The "final" installment pits Detective Mark Hoffman(Costas Mandylor), the current Jigsaw, against Bobby Dagen(Sean Patrick Flannery), a self help guru with a grisly backstory. A former Jigsaw survivor who's used his past as a springboard to fame, his popularity doesn't exactly make our favorite killer a happy man. Meanwhile you can expect more of the seemingly endless supply of hapless keystone cops who think they're hot on the Jigsaw's trail. They must buy these idiot coppers by the gross. They could fill five movies just on the number of detectives put in charge of the Jigsaw case, only to wind up as stains on the floor.
There's no faster way to annoy me than to not give me what's promised, and Saw 3D pitched itself as being Jigsaw's greatest test yet. The ads promised that Jigsaw would be taking his gruesome ritual to the public, making his corrupted victims' trials a matter of media attention. We actually do get that....for about 2 minutes. In an awkward, inexplicable opening sequence, a love triangle stands exposed in a store window, with the cheating girlfriend literally split between her two lovers. Why would the meticulous, rational(if sadistic) Jigsaw reduce himself in such a way? The victims aren't part of a larger narrative. They're just three random folks off the street. It makes no sense, and strikes me as someone in a production meeting coming up with a "cool" idea he wanted to show off.
Unfortunately that's how the entire film feels, like an exercise in showing off just one last time. Even though I never really liked the previous Saw flicks, they rewarded their fans and genuinely made each film seem relevant. A throwaway scene in Saw 2 might be a crucial plot point in Saw 5. It was what I admired most. This is the first time in years that I feel like no plan was ever in place. It was truly a "let's throw everything against a wall and see what sticks" mentality, especially when it pertains to the return of one of Saw's most beloved characters: Dr. Lawrence Gordon(Carey Elwes). Yes, the Jigsaw's first and most asked about suvivor returns, but to say he's become a changed man over the years is an understatement. A half hearted attempt at the conclusion to explain his transformation is...well, half hearted. Frankly, Saw has been struggling ever since the poorly thought out idea of kiling off the original Jigsaw, John Kramer(Tobin Bell). Detective Hoffman just isn't as sympathetic a figure.
The venerable old Saw series took a pounding last year at the hands of Paranormal Activity
, which helped necessitate a speedier wrap-up to the franchise. It also was the impetus for the jump to the more expensive 3D format. To put it bluntly: The 3D sucks, and adds nothing of worth. A few spatters of blood headed in your direction isn't worth the extra dough you'll be shelling out. Chances are Saw 3D will find a bit more elbow room in the horror market this year, but that's not enough to justify keeping it going. Even though the door is very clearly left open for more flicks in the future, I hope Jigsaw can pass one final test and go off into retirement quietly. 
