The Rocket

Issue date: 11/2/07 Section: Focus

Media Credit: MCT Campus In "Saw IV," Donnie Wahlberg's character, Eric Matthews, comes back for some more torture. [Click to enlarge]

The "Saw" films have been playing games with horror fans for the past three years.

Now in year four, could the fresh, hip torture series have lost the golden touch that made the original a pop-culture success?

Any horror fan should know the answer to that question already.

Whenever a slick horror series finds success, it's only a matter of time until the franchise is violently beaten down moviegoers' throats.

With this fourth installment, brilliantly titled "Saw IV," the "Saw" team resurrects killer Jigsaw's (Tobin Bell) haunted past to try to piece together his final puzzle.

Over the years, Jigsaw has left a trail of victims and this time around, a pair of police detectives and a duo of FBI profilers must search through all of the past victims to save some that may still be alive.

Through it all, the investigators also keep an eye out for a possible third Jigsaw accomplice.

On paper, the plot sounds plausible, but when watching the actual film, it is easy to see the filmmakers are reaching as far as they can at this point.

Almost completely disregarding the masterful original, the main player in "IV" is SWAT Commander Rigg (Lyriq Bent), who has witnessed the previous film's lead detectives become pawns in Jigsaw's twisted games.

At this rate, "Saw VIII's" lead character will be Rigg's cousin's gardener.

Blood-lusting horror fans who care little for the plot and characters are probably wondering about the always-extravagant death scenes the "Saw" films are known for.

Prepare to be disappointed, gore hounds.

Just as with the tissue-paper-thin plot, the "Saw" team is clearly at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to their imaginative forms of murder.

Once you've seen one machine-driven dismemberment, you've seen them all.

Creative writers out there who have worked "Saw" plot twists into their own short stories might be anticipating the next big twist on which previous "Saw" films have relied heavily.

Well, if you haven't picked up on the all-encompassing theme of disappointment, just like all of the other "Saw" staples in the fourth installment, the big finish is another skull-splitting disappointment.

Usually the end of a bad film could only bring happiness, but the wide-open nature of the ending gives those ruthless sequel-makers way too much to work with.

Nearly every horror franchise has seen its original, classy idea taken and stretched to the brink of stupidity.

Think about the nearly 30 combined films that Michael Myers, Freddy Kruger and Jason Voorhees have appeared in.

There is even talk about resurrecting Jason for his 12th appearance.

"Saw" should take a tip from the "Scream" trilogy and get out while the getting is good. Instead, I will probably be taking my kids to see "Saw XX."

"Saw IV" did bring some closure to the series, however, so let us all hope that this is truly the end for Jigsaw.

The "Saw" well that was once filled with a cocktail of creative juices and blood has now run dry.

About 10 minutes into the film, I could hear someone audibly snoring. "Saw IV" put that theater patron to sleep faster than Nyquil.

The trailers for "Saw IV" stated that if it's Halloween, it must be "Saw," but "Saw" has ruled All Hallows Eve for too long.

It's time to get back to our candy corn and jack-o-lanterns and stay away from scary dolls and death traps.

Let us all hope that this time, the games are really over.

Ivan Moore is a senior communication major and a regular contributor to The Rocket.

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