A New Lesson in Morality: “Saw IV”
The saga of the Jigsaw Killer, who delivers his twisted moral lessons through elaborate and deadly mechanisms, continues.
“The game has just begun,” a smooth baritone promises on a cassette tape labeled with a coy “play me.” The tape was discovered inside the stomach of the deceased Jigsaw Killer during his autopsy. Even in death, he continues to haunt the world with his bloody teachings.
This time, the series of tests is aimed at a police officer, a SWAT team commander. He awakens in his own home to find a message: he has ninety minutes to save two of his colleagues. A video shows the captives languishing in some unknown location. The task is simple: follow the instructions and resist the urge to be overly compassionate. The first test involves a blonde woman strapped to a device designed to slowly remove her scalp. Photos scattered around the room reveal her crimes. The challenge is to leave her to her fate and focus on rescuing his colleagues. Of course, the officer attempts to save the blonde, resulting in a gruesome lesson as the device does its work.
The Paradox of “Saw IV”
“Saw IV” (2007) presents a unique paradox. Not only did the creators, emboldened by the $100 million grossed by the previous installment, decide to continue the series despite the death of the main character, but the film also embraces the point where further depletion of the storyline actually benefits the experience. The identities and motivations of Jigsaw’s victims become irrelevant, as does the identity of his accomplices. The world of “Saw” has expanded to epic proportions, with detailed wikis dedicated to the fates of each character and the intricate designs of each soul-cleansing device.
The Jigsaw Legacy
The original “Saw” (2004), made on a budget of $1.2 million, grossed over $55 million in the US. All four films center on John Kramer, a terminally ill engineer who subjects his victims to deadly tests designed to teach them a moral lesson. The key rule: survival is possible if the test is completed correctly.
For die-hard fans, “Saw IV” offers a deeper look into the life of John Kramer, revealing the romantic and dramatic events that led him to his bloody crusade. Newcomers may find themselves lost in the convoluted plot, struggling to understand who these people are, why they’re trapped in this nightmare, and why they’re being killed.
Those who choose to watch this film know what to expect. For the undecided, be warned: even the infamous “Hostel” (2005) pales in comparison to the carnage of “Saw.” This installment is particularly brutal, devoid of any meaningful moral message. “Saw” has become akin to the depictions of hell in medieval cathedrals, where the suffering of sinners serves no purpose other than to showcase pure, unadulterated evil in its most visually complete form.
And, true to Jigsaw’s promise, a fifth installment is already in production, set to be released around Halloween.