Saw II

Saw as a title made perfect sense for the original, given the prominent, horrifying role played by that piece of hardware. Saw II as a title is pointless—except to set off the Pavlovian response of horror fans—as it has little in common with the true spirit of its predecessor beyond the washed-out colors and an unholy interest in bodily mortification. Yes, the game-playing serial killer Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) is back, and this time he's engaged in a demented face-off with a tormented and anguished cop (Donnie Wahlberg) who once investigated his crimes. But the insane wit of Saw, which recognized how ludicrous "horror" movies have become and opted for deliberate, knowing self-parody, is nowhere in evidence here. In fact, the earnest message of Saw II, re-treaded from the first film (enjoy life because a madman may try to teach you an ironic lesson about how you screwed it all up!), vies with the meaningless and sadistic violence for the most stomach-turning aspect of the flick. Well, except for the mercenary cashing-in on the part of the filmmakers—that's pretty gross, too. Not recommended. [Note: Available in either widescreen or full screen versions, DVD extras include audio commentary by director Darren Lynn Bousman and costars Donnie Wahlberg and Beverley Mitchell, “The Traps of Jigsaw” section with featurettes on four of the traps (20 min.), four storyboard-to-screen sequences (12 min.), “Bits & Pieces” on props (5 min.), “Jigsaw's Game” (3 min.), a conceptual art gallery, and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a disappointing sequel.] (M. Johanson)