JR LATE NIGHT MOVIE REVIEW OF THE WEEK:
SAW IV
JR's Movie Rating: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆
LIST OF BLOG CONTENTS
5.1 Notable Trivias
5.2 Spoilers
6.2 Factual Errors
6.3 Plot Holes
6.6 Continuity
11.1 Awards
11.2 Nominations
12.1 JR's Movie Rating
12.2 Movie Plot
12.6 Minimal Goofs
SAW IV
BOX OFFICE RECORDS
U.S. Domestic Total Gross - $63,300,095
Philippine Domestic Total Gross - $140,112
Worldwide Total Gross - $139,352,633
TOP 893 ALL-TIME DOMESTIC BOX OFFICE HIT
4th HIGHEST GROSSING HORROR (TORTURE) FILM
9th HIGHEST GROSSING THRILLER (SERIAL KILLER) FILM
3rd HIGHEST GROSSING SAW FILM OF ALL TIME
TOP 41 HIGHEST DOMESTIC GROSSING FILM OF 2007
TOP 26 HIGHEST GROSSING FILM OF 2007, OPENING WEEKENDS
TOP 7 HIGHEST DOMESTIC GROSSING R FILM OF 2007
TOP 42 HIGHEST WORLDWIDE GROSSING FILM OF 2007
TOP 20 HIGHEST FRIDAY SHARE OF OPENING WEEKENDS
TOP 28 HIGHEST FRIDAY TO SATURDAY DROPS ON OPENING WEEKENDS
TOP 11 OPENING WEEKENDS - OCTOBER
TOP 13 OPENING WEEKENDS - FALL
TOP 43 RATED R, OPENING WEEKENDS
TOP 355 WIDEST RELEASES
TOP 7 WIDEST INDEPENDENT RELEASES
TOP 321 WIDEST OPENING RELEASES
TOP 5 WIDEST OPENING INDEPENDENT RELEASES
TOP 34 WIDEST R RATED OPENINGS
TOP 42 WIDEST R RATED RELEASES
Data Sources:
1. Box Office Mojo (http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=main&id=saw4.htm)
2. Box Office Mojo (http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=intl&id=saw4.htm)
MOVIE DETAILS
Name of the Film: SAW IV
Date of Theater Release: 26 October 2007
Date of Philippine Theater Release: 30 January 2008
Genre: Crime | Horror | Thriller
Director: Darren Lynn Bousman
Writers: Patrick Melton (story & screenplay), Marcus Dunstan (story & screenplay), Thomas Fenton (story)
Distributor: Lionsgate
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 1 hour 48 minutes
Production Budget: $10 million
Official Movie Website: http://www.officialsaw.com/
Movie Tagline: "This Halloween Give 'Til It Hurts"
Detail Sources:
1. Internet Movie Database (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0890870/)
2. Box Office Mojo (http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=main&id=saw4.htm)
3. Wikipedia.org (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saw_IV)
PLOT
"Jigsaw and his apprentice Amanda are dead."
Upon the news of Detective Kerry's murder, two seasoned FBI profilers, Agent Strahm and Agent Perez, arrive at the depleted police precinct and help veteran Detective Hoffman sift through Jigsaw's latest grisly game of victims and piece together the puzzle. But then SWAT Commander Rigg, the only local officer who has yet to experience Jigsaw's handiwork, is suddenly abducted. Thrust into the madman's harrowing game, he has but 90 minutes to overcome a series of interconnected traps... or face the deadly consequences. Rigg's citywide pursuit leaves a wake of dead bodies, and Detective Hoffman and the FBI uncover long hidden clues that lead them back to Jigsaw's ex-wife Jill. The genesis of Jigsaw's evil is unveiled, exposing the puppet master's true intentions and the sinister plan for his past, present and future victims.
Plot Source:
1. The Plot at the back of the Saw IV DVD
ACTORS
.jpg/399px-Bell,_Tobin_(2007).jpg "Tobin Bell as Jigsaw/John Kramer")
Status in Saw IV: Deceased
Died In: Saw 3
Reason of Death: Neck fatally slashed by Jeff Reinhart
Age: 52
Profession: Civil Engineer
Role: The Jigsaw Killer
John Kramer was a successful engineer, married to Jill Tuck and expecting a son, Gideon. Following the miscarriage of his son caused by Amanda Young and Cecil, John became distraught and later learned he had an aggressive inoperable brain tumor. He attempted suicide but ultimately survived finding a new appreciation for life, realizing how much of his own he had wasted. Using his wealth and skill, John set about testing others' will to live by placing them in deadly traps, hoping to make them too appreciate their lives. Those who failed would have a jigsaw-shaped piece cut from their flesh. This missing piece was used to coin his nickname, "Jigsaw" or "The Jigsaw Killer". John, on his death bed, was killed by one of his surviving victims in Saw III.
COSTAS MANDYLOR (portrayed Lt. Mark Hoffman)
Status in Saw IV: Still Alive
Will Die In: Saw 3D
Age: 46
Profession: Detective
Role: Jigsaw's successor
Mark Hoffman is a detective who used his knowledge of the Jigsaw crimes to murder the man who killed his sister while placing the blame on Jigsaw. In Saw IV, he becomes a participant in Daniel Rigg's test before revealing himself as one of Jigsaw's apprentices by freeing himself from his trap. Hoffman held the legacy to the Jigsaw killings and continued to operate 'games' set out by Jigsaw before his death. Despite framing Peter Strahm for his crimes, Hoffman is discovered to be the last Jigsaw killer, forcing him to kill everyone who knows.
SCOTT PATTERSON (portrayed Agent Peter Strahm)
Status in Saw IV: Still Alive
Will Die In: Saw V
Age: Mid 40's
Profession: FBI Agent
Role: FBI Agent overlooking the Jigsaw case
Peter Strahm was an FBI Agent assigned to the Jigsaw case. Strahm was the first to theorize that Jigsaw may have had more than one apprentice and following the murder of Allison Kerry he became obsessed with stopping the killings. Pursuing Daniel Rigg as he engaged in his own game, Strahm eventually found Jigsaw and Amanda's corpses and killed Jeff Denlon in self defense. Strahm continued his pursuit of the final apprentice but was captured and placed in a game set to kill him but managed to escape. Suspicious of Hoffman, Strahm continued his investigation but was crushed to death in a trap when he again failed to follow the rules. Hoffman subsequently frames Strahm as the last apprentice, placing his mobile phone at a Jigsaw crime scene and using his recovered, severed-hand to place fingerprints on Jigsaw victims and traps. Though his partner Perez and boss Erickson both discover his innocence, they are murdered by Hoffman before they can act on the information and Hoffman once again plants his fingerprints at the scene, leaving Strahm as the suspected final Jigsaw apprentice.
BETSY RUSSELL (portrayed Jill Tuck)
Status in Saw IV: Still Alive
Will Die In: Saw 3D
Age: Mid to late 40's
Profession: Runs health clinic
Role: John Kramer's ex-wife, mother of Gideon, carrier of John's will
Jill Tuck is John Kramer's ex-wife who divorced him after he became increasingly distant and cold following the miscarriage of their son ,Gideon, accidentally caused by Cecil Adams, with Amanda being with Cecil at the time. She was initially suspected of having aided the Jigsaw Killer or in fact being the killer.
CREDITED CAST OVERVIEW:
Tobin Bell ..... portrayed Jigsaw / John Kramer Costas Mandylor ..... portrayed Lt. Mark Hoffman Scott Patterson ..... portrayed Agent Peter Strahm Betsy Russell ..... portrayed Jill Tuck Lyriq Bent ..... portrayed Lt. Daniel Rigg Athena Karkanis ..... portrayed Agent Lindsey Perez Louis Ferreira ..... portrayed Art Black Simon Reynolds ..... portrayed Lamanna Donnie Wahlberg ..... portrayed Eric Matthews Angus Macfadyen ..... portrayed Jeff Denlon Shawnee Smith ..... portrayed Amanda Young Bahar Soomekh ..... portrayed Lynn Denlon Dina Meyer ..... portrayed Detective Allison Kerry Mike Realba ..... portrayed Detective Fisk Marty Adams ..... portrayed Ivan Landsness Sarain Boylan ..... portrayed Brenda Billy Otis ..... portrayed Cecil Adams James Van Patten ..... portrayed Dr. Heffner / Coroner David Boyce ..... portrayed Pathologist Kevin Rushton ..... portrayed Trevor Julian Richings ..... portrayed Vagrant Kelly Jones ..... portrayed SWAT Pete Ingrid Hart ..... portrayed Tracy Rigg Niamh Wilson ..... portrayed Corbett Denlon Janet Land ..... portrayed Morgan Ron Lea ..... portrayed Rex Joanne Boland ..... portrayed Crime Scene Photographer Zoe Heath ..... portrayed Lab Technician Bill Vibert ..... portrayed Young Cop Eric Gores ..... portrayed Matt Tony Nappo ..... portrayed Gus Emmanuelle Vaugier ..... portrayed Addison Corday Noam Jenkins ..... portrayed Michael Marks Mike Butters ..... portrayed Paul Leahy J. LaRose ..... portrayed Troy Oren Koules ..... portrayed The Man Alison Luther ..... portrayed Young Girl Kim Roberts ..... portrayed Nurse Deborah David Webster ..... portrayed Dr. Steve Sandra Manson ..... portrayed Nurse PattiData Sources:
1. Wikipedia.org (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saw_IV)
2. Wikipedia.org (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Saw_characters)
3. Internet Movie Database (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0890870/fullcredits#cast)
TRIVIAS
Saw IV (2007) was given the green-light before the third movie even opened. This was stated in Fangoria Magazine #257: "The synopsis, bare as it is, takes the third installment to a new budget level for Lionsgate's wildly successful franchise. Saw (2004) was made for approximately $1 million, Saw II (2005) cost $4 million and the figure for Saw III (2006), according to producer Mark Burg , has risen to $10 million. Saw III was green-lighted the morning after Saw II opened to massive box-office returns, the producer confirms, "and when they ordered Saw III, they also ordered and green-lit Saw IV." Sent to theaters under the name "Angel Fish". The dog that Ivan is seen hugging and kissing is director Darren Lynn Bousman's dog named Chance. Is the first movie in the 'Saw' series not to be written by 'Saw' co-creator, Leigh Whannell. Though producers wanted Donnie Wahlberg to reprise his role, his schedule made him unavailable and his character was not included in the original script. However, after shooting began, his schedule freed up, and the script was re-written to include his character. The little girl that Rigg talks to, during the child abuse scene in the school is Alison Luther, who is the niece of director Darren Lynn Bousman. Filmed in 32 days. The photos seen in the room where Ivan is tested are of Darren Lynn Bousman's girlfriend, his assistant, and of his lawyer. Darren Lynn Bousman was originally not interested in directing the fourth installment in the Saw series, but the producers persuaded him to read the script anyway. Bousman decided to take the directional duties when a plot twist in the script took him completely by surprise, something he thought impossible after being involved in the Saw series for three years. As part of a running gag in the Saw series, the filming crew always hides what they call a 'fart machine' in one of the sets, and make it go off in a particular serious scene, to see how long the actor or actors can keep a straight face. This time, 'Liriq Bent' was the victim. He actually managed to remain in a character a couple of seconds before bursting into laughter. The seamless transitions between separate scenes in the movie were not created using (digital) visual effects, but were done practically. For these transitions, the sets were build in such a way that two separate scenes could be filmed in one shot without interruption. When the results from the fingerprint analysis from the bullet come in, two other names can be seen on the sheet that matches the fingerprint on the bullet to Officer Rigg: "Entry Employee: Scoffield, Sean" and "CSI Case App: Armstrong, David". Sean Scoffield is in charge of doing the graphics for Saw IV, and David A. Armstrong is the Director of Photography. Producer Mark Burg has stated this "Saw" to be his favorite on the commentary track. Is the first film in which Jigsaw swears. This first installment of the franchise which does not open with a character in a trap. Betsy Russell was in the same outfit during the hospital scene after which Jill loses Gideon, as she is in the interrogation scene. The camera slowly pans to the mirror to transition into the interrogation scene with Strahm. The sets were right next door to each other and Betsy literally ran to the interrogation set for the transition to work properly. The parade that Jigsaw catches Cecil is celebrating the pig season, the same animal in which Jigsaw uses to mask himself when capturing victims. On the poster, the fourth female murder-doctor. She is an unknown Canadian actress. SPOILER ALERT!!! This film marks the second time in the Saw series that someone other than Jigsaw (in this case Hoffman) says "Game Over" in the movie's climax. Trivias Sources:
1. Internet Movie Database (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0890870/trivia)
GOOFS
I.REVEALING MISTAKES (3 Goofs)
At the beginning of the movie, the organ scale in the background can be seen reading just under 1/2 pound. The needle never moves, even when John's brain is taken out of it a minute later, it still reads 1/2 pound and never moves to zero pounds when emptied. When Rigg approaches the door to the classroom, in which the husband and wife have experienced their trap, the painted red '?' on the door is still wet. After Jill grabs Cecile's coat, he threatens her with a knife to open the door. However, after she gets the coat she doesn't re-lock the door to get inside.II. FACTUAL ERRORS (2 Goofs)
During the autopsy, when the brain is taken out of the skull, it is not attached to the brain stem and spinal cord. it is loose in the skull. in reality, lots of dissections are needed for it to be done. When Rigg is watching the interrogation video of Jigsaw's ex-wife he is looking at several books and magazines about Jigsaw. The book he picks up is titled "Jigsaw: Is He The Murderer The Police Say He HIS?"III. PLOT HOLES (3 Goofs)
In a flashback, John is shown abducting Cecil at a Chinese street festival celebrating the Year of the Pig. The last two years of the Pig were in 1995-1996 and 2007-2008. This does not fit well with Jill's statement that these events took place shortly after John's diagnosis with cancer in 2004. SPOILER ALERT!!! Art's second trap was the Spine Pincer, which was intended to slice through the back of his neck if he failed his test, but when he takes off his jacket (revealing the device) he bends his head and clearly shows that he can get his spine out of reach of the blades. The pincers have no extension, so Art really has no obligation and no reason to subject Eric and Hoffman to their torture. SPOILER ALERT!!! When Agent Strahm and Agent Perez debut at the discovery of detective Kerry's body, Strahm declares his theory of a third person helping Jigsaw and Amanda Young. He could not possible know that Amanda Young was involved at that stage.IV. EQUIPMENT / CREW VISIBLE (2 Goofs)
In the interrogation room a camera and a crew member is reflected in the 2-way mirror. Between 50:44 and 50:45 during 8 picture frames (72998-73006). During one of the interrogation scenes a boom mic is visible in the reflection of the 2-way mirror.V. AUDIO / VISUAL UNSYNCHRONIZED (1 Goof)
On the Unrated Director's Cut DVD, Rigg pulls the last steel spike out of Morgan and Rex and drops it. However, the accompanying sound is that of a wooden rod landing on the floor.VI. CONTINUITY (11 Goofs)
When Rigg arrives at the shop, the clock shows 1:16. But, at a second look, it's 3:46 When Agent Strahm has his outrage, after he has called Agent Perez's mother, the first time he knocks down the papers the computer screen shows "normal use". When they show the knocking over again zoomed in the computer screen shows the windows welcome screen, then back to "normal use". When the two FBI agents find the tape and the puppet in the school building, the tape recorder can be seen running before agent Perez actually pushes the "play"-button. When Officer Rigg enters the hotel room with the box on the bed, there is a photo of his wife on top of it. On the back of the photo, the words "she needed you" are clearly displayed in red ink. However, as he opens the box, you can see the that the back of the photo now reads "she needs you" instead from the letters "eds" at the edge of his hand. During the beginning autopsy scene, the person performing the autopsy puts his mask on upside down (the eye splash guard is at his neck). As soon as the camera jumps, the face guard is positioned correctly. When Art goes to stop the guy from jumping off the block of ice the first time, you hear the sound of the gun cocking. In the next view we see the gun and the hammer is not cocked. Ivan's pierced eye changes from his left to his right and back to his left in the scene where the FBI Officers discover his body. When the scene with Perez on her way to the hospital ends, it shows Art sitting at the desk with the timer on 19.47. Later in that scene he walks back over to the desk and the timer is on 19.39 when about a minute of the scene had gone by. During the flashback in which Jill is attacked by the man who "forgot" his jacket as she is leaving the clinic, she has to unlock the door at knife-point even though she never re-locks it when retrieving the jacket. The door's lock is a deadbolt type and no knob is present, so it wouldn't lock itself automatically. In the beginning of the movie, during the autopsy, John's skull is seen having the minor rectangular piece removed. This, however, is not possible, as Lynn from Saw III removed the piece as part of his brain surgery. When Rigg finds Jigsaw's last note for him in the desk drawer of the "FEEL WHAT I FEEL" room, it is first seen to have only one sentence: "Become the teacher and save a life." In a subsequent close-up, a second sentence appears: "Go back to where it all began."VII. INCORRECTLY REGARDED AS GOOFS
SPOILER ALERT!!! At the end of Saw III, when John died, he has no facial growth, and during his autopsy, stubble is clearly visible. Despite it being commonly believed that a person's hair can grow after death, it cannot. However a corpse's skin can recede allowing hair under the skin which grew during life to become visible.1. Internet Movie Database (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0890870/goofs)
20 MEMORABLE QUOTES
1. JIGSAW: "You think it is over, but the games have just begun."
2. JIGSAW: "You feel you now have control, don't you? You think you will walk away untested. I promise that my work will continue. That I have ensured. By hearing this tape, some will assume that this is over, but I am still among you. You think it's over just because I am dead. It's not over. The games have just begun."
3. JIGSAW: "Time is an illusion that cannot be given."
4. HOFFMAN: "Game over."
5. TRACY: "What you can't do, is save everyone."
6. JIGSAW: "Hello Officer Rigg. Welcome to your rebirth. For years you have stood by and witnessed as your colleges have fallen. You have remained untouched, while Eric Matthews has disappeared. But with your survival, became your obsession. Obsession to stop those around you for making the wrong choices. Thus, preventing you from making the right ones. You wanted to save everyone. TONIGHT, I give you the oppurtunity to face your obsession. Look closely. Eric Matthews is still alive. The block of ice he stands upon, is melting. He has BUT 90 minutes to save himself. Detective Hoffman's fate is linked to Eric's survival. Heed my warning, Officer Rigg. Their lives hang in the balance of your obsession. Will you learn how to let go and truly save them? The choice is yours."
7. JIGSAW: "Officer Rigg, Your first test. The person in front of you is in desperate need of help. But it is not your job to save them. You view this person as a victim but if you will SEE WHAT I SEE beneath the mask lies a criminal undeserving of the life she leads. Your obsession tells you to save the victim. I tell you, to walk away. The choice is yours."
8. JIGSAW: "Hello Brenda. I want to play a game. An officer will try to save you. If he is successful, then your game begins. This man will use these photos to sentence you for your crimes and the only way to stop him is tapped underneath the TV. Let him save your life, and accept your fate to rot in prison, or kill him... and guarentee your freedom. Make your choice."
9. JIGSAW: "Hello Officer Rigg, What have you learned thus far? Experience is a harsh teacher. First comes the test, second comes the lesson. If you want to SAVE AS I SAVE then you will see that the person before you is but a student... so I ask you officer Rigg. Has the pupil learned her lesson? Has she been told the error of her ways? Does she now view the world differently? Officer Rigg, the key to this persons freedom lies in the palm of your hand... but only if she has done her own part. Can you play your role in her salvation? Once judgement has been made though, the key to finding your next destination is just off the map."
10. JIGSAW: "Hello, Officer Rigg. If you are hearing this, then you have reached Detective Mathews and Detective Hoffman in under ninety minutes, resulting in their deaths. The rules were clear. You were warned. Tonight, you faced your obsession. They had to save themselves. Their salvation was out of your hands. Time was on your side, but your obsession wouldn't let you wait. Instead of saving Detective Mathews, you cost him his life. You failed your final test."
11. JIGSAW: "I want to play a game. Your life is a lie Cecil, but now comes your moment of truth. As a drug addict and a thief you've preyed on the kindness of others to fuel your addiction. Today, we're bring the ugliness inside of you out into the open. Now in order for you to stay alive, you have to match your face with the ugliness of your soul. Just lean forward into the knives with your face. Press hard enough and you will release the arm and leg restraints that bind you. Press hard though, and you'll be free, or you can sit idly and bleed out on the floor. Live or die Cecil, make your choice."
12. JIGSAW: "It's the tool that's going to save your life. I want to play a game. You just lean foward into the knives with your face. Press hard enough and you'll release the arm and the leg restraints that bind you. Press hard though. Live or die, Cecil. Make your choice."
13. AGENT STRAHM: "Girl loves boy, Boy loves girl, Boy gets girl pregnant, Girl loses baby, Boy turns into a serial killer."
14. HOFFMAN: "Everyone around him keeps dying."
15. PATHOLOGIST: "Subject's name is John Kramer. 52 year old male; Caucasian. He's seen better days."
16. ART: "Jigsaw's testing you, you f*cking piece of sh*t!"
17. ART: "I recommend you stay alive until the fucking clock counts down."
18. CECIL: "I don't have a f*cking soul..."
19. JIGSAW: "'Cherish your life' is the motto this whole organization is built on. Cherish your life... your life."
20. RIGG [to Morgan]: "You have to save yourself."
Quotes Sources:
1. Internet Movie Database (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0890870/quotes)
SCENES FROM THE FILM
FEATURED MOVIE TRAILER
SAW4 FINAL TRAILER 9.10.2007
by: ayranyogurt (28 October 2007)
Video Description:
Website: http://www.officialsaw.com/
Release Date: October 26, 2007
Director: Darren Lynn Bousman
Writer: Marcus Dunstan, Patrick Melton, Thomas Fenton
Starring: Tobin Bell Scott Patterson Lyriq Bent Justin Louis Costas Mandylor Angus Macfadyen Betsy Russell Athena Karkanis Justin Louis Simon Reynolds Mike Realba Marty Adams Donnie Wahlberg
Studio: Lionsgate
Rating: R
Kinostart Deutschland: 07.02.2008
Thriller, Horror, Krimi
USA 2007, ca. 108 min
Video Category: Entertainment
Video Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8u2WifJLDc
MPAA CONTENT GUIDE
I. SEX AND NUDITY
>> Jigsaw is shown fully nude (penis visible) at the beginning of the movie, in preparation for an autopsy.
>> One of the men who is put in a trap is an ex-rapist. There are pictures and videos of the women he has raped surrounding him as he is put in his trap.
>> A man is seen walking around in his underwear in one scene.
II. VIOLENCE AND GORE
>> The movie starts off with a full blown autopsy of Jigsaw ....including having his face pulled foward and brain removed ....and his chest cut wide open with his stomach being removed and cut into (Graphic)
>> The next scene has a blind man and a mute man strapped to a machine that pulls them closer together (they're in chains) the key to the blind man's chains is on the mutes neck and vice-versa. the scene ends with the mute man smashing the blind mans face on the machine after stabbing him with a crowbar.
>> A man's face is forced to be in a trap which will cut his hands & feet off , but to save himself he must cut his face repeatedly with knives. Very bloody. however , the chair breaks and he tries to kill jigsaw but instead lands in a pile of barbed wire.
>> A man's limbs are savagely dismembered by chains and eye gauged out by a swinging ice pick- like object. The aftermath is shown. (Very graphic)
>> A woman almost dies by having her scalp torn off by a machine. (Graphic)
>> A husband is nailed to his wife while the nails are through the husband's vital arteries, when the wife's isn't. She pulls out the nails killing him.
>> A photographer is spiked against a wall through the neck.
>> Two men shoot at each other.
>> A man gets his head bashed in with ice blocks. Blood flows down. The aftermath is shown when the police arrive. (Very graphic)
>> Shrapnel is caught in a woman's face.
>> A man is pretending to be electrocuted.
>> A person is shot & killed.
>> A cop is shot in the chest, and left to die. He ends up bleeding to death.
>> We see some of the bodies from Saw 3 victims. They, of course, are quite bloody.
>> All scenes contain disturbing images, blood and gore.
III. PROFANITY
>> 60 F-words and its derivatives, 91 F-words in unrated version
>> 6 scatological terms
>> 2 anatomical terms
>> 4 mild obscenities
>> 3 religious exclamations
IV. ALCOHOL / DRUGS / SMOKING
>> A man smokes a cigarette in a couple of scenes. A man uses a liquid chemical on a piece of cloth to render another man unconscious. We hear about drug use and abuse and a man breaks into a clinic to get drugs to feed his habit.
V. FRIGHTENING / INTENSE SCENES
>> The film is intense from start to finish. It contains many gore filled scenes and several violent scenes that range in intensity. There are several scenes that are intended to shock and scare the audience.
MPAA Content Guide Sources:
1. Internet Movie Database (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0890870/parentalguide)
AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS
AWARDS (1 Award Win)
I. Golden Trailer Awards
1. Golden Trailer Awards: Best Horror TV Spot (Fishbowl for Clown Blinks) - 2008 NOMINATIONS (5 Nominations)
I. Empire Awards, UK
1. Empire Award: Best Horror - 2008II. Golden Trailer Awards
1. Golden Trailer: Best Horror Poster (Crew Creative for the International Teaser) - 2008 2. Golden Trailer: Best Teaser Poster (Crew Creative for "Tools") - 2008 3. Golden Trailer: Best Thriller Poster (Ignition Print for "Pig") - 2008 4. Golden Trailer: Best Thriller TV Spot (Fishbowl for "Whats on the Tape") - 2008Awards and Nominations Sources:
1. Internet Movie Database (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0890870/awards)
JR's MOVIE REVIEW
RATING BREAKDOWN:
Movie Plot = 15/20
Portrayal of Characters = 17/20
Graphics and Special Effects = 20/20
Public Popularity Hit = 14/30
Minimal Goofs = 8/10
Total Movie Score: 74/100
AVERAGE STAR RATING: 7 out of 10 Stars
★★★★★★★☆☆☆
I. MOVIE PLOT (15/20)
The Saw series is what I believe as the most intriguing and controversial movie series in history. Considering its gruesome and realistic traps that would truly disgust the movie audience, the movie has been an icon in terms of the horror and thriller genre of the movie industry. Saw IV is actually one of my favorite movies in the thriller genre, but JR considers the opinions of other movie critics in this movie review of mine. Even though this movie is the background story of Saw III, the movie plot is not that much impactful specially to Saw fans. This movie just gave us the idea on why there was a deep investigation in Saw V. It also ended the life of Detective Matthews whom we recognize in Saw II. All-in-all, the movie was great but I think the plot has some loop holes or missing parts that should be included.
II. PORTRAYAL OF CHARACTERS (17/20)
There was a lot of new characters to this Saw series but I dislike their acting through the movie. I really missed Tobin Bell's and Shawnee Smith's movie appearances throughout the Saw series. I did not kind of feel what is truly the intentions of each of the new characters in the series. I did not really get if they truly are feeling what the character should suppose to feel. I think I would recognize only one character from this film and that would be Betsy Russell since she was the one whose story I am really interested with.
III. GRAPHICS AND SPECIAL EFFECTS (20/20)
The Saw series have been a series of truly gruesome and realistic graphics and special effects from the prosthetics to the different Saw Traps. I am really impressed with the graphics and special effects of all the Saw movies that is why I am giving all Saw movies a perfect 20 for giving us a unique and very realistic Graphics and Special Effects.
The Saw series have been a series of truly gruesome and realistic graphics and special effects from the prosthetics to the different Saw Traps. I am really impressed with the graphics and special effects of all the Saw movies that is why I am giving all Saw movies a perfect 20 for giving us a unique and very realistic Graphics and Special Effects.
IV. PUBLIC POPULARITY HIT (14/30)
Saw IV is, what I think, as the worst movie series in the Saw Franchise in terms of public popularity. But no worries to the Saw franchise because I still consider Saw IV as the Third Best Saw Movie in History. In the Internet Movie Database, Saw 4 got an average grade of 5.9 out of a possible 10 which was scored by a total of 48,552 Internet Movie Database members. In Metacritic.com, it scored 36/100 which has a very huge difference of 64. Also, as we can see in the Box Office Mojo, it was graded an A by 221 (29.7% of Total Voters) Box Office Mojo members. Other grades in the Box Office Mojo are as follows: [B = 216 (26%); C = 127 (17%); D = 79 (10.6%); F = 102 (13.7%)]. Also, its public popularity is truly evident by its high box office gross of $139,352,633.
V. MINIMAL GOOFS (8/10)
The movie has a total of 22 Goofs according to the Internet Movie Database. To get the score for the Minimal Goofs, JR divided the total number of goofs to the total number of minutes the film has in total. The tabulated total will then be multiplied by 10; and the product will be subtracted from 10 to get the final score. So, 22 divided by 108 minutes is 20.37%. The minimal goof score is then 8 out of a possible 10.
VI. JR's General Commentary / Reactions
So let me again grab my statement from my Movie Plot comments, "The Saw series is what I believe as the most intriguing and controversial movie series in history. Considering its gruesome and realistic traps that would truly disgust the movie audience, the movie has been an icon in terms of the horror and thriller genre of the movie industry." This statement of mine truly summarizes what Saw IV is truly about. Saw IV is what makes up the background story and it is what makes up the start-up of Saw V. Saw has always been the movie wherein you have to watch the first one in order for you to get the idea of the next movies. You will never enjoy watching Saw IV without watching Saw, Saw II and Saw III.
SAW 4
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6. Blog Images Sources
UPCOMING MOVIE REVIEWS
04 March 2011 (1AM)
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