Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/19373
The End. Or Is It? Yes, Probably. Saw 3D (Rated R) by HEATHER GRIFFITHS Saw 3D (91 minutes) is a fairly lack- luster entry in a generally uneven series of films. Despite plans for the franchise to finish with a total of eight installments, this seventh film is now the series finale. Since it does reportedly incorporate elements from the planned eighth film, you have to wonder what got left out … besides good taste and restraint, of course. The original was amazing. The sequel was worth buying. After that, the traps got more elaborate but the plots increasingly devolved into nonsensical twists as random new characters crowded across the screen in order to set up the next film. In a callback to the famous original Saw, Dr. Lawrence Goron (Cary Elwes) crawls inch by agonizing inch through a dank corridor. After reminding the audi- ence how awesome this series was at once point, cut to an isolated outside display window in a crowded square. An elaborate trap (gears, table saws, locks, three victims) is on display, and random victims are quickly dispatched while the famous Jigsaw voiceover blah blahs about choices and loyalty and chicks, and it’s all very informative. Flashback to Mark Hoffman (Costas Mandylor) and Jill Tuck (Betsy Russell) playing with the reverse bear trap introduced in the first film. This scene doesn’t seem to flow with the rest of the film, but does lead into the next scene. Jill walks into the police station and discusses what she knows with Internal Affairs detec- tive Matt Gibson (Chad Donella). Sadly, Gibson sucks as a character almost as much as Donella sucks as an actor. Or is that the other way around? Anyway, irritating scene. The film continues to flip from disconnected narrative to almost meaningless violence, as we switch to a deserted garage featuring a brand new trap (carjack, old car, chains, garage door, hooks, piercings, glue, four victims). At this point in the franchise there is little attempt to spend any time with the trap bait, or develop any backstory or sympathy with the characters. Since we know these caricatures are just there for a quick evisceration scene, it is a wonder the filmmakers bother with any dialogue at all. But they do. Mostly screaming. And it is stupid. I am increasingly concerned that all this violence is desensitizing, but then I realize it is not the violence I am desensitized to, but all the clichés and bad moviemaking. Surprise, a smarmy and unlikable character, Bobby Dagan (Sean Patrick Flanery) is captured and the police need to find him before a Jigsaw trap is sprung. Surprise, Hoffman is a big bad serial killer with a twisted logic to choosing his victims, and he wants to send taunting messages to the police. Sigh. Dagan wakes up in rundown building, and is told that his wife (Gina Holden) is at the other end of a series of traps. Dagan refuses to navigate the traps, instead choosing to sit down and wait for the police to arrive. With this very sensible deci- sion, the movie ends and the audience is surprised that such a stupid character can do something so smart. Just kidding. Dagan the Dummy chooses to play the game, which features his publicist Nina (Naomi Snieckus), his lawyer Suzann (Rebecca Marshall), and his best friend Cale (Dean Armdstrong). Collectively, the traps involve are themed Speak No Evil/See No Evil/Hear No Evil. Which is exactly as lame as it sounds. With several unimportant filler deaths out of the way, there is some attempt to create new and interesting death scenes. Unfortunately, unlike other movies in the powerhouse franchise, most of the death traps come off as misogynistic and the 3D format doesn’t do much for the special effects. HEATHER GRIFFITHS, Contributing Writer COMMENTS? 484-6200 ext. 222 or editor@upandcomingweekly.com Wiley’s Grille & Bar at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux. Football game with NFL Ticket this season at Wiley’s Catch Every NFL $1 off Selected Draft and Bottled beer every Sunday and Monday all season! Extended Sunday hours — now open at 1:00 pm www.hibordeaux.com 1707 Owen Drive 910-323-0111 or 800-325-0211 OPEN SUNDAY 1 P.M. – MIDNITE OPEN DAILY FROM 4 P.M. - MIDNITE, GRILLE OPEN 4:30 - 11 P.M. Kick off a great season of NFL Football at Wiley’s Grille and Bar. In addition to two big-screen TVs and 11 additional TVs for your NFL Football viewing pleasure, you’ll enjoy great food and beverage specials all season long. WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM NOVEMBER 10-16, 2010 UCW 21