Saw VI [DVD]

The slightly disappointing commercial returns for Saw 6 may have been grabbing the headlines when the film made its cinematic bow in October 2009, yet this clouded another factor about the movie itself: that it was the best Saw feature for some time.

Granted, the film does have an overriding feel of business as usual, and Saw VI isn’t shy about tying itself close to the hallmarks of the series thus far. So we get no shortage of gore, a collection of new traps for the latest unsuspecting victims to do battle with, and the influence of Tobin Bell’s Jigsaw still firmly felt.

In Saw VI though, it holds together a little better than we’ve been used to seeing. This time, we get Special Agent Stahm going up against Detective Hoffman, the latter of whom is very much trying to build on the legacy of Jigsaw. It’s not the deepest of premises, but it works, and the film ties in just enough plot intrigue to get you to the end. Plus, the set piece sequences work well, and while the editing style is still a little too fractious, the end result is a real improvement, and an effective horror movie. Inevitably, though, episode seven of the series is on the way…! --Jon Foster