The Movie
This seventh and purportedly last installment in the gory, Rube-Goldberg-on-crystal-meth franchise goes out with a bang (actually there's a lot more ripping and crunching, and a fair amount of screaming), executed (if you will) in 3D. Saw: The Final Chapter (a.k.a. simply Saw 3D, which could get confusing if they ever go back and three-dimensionalize the original) once again picks up immediately following the previous film, with the killer on the run, the police in pursuit and a city in fear.
Of course, the genius serial murderer at the heart of the story (I'm deliberately holding back names so as not to reveal too many secrets) is quite the overachiever, and is somehow able to set up some new "games" amid all the chaos. The most elaborate focuses on a celebrity Jigsaw survivor and his entourage. Can he do what he has to in order to rescue his loved ones and hangers-on? He has done it before... right? Let's just say that these films have a way of cleverly compelling us to side with the serial killer, as the victims are usually more than little sleazy.
Survivors bring a major theme to The Final Chapter, putting all of their shared experiences into perspective and helping to bring the saga full-circle. Expect some surprise returns, and approximately nine different kinds of revenge going on, although the very end is somewhat inconclusive, which doesn't seem right for, y'know, a conclusion.
The Picture
These movies have always drawn much of their creepiness from the look of the environments, and so the 3D experience is a smart choice for the last Saw. The 1.78:1 image boasts excellent focus on multiple planes, as well as old-school effects like a stretch of intestines flying at the audience. I noted some crosstalk in difficult shots as when a character in a plaid coat starts right up against a camera and walks into a scene, but in general the three-dimensional process is extremely well-utilized.
In both 3D and 2D, the crispness of the detail is extraordinary, right down to facial wrinkles and even pores. Color is once again manipulated moodily, sometimes drastically. I noted a brief instance of moiré visible on a character's herringbone hat, again on a TV speaker grille, but any video shortcomings here are really negligible.
The Sound
The soundtrack too--presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1--is top-notch, marked by almost non-stop music that envelops us and keeps us on-edge. It's enlivened by the shrill whine of circular saws and other killing machines, and punctuated by mighty bass jolts. An explosion about midway though is absolutely amazing, there's front-to-back whooshing through the soundfield from time to time, and a particularly frightening bit with a heavy machine gun spraying a room. Many of the incidental effects are sonically exaggerated, and overall the mix is plenty-good for a start-to-finish unsettling horror film such as this, even in 3D.
The Extras
There is a pair of audio commentaries, one from writers Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan, the other from producers Oren Koules, Mark Burg and executive producer Peter Block, and all the men have some interesting stories to tell this time. There are also six deleted and extended scenes, about 14 minutes total, as well as five music videos, about 21 minutes if we watch 'em all.
In "52 Ways to Die," the craftsmen look back at the deathtraps they created for the series, (about 14 minutes). All of these video extras are in HD. The disc also supports the LG Live flavor of BD-Live, with gadgets such as ringtones as well as Twitter/Facebook Integration.
Disc Two is a movie-only DVD, but with its own clever menu feature. And a printed code is included so that we may download an iTunes-exclusive Digital Copy of Saw: The Final Chapter.
Final Thoughts
The 3D and 7.1 are a scream, and the bonuses are generous if not game-changing. But the more-of-the-same approach--now with ten percent more mutilation!--suggest that it was indeed time to put down the Saw franchise for good. May it rest in pieces.
Product Details
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