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Saw VI
Saw VI Promotional Poster
Directed by	Kevin Greutert
Written by	Patrick Melton Marcus Dunstan
Produced by	Mark Burg Oren Koules
Starring	Tobin Bell Costas Mandylor Shawnee Smith Tanedra Howard Betsy Russell Peter Outerbridge Mark Rolston Athena Karkanis Devon Bostick Shauna MacDonald
Cinematography	David Armstrong
Edited by	Andrew Coutts
Music by	Charlie Clouser
Production company	Twisted Pictures
Distributed by	Lionsgate
Release dates	October 22, 2009 (Aus/NZ) October 23, 2009 (US)
Running time	90 min.
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$11,000,000
Box office	$24,191,000

Saw VI is the sixth installment in the Saw film series. The film, which began shooting on March 30, 2009, was released in theaters in North America on October 23 2009, and a day earlier in Australia and New Zealand.

Saw VI concludes the second trilogy of the Saw series that focuses on the posthumous effects of the Jigsaw Killer and the progression of his successor, Mark Hoffman. Hoffman sets up a new trap for an insurance executive while the FBI trails the last living Jigsaw accomplice suspect, Peter Strahm. The film's plot has a heavy emphasis on the present day economic struggle of the government attempting to regulate Healthcare in the United States.

Saw VI was directed by Kevin Greutert, who has served as the editor on all the past Saw films to date. Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan, the writers for both Saw IV and V, have returned to write Saw VI. Charlie Clouser, who provided the score for all previous Saw films, also returned to arrange the score for the film.

Plot

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Simone (Tanedra Howard) and Eddie (Marty Moreau), two predatory lenders, are placed in head harnesses with screws poised to drill into their skulls. The person who cuts off more flesh weight in 60 seconds will live, while the other will be killed by the screws. The overweight Eddie slices fat from his stomach, but Simone chops off her arm to tip the scale in her favor and save herself.

Dan Erickson (Mark Rolston) heads up the FBI’s investigation into Eddie’s death, with Peter Strahm's fingerprints being found at the scene. He informs Lieutenant Mark Hoffman (Costas Mandylor) of this, also revealing that Lindsey Perez (Athena Karkanis), previously thought dead from her accident involving Jigsaw's puppet, is alive and still on the case. Hoffman secretly meets with Jill Tuck (Betsy Russell), who hands him five envelopes from the box from John's will, and he takes control of a game the two have been planning. Hoffman also questions Simone in her hospital room; however, having lost her arm, she is too hysterical to understand what she's to have learned.

The game focuses on William Easton (Peter Outerbridge), an executive at a health insurance company. He and his subordinates decide whom to cover based strictly on probabilities of health or illness, and he turned down one of John’s claims for this very reason. William is captured, taken to an abandoned zoo, and suspended in a large vise clamped around his torso, with a breathing mask over his face. Hank (Gerry Mendicino), his janitor and a smoker, is in the same situation. William must complete four tests in 60 minutes in order to remove the bombs strapped to his four limbs before they explode. In the first test, whenever either man takes a breath, his vise will tighten; William holds his breath longer than Hank, whose ribcage is soon crushed. For the second test, William must pick up the ends of two chains connected to retractable platforms on which Allen and Addy, his young file clerk and older secretary, are standing with barbed wire nooses around their necks. Allen is in good health but has no family, while Addy is in poor health but has a full family. William's system decrees that Addy should die, while Jigsaw's system decrees that Allen should die. William must choose to let one chain go and let that person die. He chooses to save Addy, reluctantly releasing Allen's chain and letting him strangle to death on the noose.

In the zoo’s boiler room for the third test, Debbie (Caroline Cave), the company attorney, has 90 seconds to run a caged-in maze and find the key to remove a device on her chest that will fire a spike through her brain. William must help her by diverting jets of steam from her path onto himself. At the end of the maze, Debbie discovers from X-ray films that the key is in William's side; she tries to cut him open using a circular saw, but fails and is killed. In the fourth test, William finds six of his junior co-workers chained to a carousel and facing a shotgun. The carousel will spin until all six shots have been fired, but he may spare two people's lives by pushing buttons that will drive spikes into his hands, while the other four will be killed. He makes his two choices after listening to their pleas, reaching the end of the path with one second to spare.

He finds himself standing between two cages, with Pamela Jenkins, his sister, in one of them and a mother and son, Tara (Shauna MacDonald) and Brent (Devon Bostick), in the other. The latter two are the family of a man named Harold (George Newbern) who died not long after William denied coverage for his illness. Each cage contains a tank of hydrofluoric acid; Tara and Brent find a large switch whose positions are labeled “Live” and “Die.” This test is meant for them, and they have the chance to spare his life. Tara cannot bring herself to pull the switch, but Brent readily shifts it to “Die.” A platform of needles swing into William's back and pump acid into him, dissolving his body as they watch in horror. Throughout these tests, it is revealed that William and John first met when Jill opened her clinic, and that John introduced Amanda Young (Shawnee Smith) to Jill as proof that his method of rehabilitation could really work. Tension grew between Hoffman and Amanda through their work as apprentices; John had made advance plans to cover Jill when he dies.

Meanwhile, Erickson and Perez obtain the videotape from the death of Seth Baxter; this unsettles Hoffman, who becomes increasingly worried about his secret being discovered. At the lab, Perez questions Hoffman of Strahm's possible motivation in being involved with Jigsaw, while Erickson questions Hoffman about inconsistencies at the crime scene. The moment his voice is unscrambled, Hoffman slashes Erickson's throat, tricks Perez into shooting the technician and stabs Perez repeatedly. With her last breath, Perez tells Hoffman that everyone knows about him; he uses Strahm's severed hand to plant prints around the room and then sets it on fire, burning the bodies and evidence.

Upon his return to the zoo's observation room, he is attacked by Jill. It is revealed that Pamela gave Jill a copy of Hoffman's letter to Amanda; he had learned of Amanda's role in the robbery that resulted in Jill's miscarriage and told her to kill Lynn Denlon, or he would tell John. Jill straps Hoffman to a chair and placed an updated "Reverse Bear Trap" on his head; the sixth envelope that she kept to herself was John's request to capture and test him. She says, "Game over," and leaves, activating a 45-second timer. Hoffman uses the trap's weight to break his hand and release himself, then jams the jaw clamps of the trap into the door's frame; they get caught in the bars and he slips out, part of his mouth ripped open, and screams toward the ceiling.

Cast

• Tobin Bell as John Kramer/Jigsaw
• Betsy Russell as Jill Tuck
• Costas Mandylor as Mark Hoffman
• Shawnee Smith as Amanda Young
• Peter Outerbridge as William Easton
• Samantha Lemole as Pamela Jenkins
• Athena Karkanis as Agent Lindsey Perez
• Mark Rolston as Dan Erickson
• James Van Patten as Dr. Heffner
• Tanedra Howard as Simone
• Marty Moreau as Eddie
• Billy Otis as Cecil Adams
• Mpho Kaoho as Timothy Young
• Devon Bostick as Brent
• Shauna MacDonald as Tara
• Shawn Ahmed as Allen
• Janelle Hutchison as Addy
• Gerry Mendicino as Hank
• James Gilbert as Aaron
• George Newbern as Harold
• Darius McCrary as Dave
• Scott Patterson as Peter Strahm (archive footage)

Production

Kevin Greutert, the editor of all previous films in the franchise, directed the sixth installment, with David Armstrong returning as the cinematographer. Mark Burg and Oren Koules are returning as producers of the film with James Wan and Leigh Whannell, creators of the series, returning as executive producers. Charlie Clouser is also returning to compose the score for the film, with the Hello Zepp for Saw VI being called 'Revelations'.

On Monday, July 20, 2009, the film's official motion-poster was released online, along with the tagline "His Disease is Spreading". The film's first teaser trailer was slated to be released at Comic-Con 2009, with July 23, 2009, being the specific day it was released. On Wednesday, July 22, the official theatrical one-sheet was debuted online, with another tagline, "The Game comes Full Circle." The first clip from the movie, featuring the Carousel Room trap, was previewed at Comic-Con 2009. A second one-sheet poster, with a third tagline "Trust in Him...", was released on August 19, 2009. On August 23, 2009, a third one-sheet was released, featuring a slightly altered version of the motion-poster. On September 15, 2009, a fourth one-sheet poster surfaced featuring a fourth tagline: "He helped me." It also introduced an image of a trap that makes out the letters "VI". Recently, 2 TV Spots were released to the public, along with more photos and a second trailer.

Writing

Saw VI is written by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan, who co-wrote the script for both Saw IV and Saw V. Saw VI began filming on March 30, 2009.

It has been reported that Saw VI is much more violent than previous films in the franchise. Also, the film has traps that pit victims against each other, similar to the mausoleum scene from Saw IV.

It has been stated that questions about characters, such as Jill Tuck and Lieutenant Mark Hoffman, is answered. The actress who portrays Jill Tuck (Betsy Russell) has stated:

You find out a little more about if Jill is good or evil. Pretty much you'll know. I don't know if it was ever answered in the previous ones if I knew he was a killer. We will find out in this one that I do know that about him. We have an amazing love affair and I have a reason to be with him. She is definitely in the present main plot, as well as, flashbacks with more backstory to answer more questions.

Also commenting on the film, Costas Mandylor, the actor who portrays Mark Hoffman, has stated:

Hoffman is sort of torn of becoming a mad man or becoming a guy that's more composed, coming from a pure place like Jigsaw. That's my character's dilemma; does he go fucking crazy or follow the rules of the boss?

Co-writer Patrick Melton also stated of the film: "There's good pacing and finally there's a resolution. Finally."

Cinematographer David Armstrong, also announced two new traps. Commenting on a "carousel room", he stated:

It's very carnival, playground-like. It's just nasty. spinning red lights in there. It's really overwhelming to walk in and look at because everything is spinning.

In the same interview Armstrong revealed some details on something he called the "steam room", stating:

Also, there's one place called the Steam Room that's probably the best looking SAW trap of them all. It's big and expensive. It's got furnaces, fires and steam. It's multi-leveled. The most complex Saw. We had techno cranes flying through. It was pretty amazing.

Casting

Several cast members had been confirmed prior to the film, including both Tobin Bell and Costas Mandylor as John "Jigsaw" Kramer and Mark Hoffman respectively. It had also has been confirmed that Shawnee Smith was returning for newly filmed flashback scenes as Amanda Young. Another returning character was confirmed on April 20, 2009 when it was reported that Dr. Heffner, previously featured in the fourth installment, was to return for the sixth film.

On December 8, 2008, Tanedra Howard, won the 2008 VH1 Scream Queens competition hosted by Saw actress Shawnee Smith. This guaranteed Howard a role in Saw VI. Lions Gate made a public statement ensuring her a leading role in the film, it was later revealed her role as "Simone". Peter Outerbridge has also been cast as the new character William.

Release

The film was released in the United States on October 23, 2009, following the tradition of releasing each Saw film the Friday before Halloween. It also followed the tradition of being released in New Zealand and Australia prior to the US release on October 22, 2009.

In Spain the film got the rating Película X, which means that it is only allowed in eight theaters in Spain. It was the first time a film got this rating because of violence instead of pornography. Buenavista, the international distributor, has since appealed the decision.

Reception

Box office

The film had the lowest grossing debut of the franchise, making only $14,118,444 on its opening weekend, less than half of any other opening weekend for a Saw film. The opening averaged $4,650 per theater from 3,036 theaters, and ranking #2 for the weekend behind only Paranormal Activity. However, in its opening weekend, Saw VI recouped its entire $11 million budget, making the film over doubly profitable despite decreased ticket sales. So far, Saw VI has made $24,191,000 in only 8 days of being in theaters worldwide.

Reviews

Critical response to Saw VI, while generally mixed, was far more positive than most of the other installments in the series. Rotten Tomatoes reports that 44% of critics gave the film a positive review, based upon a sample of 50 reviews, with an average score of 4.5 out of 10 and the consensus that, "It won't earn the franchise many new fans, but Saw VI is a surprising step up for what has become an intricately grisly annual tradition." On Metacritic, the film has an average score of 30 out of 100, based on 12 reviews. Filmcritic gave Saw VI 3½ out of 5 stating "Director Kevin Greutert hasn't helmed a lot of films in the past, but he did edit all of the previous Saws. As it turns out, his mastered craft lends well to directing. He spins a taut, tight, concise web of terror and surprise. The best entry in the series since Saw II". Empireonline.com gave Saw VI 3 out of 5 stating "Saw VI gets back to Saw basics in gripping, gruesome manner. Bloody Disgusting gave the film 3½ out of 5 saying "Saw VI is faithful to the franchise and the twist/finale are 100% satisfying. Saw fans will walk out of the theater with their fists in the air with the feeling that they’ve reclaimed their beloved franchise."

Soundtrack

The Saw VI Original Motion Picture Soundtrack included music by the bands Kittie, Chimaira, Suicide Silence, Nitzer Ebb, Mushroomhead, Lacuna Coil, and Converge, among others. It was released October 20, 2009, through Trustkill Records.

References

1. ^ Release schedule PDF
2. ^ "Saw 6 (Saw VI)". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 2009-03-24.
3. "Director Kevin Greutert Talks SAW VI!". 2009-06-10. Retrieved 2009-08-17.
4. Saw VI rated 18 by the BBFC
5. ^
6. Horror Nights '09: 'Saw VI' Co-Writers/Director Talk
7. Saw VI news "Kevin Greutert To Direct Saw VI". Joblo. Retrieved 2009-03-24. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
8. 'Trilogy My Ass': A Conversation with the Filmmakers and Cast of 'Saw VI'
9. "Saw VI" Motion Poster Has Arrived!
10. ^ SDCC '09: First Official Clip From Lionsgate's 'Saw VI'!
11. SDCC '09: Hi-Res 'Saw VI' Official One Sheet Debut
12. New 'Saw VI' poster introduces new trap
13. "Exclusive: We Interview 'Saw VI' Director Kevin Greutert!". FEARnet. 200-11-17. Retrieved 2009-03-24. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
14. ^ "Shawnee Smith Returns In Saw VI". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 2009-03-24.
15. "Official Saw News - Saw VI". Official Saw News. Retrieved 2009-03-24.
16. ^ "B-D Chats With the Cast and Crew of Saw VI, New Traps Revealed!".
17. SDCC 09: What to Expect from Saw VI
18. "Actor Signs For More Saws". Shock Til You Drop. Retrieved 2009-03-24.
19. "New Confirmed Saw VI Casting". Bloody-Disguting. Retrieved 2009-04-21.
20. "Tanedra Wins Scream Queens!". Retrieved 2009-03-24.
21. "Saw VI Plot Details Revealed!". Retrieved 2009-04-29.
22. ""Official Release Date For Lionsgate's 'Saw VI'"". 2008-11-13. Retrieved 2008-11-16.
23. "Saw VI, calificada X en España. Ban "Saw VI"". SpanishDict. 2009-10-22. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
24. Francoise Sagat
25. "Saw VI (2009)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2009-10-31.
26. "Saw VI (2009)". Metacritic. Retrieved 2009-10-29.
27. http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/review.asp?FID=136589"Saw VI (2009)". Filmcritic.com. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
28. "Saw VI (2009)". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 2009-10-28.
29. SAW VI Soundtrack gets THE FLOOD
30. Final lineup for the SAW VI SOUNDTRACK revealed!

External links

• Official site
• Saw VI at IMDb
• Saw VI at Rotten Tomatoes
• Template:Amg movie
• Saw VI at Box Office Mojo

• 2009 films
• 2000s horror films
• American horror films
• English-language films
• Films shot in Toronto
• Lions Gate films
• Saw films
• Sequel films