I think when you see what the A Nightmare On Elm Street series did to the reputation of its stunning original then I think there is some justification there. After all, the original is wonderful but if you're unfortunate enough to have seen one or more of the sequels before you see the original, then it just doesn't work. And that's a travesty.
Obviously, when you're dealing with, say, Maniac Cop or Friday The 13th, all the entries in the series are crap (except Part VIII in the case of the latter, obviously) so there's not much reason to get upset about them anyway. But it could just be the case that the Saw series might actually reinvent the horror franchise as something respectable.
It helps in the case of this series that so many involved with the original are still working on the series now as they apparently beaver away on a sixth installment of people being dismembered, disembowelled, and other ultra-violent acts beginning with 'dis-'. It hasn't been farmed out to some cacky-fingered halfwit who couldn't direct traffic in his mum's driveway for a quick buck.
After all, this is a franchise that is quite unique in that it appears that the people involved actually care about, y'know, a plot. And a storyline. And on creating films that reward repeated viewing. Blimey. I can perfectly understand why people would hate the Saw series on a number of levels, but it is admirable that all involved are keen to avoid the usual horror sequel cliches.
If this had been A Nightmare On Elm Street or Friday The 13th then Jigsaw would have been killed in the first one, resurrected by a lightning bolt for the start of the second, killed again, resurrected by someone practicing withcraft in the third, killed again....and so on. But no, as they've gone along they've brought in characters to a more prominent position in the plot-line, filled in gaps from previous films, and opened up possibilities for the future films.
Of course, by Saw IV, which we watched last night, it's all getting somewhat complicated and they're also starting to run out of inventive set-pieces (the ones with the hair and the arrows were crap, but the ice block one was splendid!) to a certain extent. They might want to just move away from the set-pieces a little bit for the next film, at least to give themselves more time to think up some good ones.
And I have to say that Tobin Bell is fantastic in his role. One of the most understated villains in the history of the genre, in my opinion, he actually acts rather than showboats and steers entirely away from the pantomime villainy that even the likes of Anthony Hopkins have lapsed into when they've reprised a horror role.
It might not be Kieslowski or Bunuel, but it's alright for an hour-and-a-half every year, I think.
