It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Despite Jigsaw's death, and in order to save the lives of two of his colleagues, Lieutenant Rigg is forced to take part in a new game, which promises to test him to the limit. I don't know what is worse in Saw IV the fact that it's beyond stupid and boring? and has no meaning to exist? or the fact that Donnie Wahlberg has one of the dumbest deaths i have ever seen in my entire life? It's probably both i guess. If you enjoyed the previous sequels or the later ones you might enjoy this one too but for fans of the original? Probably skip this one as well please. (0/10)

Finally saw all the 'Saw' films prior to seeing 'Jigsaw' (as part of my wanting to see as many 2017 films as possible this year, during a quieter and less intensive period). Heard a lot about the films, good and bad, but wanted to see them for myself to know what to expect.The films as an overall series are a very mixed bag. The original 'Saw' had a great premise and while it was problematic it was still pretty good and one of the best in the series. 'Saw II' had its own problems but it was still one of the few follow-ups to be just as good and have what made the first click as well as it did. Things did go downhill with the overblown and confusing 'Saw III', which was suggestive of not just the novelty wearing off but done to death. 'Saw IV' improves on the third instalment and is among the better sequels, but not up to the level of the first two films. It's neither great or terrible, more uneven, but unlike the third film there is at least a sense that it's remembered what made the first two films work.Lets start with 'Saw IV's' strengths first. The traps, tortures and such are closer in spirit to the suitably diabolical and inventive ones of the first two, almost like medieval torture, and there are a few clever, if not exactly bold, twists and turns. It's scarier and more suspenseful than the third film, being not as rambling, a little more cohesive and not being as over-reliant on what the third film overblew distastefully.Production values, apart from the haphazard editing, are slicker and not as amateurish here and the music score is suitably eerie. The opening sequence is the single most disturbing opening of the whole series and one of its most disturbing scenes full stop, despite being dead Jigsaw still has what makes him an interesting and quite unique character and the seeming frailty of the human condition, done in a way that's pretty embittered, and Jigsaw's moralism being painted seemingly sympathetically is just as creepy as the traps and torture. Tobin Bell looms ominously and Donnie Wahlberg makes much of little.On the other hand, the story is still very flawed. It is more atmospheric and eventful than the third film, but there's not enough to hide that it's more of the same stuff that does try to do too much and doesn't have enough original material to set it apart. Also, structurally with the back and forth and with laudably trying to tie up loose ends from before (but unsatisfyingly) it's still not easy to follow, culminating in one of the most perplexing head scratcher endings of any film from the 2000s from personal view. It's not just cohesiveness the film struggles with, credibility also goes out of the window.'Saw IV', while not as much as the third film, still goes too far with the gore and violence (the latter almost pornographic level) which is not handled with much taste or subtlety. At least one doesn't feel as exhausted or find themselves trying not to laugh here though, which is an improvement, just that one doesn't have a good taste in their mouth after. The script is still flat and contrived and Jigsaw is the only character that interests the viewer and doesn't leave one feeling bored or frustrated. Bell and Wahlberg aside, the acting is nothing to write home about with Lyriq Bent's performance being one of the series' low points.In short, watchable but not entirely satisfying. 5/10 Bethany Cox

Saw IV is the best Saw by far! The story was a lot more interesting and more exiting! This movie also features my favorite Saw trap, which is the Scalping Seat. And similar to the surgery scene in Saw III, this film starts off with Jigsaw's autopsy scene, the effects and details were amazing, it looked so accurate to a real autopsy! The ending was probably the best ending out of all the Saw films, it even gives Saw III a bigger conclusion! This film is very underrated, sad to say, and I think it deserves way more attention than it has.

'Saw 4' to me was the last great entry into the original 'Saw' series. While some cracks had begun to appear (it is certainly not as good as the first 3 were and we'll get to why later) it is still a thoroughly enjoyable film that is both smart and brutal all at once. The twist ending is again brilliant and highly memorable and all the other traits we have become accustomed to in 'Saw' films are present.Any negatives mentioned here are being very nitpicky, however they are necessary to show why the film wasn't quite as good as the first three. The first thing is that this film doesn't have a unique identity like each of those films did. Each one of them was set up in a very simple, yet memorable way which stuck with you long after seeing it. 'Saw 4' is a little bit all over the place and hence doesn't have this quality. Being intricately complicated, in an incredibly simple set-up, was what made the first three so brilliant.The second thing is that a lot of traps weren't quite as creative as we had come to expect. Again, simplicity in the trap is the biggest strength. On this occasion it sometimes felt like too much thinking was required on the part of the audience and consequently we couldn't just sit back and enjoy them. There were some like that (like the kitchen knives one) however on those occasions I didn't feel like they were quite brutal enough to be memorable either.All nitpicking aside though this is still an exquisite horror film. The series gets a little shaky from here on out, so to have this as one final great entry was a pleasant surprise.