffman nevertheless finds that his identity may soon be revealed through the clever work of both the forensic and investigative teams on the case, not to mention the return of an old colleague long thought dead. While attempting to cover his tracks, Hoffman begins a new game, this time ensnaring an insurance company executive, William Easton (Peter Outerbridge), who has time and again denied health care coverage to those that fail to produce a profitable result in a mathematical formula of his own creation. In the game, William is forced time and again to choose life or death as he comes face-to-face with various acquaintances along the route Hoffman's planned for him to follow, deciding who is worth saving and who is better off dead, using not a complex equation but rather his instincts in a game that he knows all-too-well -- but is finally forced to play in the flesh.

Saw VI is nothing but more of the same, but for fans of the series, more of the same is exactly what they want. Though the gore seems slightly toned down from previous entries, there's still plenty of self-mutilation, gallons of blood, deadly traps, and a finale that's as gruesome as anything found throughout the series. The picture retains the industrial, no-nonsense tone of its predecessors and places its victims inside old, complex, labyrinthine structures that provide enough insulation and isolation to keep the proceedings on the down-low and minimize the chances for outside influences. Additionally, the traps remain intricately devised but crudely implemented; they run on gears, bicycle pedals, scales, valves, and other simple mechanisms that help cock and fire shotguns, release steam, or in some way gorge, gouge, or mutilate victims. The tried-and-true Saw formula works in spite of a dull plot line that deals with "evil" insurance companies that are painted in the most negative light imaginable, but in all fairness the writers have smartly and adequately intertwined this standalone plot to the series' overreaching story line that ties it all back to John Kramer's past and his well-planned execution of this series of events from beyond the grave.

On its sixth release, it would appear on the surface that there's not much differentiating the Saw Franchise from the other godfathers of Horror, the Halloween, Friday the 13th, and A Nightmare on Elm Street pictures that have seen their numbers increased steadily over the decades. However, Saw does take things a step further by building intricate layers of mystery atop the gore, each film slowly assembling a piece of the puzzle that always manages to bring parts of the story full circle but at the same time construct a new mystery that promises to be revealed in future segments. No matter one's opinion on the film's horrifically gruesome content, there's no denying the noble effort to make this franchise something more, and even for audiences sick and tired of the excessive gore, there's still a morbid allure to the pictures if only to discover the next secret and admire the effort -- sometimes strong, sometimes feeble, but now, mostly, somewhere in the middle -- to keep the story going with a purpose other than to simply pour blood and spill guts all over the screen. Certainly, the Saw films sometimes lack in acting and scripting, but the production values are generally superb, and even if the story has a slightly jumbled feel, it's the effort even more so than the execution that earns the films a generally high mark. Saw VI continues with the tradition, unraveling through various flashbacks both to scenes in previous films and newly-revealed details of Kramer's past that keep the story fresh and engaging, and the film once again ends with plenty of revelations but also unearths new questions that beg to be answered in future installments.

Saw VI Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Saw VI rips into Blu-ray with a quality 1080p, 1.78:1-framed transfer. The picture retains the series' rusty industrial look where greens, yellows, and browns dominate much of the film; though it lends to the picture a vomit-like consistency, it stays true to the tone of the movies and it's strongly rendered on Blu-ray. Additional scenes offer a wider array of colors -- some more balanced and natural and others taking on a cold, steely blue feel -- but the transfer handles the variety of locales and color schemes nicely. Saw VI retains a fine layer of natural grain that allows textures to remain naturally intact; faces appear appropriately rough while many of the traps offer nice detailing on rusted frames and worn gadgets. However, grain does spike at times -- particularly in some of the darkest corners of the film -- and while blacks are fairly routine, some scenes take a turn towards an unnatural shade of gray. Flesh tones remain fairly accurate throughout and under the various lighting conditions, but a hint of banding is evident in a few scenes. While not a rock-solid transfer, Saw VI should satisfy fans; this is a visually uninteresting film, the dreary, dreadful, foreboding tone not exactly the stuff of high definition eye candy, but Lionsgate's Blu-ray transfer appears rather faithful to the source.

Saw VI Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Saw VI tears into Blu-ray with a powerful but not memorable DTS-HD MA 7.1 lossless soundtrack. For a movie with plenty of screaming, grinding gears, smashing traps, blowing steam, and many other unpleasant things going on, there's just not much here that allows the track to stand out from the crowd. It's perfectly fine in every area, but hardly a mix that's going to stand apart from others. Saw VI does feature a hefty surround presentation; industrial tones and haunting music flow through the soundstage with precision, while victim screams and squishy gore are handled clearly and primarily across the front. Ambient sound effects -- booming thunder in one sequence or blowing hot steam in another -- nicely flow from about the listening area and feature a distinctive surround presence. A potent low end also accompanies parts of the film; bass is never overbearing but it's certainly a welcome and, more importantly, nicely-realized companion throughout the film. Unfortunately, several shotgun blasts lack much power; racking the weapon to chamber a fresh round actually proves the more realistic and satisfying effect. Saw VI also features pinpoint dialogue reproduction. While a solid track all around and certainly a technically proficient offering, there's just not much here that's worthy of a more in-depth discussion. It's well above average, but not a track to get lost in.

Saw VI Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Saw VI features a nice array of extras, the collection headlined by a pair of audio commentary tracks. The first features Producer Mark Burg and Executive Producers Peter Block and Jason Constantine. This trio discusses the work of first-time Director Kevin Greuter, who worked as the editor on the previous five entries; the contribution of VH1's "Scream Queens" winner Tanedra Howard; the process of churning out a new Saw picture every year; the film's gruesome special effects; the process of editing the picture together; scenes included in the unrated version of the film; the continuity between the films; the use of the health insurance industry in the film; and plenty more. This track is nicely paced, smartly-presented, and consistently engaging. Fans will want to give this one listen. Track two offers Director Kevin Greutert and Writers Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton. They begin by teasing Saw VII in 3D but also cover some of the same ground as the Producers' track. Still, while some of the same issues are discussed, they approach them from different angles and with different insights, and offer some strong commentary regarding the production of the films, assemblage of the stories, the technical aspects behind the shoot, connections to previous films, intercutting standalone dialogue scenes in the midst of the action, and much more. This track is lighter in tone than its counterpart but no less effective. Again, fans will want to give this one a listen.

The Traps of 'Saw VI' (1080p, 8:50) examines the conception and construction of the various traps: "The Game Room," "The Breathing Room," "The Hanging Room," "The Steam Room," and "The Carousel Room." Jigsaw Revealed (1080p, 6:01) features a look into the contributions of Actor Tobin Bell to Saw, including his ability as an actor and his desire to develop the character through the series. A Killer Maze: Making 'Saw:' Game Over (1080p, 10:40) takes viewers into the making of the Saw attraction at Universal Studios. Next up is a collection of four music videos: "Your Soul is Mine" by Mushroomhead (480p, 4:52), "Ghost in the Mirror" by Memphis May Fire (480p, 3:54), "In Ashes They Shall Reap" by Hatebreed (480p, 3:18), and "Genocide/Saw VI Remix" by Suicide Silence (3:01). Also included are LG-Live functionality, BD-Touch Compatibility, and the Saw VI theatrical trailer (1080p, 0:51). Disc two of this set features the original Saw on Blu-ray disc. Though the label on the disc is new, the contents are identical, from the awful menu system to the lack of a lossless or uncompressed soundtrack.

Saw VI Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Saw VI is a crude film, but it's true to the series' tone and appeal. Structurally, the film is barely distinguishable from the past few entries; the traps are still novel in look but not necessarily in function, while the standalone story concocted for part six fits in well with the history of the franchise as both previously established and newly minted in this picture. With a strong ending that's both satisfactory in its revelations but still leaving viewers with a juicy cliffhanger, the series is still as good as it ever was and continues to be relevant in its ability to craft a seemingly endless but halfway plausible Horror legend. Lionsgate's Blu-ray release of Saw VI delivers the goods. Featuring a good technical presentation and a host of extras, including a somewhat superfluous Blu-ray copy of the original Saw (it would seem most buyers of Saw VI would already own Saw, not to mention the other five films), there's enough here to warrant a purchase for those that adore the series. To them, Saw VI comes strongly recommended.