After seven years, and seven installments of the Saw franchise, 'The Final Chapter' concludes (mercifully) Jigsaw's run as one of the most memorable horror movie villains in history. When Saw was first introduced in 2004, it was a very small film that grew into a phenomenon that annually became a Halloween movie staple. It introduced us to a new breed of serial killer in John Kramer (The Firm's Tobin Bell), a terminally-ill cancer patient who adopts a philosophy on the preservation of life after he survives a car accident. By setting up pawns in need of a life-altering lesson through a series of traps and games, 'Jigsaw' (as he's penned in the media) physically does not murder his victims, but sets them up in situations where their survival (and possibly someone else's) depends on their choices.
Saw as a film was very close to a horror-movie masterpiece. It may have had a few rough patches in the acting department, but It had a very visceral style, it was inventive in how Jigsaw was set-up as a character, and as a story it held a viewer in its grasp all the way until the brilliant ending that revealed his identity. Saw II kept that ball rolling nicely, expanding Jigsaw's methods by no longer hiding in the shadows and instead toying face-to-face with the police. Saw III is perhaps where the series peaked (and simultaneously began to fall) as Jigsaw met his demise at the hands of one of his targets, but suggested that his plans were still a long way from being completed (thanks to more than one accomplice under his guidance). Saw IV, V, and VI were unmistakably prime examples of overexposure and franchise fatigue as creators tried to find ways to keep the series fresh, but there was no denying the drop in style, interest, and results.
The Movie
The Final Chapter finds the current Jigsaw, Detective Hoffman (Costas Mandylor) bent on revenge against Kramer's widow Jill for trying to have him killed in the previous film. While he works to ensnare her, another trap marathon unfolds on a man who falsely claims to be a Jigsaw survivor (The Dead Zone's Sean Patrick Flanery) and capitalized financially on it. Thrown in the mix is the revelation that Dr. Gordon (Cary Elwes) did indeed survive the events of the first film, was helped by Kramer back out into the world, and is keeping tabs on the other events for reasons unknown.
If you have been following the Saw series all the way to this point, then on one hand the final film does represent a bit of a pay-off by resolving almost every loose end left by the others. On the other hand, from a production perspective, this last movie could be even weaker than Saw VI. The horrific deaths of the targets are no longer cringing because of their gory realism, but because of how fake they now look. You can easily tell that they are rubber bodies filled with fake blood that looks more like Pepto-Bismol than the real thing. This makes The Final Chapter more laughable than terrifying, and thankfully it represents a closing long overdue for the series.
The Picture & Sound
The track record for the series thus far on Blu-ray has been pretty consistent in the technical department. For picture quality, the earlier installments had a few bumps in the road in dealing with some varying levels of grain and detail, but the latest sequels the series seem to have smoothed out in clarity. The Final Chapter represents perhaps the best high-definition transfer of all the films which is great for detail, but for aesthetic reasons I would rather have the style back from the first few films as opposed to this straight-to-video look. If you're familiar to the Saw series on DVD already, then you are more than likely aware of its sound appeal. In keeping with consistency, The Final Chapter sports a powerhouse of a DTS-HD sound mode that was usually applied to all of the previous releases, and man is it a whopper to listen to. Watch your levels, or you may end up having to buy new speakers.
The Bonus Features
If you like Audio Commentaries, than this Blu-ray edition comes with two options to listen to. Depending on which angle you like best, technical or creative, there is a Producers' track and a Writers' track. Based on some of the events that unfold (especially the return of Dr. Gordon to the series), the Writers' track would be my first choice. In the Deleted & Extended Scenes category there is not much value to be found as most of the cut material fails to provide any additional layers to the feature film. There are several Music Videos by various bands I have never heard of (with the exception of Danko Jones), but if you are in to the soundtrack at all then they may spark your interest. The best feature is "52 Ways To Die" - Recounting The Traps from the Saw Films" which sees a production crew panel reflect on their most memorable traps in the series, as well as a full countdown of every trap, or means of death from all seven films. Rounding out the features is a Theatrical Trailer.
Final Thought
If this is truly the end for Jigsaw (lord knows this would not be the first horror film franchise to use The Final Chapter moniker and then come back), then at least this installment makes the most out of tying up loose ends for fans (even though the main characters involved in the current storyline is bargain basement quality). At the same time this last kick at the can proves that the series lost it's freshness ages ago and that it went far beyond its expiration date. As a Blu-ray DVD, it still gives one hell of an impression on your entertainment system even though the bonus features lack some appeal. For fans, if you have come this far I would recommend biting the bullet and picking it up. For the rest of you, don't waste your time.
GRADES:
Movie: D+
Video & Audio: A+
Bonus Features: C
Blu-ray Grade: B-
Ryan Young - Ryan Young is a Film and Sports article/review writer, based in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada.
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