*Written by**: James Wan, Leigh Whannell
*Directed by**: Darren Lynn Bousman
*Genre**: Crime/Horror/ Thriller
*Rated**: R
*Running Time**: 113 mins
*Theatrical Release** October 31, 2006
*Distributor**: Lions Gate Films
*The Cast**: Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith, Angus Macfadyen, Bahar Soomelkn Donnie Wahlberg, Dina Meyer, Leigh Whannell, Mpho Koaho, Barry Flatman.
When I saw, **“Saw”** the first installment of the “Saw” franchise I thought it was one of the best horror movies released in quite a while. The last good horror movie I saw was "**Wolf Creek"** another interesting serial killer flick that sent chills up my spine. The Saw trilogy always left its viewers with a gripping, and surprising ending that kept viewers like myself in suspense, and eagerly awaiting for the next installment to be released. After watching the first two chapters of Saw I couldn’t wait to see this installment of **"Saw 3**".
Well after seeing it twice at the theater, and at home I wasn’t disappointed. **"Saw 3"** is a very good spin off to its first two installments **"Saw", ** and **"Saw 2".** In Saw 3 we see the Jigsaw Killer in the last stages of his cancer, dying and at work with his unique, schemes of ingenues mythology of murder, and intrigue. His assistant Amanda portrayed by Shawnee Smith is still with him and has created a device of death herself.
Tobin Bell portrays the Jigsaw killer. In his lead role, he brings on a very powerful and brilliant performance. The cast overall provides fairly good performances in their lead roles. "**Saw 3"** is a very good horror movie because of its unique storyline and plot of a serial killer that doesn’t kill his victims but manages to create horrible death traps that inevitably allows his victims to kill themselves, and each other. Jigsaw’s mission is still the same; kidnap and torture those that do not appreciate the value of their lives. I
in this third installment of "**Saw"** the Jigsaw Killer is on his deathbed, and dying of cancer, he has kidnapped a Doctor portrayed by Bahar Soomekhn to save his life surgically. The doctor is given an ultimatum to live or die with a device that’s been placed on her neck, the device will explode if Jigsaw dies. Meanwhile, Jigsaw is still up to his same games of death torture, and murder. His victims are a police officer whose rib cage is trapped in a device that will tare her ribs apart unless she grabs the key from a container of acid to unlock the device. Jigsaw’s next victim is an ex con who must escape a bunch of chains that’s been pierced, and chained to his body. He is a man that’s been captured by Jigsaw for the killing of a child in a runaway car accident he’s been locked in a machine that will twist his body apart unless the father of the dead child releases him. Jigsaw has also captured the presiding Judge that freed the man responsible for killing the child and the judge faces an even more dreadful fate.
Later we see that Jigsaw’s operation is successful, and the doctor’s promise of freedom takes a turn for the worse. Amanda and Jigsaw face a surprising fate that will surprise all of us. You’ll find out what happens when you see this movie.
*Final Thoughts*
As I mentioned earlier "**Saw 3"** is a very good horror movie that has many strengths. One strenth is that "**Saw 3"** builds itself on each of its installments "**Saw" **and "**Saw 2".** In both sequels we saw the many masterminded schemes and twists the Jigsaw killer staged while holding his victims captive such as posing dead, and lying in what appeared to be a pool of blood without breathing. In this third installment of Saw it is revealed how Jigsaw uses medical technology to pull this very deceptive scheme off, a scene we didn’t see in "**Saw"**.
Its second and most important strength is its very intensive plot and storyline that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats with suspense, and anticipation of what happens next along with a powerful lead character who portrays Jigsaw a seriel killer while on his deathbed. In this sequel he still manages to stay in control, and leave viewers with another date with death in the next sequel. I suspect and hope to see a final sequel to "**Saw"**.
Like Wes Crevan’s** A Nightmare on Elm Street.** and other noted sequels as** Friday the 13th, and the Texas Chainsaw Massacre** all of these wonderful sequels had to eventually come to an end as we will eventually witness the end of the Saw franchise. Overall, "**Saw 3"** is a very good and entertaining horror flick. Saw, and horror movie fans will enjoy this movie’s ingredients of gore, blood, and the macabre.
*"Saw 3"** gets three and a half stars.