Saw VI (2009)

 

If Saw VI seems a little different than the previous couple of films in the series it could be due to a new director taking over the reigns of the series.  Kevin Greutert, who prior to this was the editor on the first five movies, makes his directorial debut.  If Saw VI seems a little familiar it could be because Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan, who wrote the prior two films, are back again.  Returning as well is Costas Mandylor as Detective Mark Hoffman, who is the heir apparent to the Jigsaw legacy.  FBI agents Erickson and Perez are close to uncovering the truth behind Strahm's death in the previous film and figuring out that it is Hoffman behind the latest series of Jigsaw "games".  Shawnee Smith returns as Amanda Young in a flashback that casts more light on her character as well as her loyalty to John.  Also back is Betsy Russell as John's ex-wife Jill Tuck. 

 

 

We also have some new "players" and this time, Saw is trying to make a social statement against greedy medical insurance companies.  Peter Outerbridge (Cool Runnings and Lucky Number Slevin) stars as William an insurance agent who has created an algorithm which ensures that his insurance company only covers healthy patients who they can make money on.  Also it eliminates the sick patients who will cause them to loose money.  In a series of flashbacks we see that William refused John medical coverage for an experimental treatment on the brain tumor that was killing him.  William must complete a series of tasks in order to progress in the game he is forced to play.  Not only is he involved in the game but so are some of the employees that work at William's insurance company.  Yes, the traps are back this time!  Every trap that William finds up to six other people are also trapped in.  In order to release them William must make some painful decisions.  Saw VI's traps are more bloody and cringe inducing than just about anything offered in Saw V.  The issue is some of this is starting to feel stale.  And that's saying something because I usually give a film series a lot of rope especially one that had the impressive beginning that the Saw series had.

 

Saw VI took a hit at the box office as it is the lowest grossing film in the series.  It still made a nice profit however as it was made on an eleven million dollar budget.  The one thing that bears repeating here is that the music has remained excellent throughout the series.  Charlie Clouser has composed the music for every Saw film to date including the spinoff film Spiral and the new film in the series Saw X.  It was nice to see the character of Jill in a different light as for a change she wasn't just John Kramer's ex-wife this time.  She actually had something to do.  Saw VI gives me some hope for the newest film in the series Saw X as Greutert directs that one as well.  He also directed Saw 3-D which is the next film in the series for me.  Can't skip it now, in for a penny, in for a pound (of flesh) and all that.  So while this is definitely better than Saw V, let's not go crazy.  I'll give this two and a half steam pipes out of five.