12 Critical Responses To 2017 Films That Make No Sense
7. Jigsaw
The Film:
The inevitable reboot of the Saw franchise sees a new game begin 10 years after the death of the Jigsaw Killer.
The Response:
Critics did not respond well to this one at all, and many rankings have said this is one of the worst movies in the series.
Why They Got It Wrong:
Admittedly the negative reviews are justified to some extent: Jigsaw is definitely safe and workmanlike, and it lacks the gore the fans will expect. Nevertheless, the backlash against this one was completely unfair.
It was as if people were expecting it to be high art instead of a Saw movie. As a Saw film, it's got enough suspense and plot twists to stand as a solidly entertaining thriller. Looking at it artistically, the visuals are pretty good, the dialogue isn't clunky and the performances are perfectly OK.
What's also been overlooked is that this is tonally a better film: it's lighter, and as the Saw franchise has always been a pretty over-the-top series, that makesit infinitely easier to engage with. The most 'punch-the-air' thing about this is that some of the themes relating to morals from the series' better installments are finally given a bit of focus here.
Jigsaw is a good Saw movie and the reviews have been far too harsh. Go into this one with low expectations and you'll have a good time.