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Saw II
Lions Gate Films Inc.


5.8

based on 28 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 108 votes
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FILM:

MPAA RATING: R for grisly violence and gore, terror, language and drug content

Starring Donnie Wahlberg, Shawnee Smith, Tobin Bell, Glenn Plummer, Dina Meyer, and Emmanuelle Vaugier

In this sequel to the 2004 hit "Saw," Jigsaw, the diabolical criminal, returns.

GENRE(S):	Horror \| Suspense/Thriller
WRITTEN BY:	Darren Lynn Bousman Leigh Whannell
DIRECTED BY:	Darren Lynn Bousman
RELEASE DATE:	DVD: February 14, 2006 Theatrical: October 28, 2005
RUNNING TIME:	91 minutes, Color
ORIGIN:	USA

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

New York Post Kyle Smith

Jigsaw is a wickedly fun villain, if you can put aside the implausibility of a guy who likes to saunter away from his deathbed to kidnap younger, stronger people and devise medieval torture chambers.

Dallas Observer Luke Y. Thompson

Saw II, despite the swift turnaround time, improves on all of the first film's problem areas, while leaving intact everything that was good about the concept.

The Hollywood Reporter Frank Scheck

The killer himself takes a far more prominent role in this edition, and as played by the superb Tobin Bell he's quite a memorable creation.

Los Angeles Times Kevin Crust

For the most part the film succeeds in producing a frightening Halloween weekend experience.

Entertainment Weekly Gregory Kirschling

The contest is close, but Saw II is just barely a better B flick than "Saw."

Baltimore Sun Chris Kaltenbach

There's an honesty to the film that elevates it a cut above standard slasher fare.

Empire Alan Morrison

Morally dubious it may be, but this gory melange of torture, terror and darkly humorous depravity appeals to the sick puppy within us all.

Washington Post Desson Thomson

It's clear this sequel (directed by Darren Lynn Bousman) doesn't have the same smartness (I speak relatively) of the original. Nonetheless, "Saw" fans can still look forward to involuntary incineration, wrist and throat slashing, bullets through brains and the bashing of someone's head with a nail-festooned club.

Portland Oregonian Mike Russell

It all adds up to a sequel that is, against all odds, not a total waste of your serial-killer dollar.

San Francisco Chronicle Peter Hartlaub

Basically, this is a really good movie until the last part, where director and co-writer Darren Lynn Bousman ruins so much so fast that you'll wonder if his actions are deliberate -- or if the studio interfered.

The New York Times Laura Kern

It's fully apparent that this sequel is more trick than treat and doesn't really compare to its fine predecessor - though it still manages to be eye-opening (and sometimes positively nauseating) in itself.

TV Guide Ken Fox

Unfortunately, that imagination flags early in the first sequel to the grisly 2004 sleeper hit, though the bang-up ending nearly makes it all worthwhile and it opens with a set piece worthy of its predecessor.

New York Daily News Elizabeth Weitzman

Though the overall effect feels a little anemic compared with its predecessor, the ads promise blood, and - oh yes - there is blood.

Variety Robert Koehler

New pic lets the air out by divulging the startling mystery that concluded the original. Add this to problematic juggling of police procedural and group-in-distress storylines, and Lions Gate has what looks like a sequel rushed for Halloween.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer Sean Axmaker

There are some surprises to be had amid the cruelty (inflicted by both Jigsaw and his test subjects), but this time around the ordeal is less grueling than simply distasteful.

Austin Chronicle Marc Savlov

To its credit, the film rockets toward its conclusion with scant downtime. It's come and gone before you even know it, and, like death, that's a good thing.

The Onion (A.V. Club) Scott Tobias

Stripped down to the barest genre essentials, Saw is a spring-loaded killing machine, packed with sadistic little deathtraps and ludicrous macabre twists, and its quickie sequel offers more of the same, which should again appease viewers who enjoy being jerked around.

Film Threat Pete Vonder Haar

One of the drawbacks to rushing your sequel to theaters is that there's not a lot of time to hone dialogue and performances.

Miami Herald Peter Debruge

The explanation for all this mayhem eludes me, and even a lame last-minute twist isn't enough to cover the fact that Jigsaw ain't as clever as the movie thinks he is.

USA Today Mike Clark

Whether we're talking this go-round, the original or the second sequel the finale seems to promise, I'd rather try standing drunk on a see-saw (though maybe not over dirty syringes) than see Saw.

Village Voice Benjamin Strong

What's worth noting is how much greater deliberation was given to the marketing than the screenplay of this cursory dud, rushed to theaters exactly a year after its amusing predecessor.

LA Weekly Christopher Orr

Saw II repels, morally and aesthetically, and while some -- including the filmmakers, perhaps -- may take this as a compliment, it isn't intended as one. Let the game stop. Please.

Philadelphia Inquirer David Hiltbrand

Vilely violent, Saw 2 is the Phnom Penh of splatter movies.

Chicago Tribune Michael Phillips

It's not a film, it's an excuse to show victims bleeding at the mouth, or getting shot in the eye, or plucking out their own eyeballs. Most gruesome of all, the sequel oozes dialogue that is best described as "functional."

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Rick Groen

Don't look for logic here. But if gore is your game, a motherlode awaits.

Premiere Ryan Devlin

Finally, a horror movie for the reality TV generation. Saw II feels like an episode of "Fear Factor" or "Big Brother" with Rob Zombie at the helm, and if that doesn’t scare you away from this ridiculous movie, well, feel free to indulge your questionable tastes.

Boston Globe Wesley Morris

The product of immaturity. It approaches suffering with a meaninglessness that must be a luxury for anyone who has never lost anyone, or is incapable of empathizing with someone who has.

Chicago Reader J.R. Jones

Comes to life only when it reprises elements from the original movie.

The average user rating for this movie is 5.8 (out of 10) based on 108 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Jason S. gave it a5:
I loved the 1st movie but this one dropped the main reason the other one was so good. You knew why each person was kidnapped. It seems as if they cut out the back story to almost all of the characters.

AB gave it a7:
By placing more of an emphasis on the villain and his motives, "Saw II" creates a more interesting story than that of the first film. Sadly, however, because of the mediocre dialogue, the film itself is far less captivating than the original. Still, "Saw II" is great by modern horror movie standards.

Matt O. gave it a5:
I absolutely hated the first Saw movie when I watched it, mainly because it seemed like a boring retread of Se7en. I had a hard time caring about the characters, and I couldn't understand how or why it became such a hit. I can't explain why I chose to see this one, but I thought it would be good for a laugh or two. However, it turns out that this is a much better movie than the first. That being said, it isn't saying much. But, what the first Saw lacks, this one semi makes up for. I was actually interested in whether the characters lived or died. (to say I actually cared, though, is overstepping the bounds) But, either the actors (not the police, but the eight or so locked in the house) or the director had some way to keep the movie interesting enough for me to keep watching, and interesting enough for me to want to see Saw III.

Gabor A. gave it a1:
The worst of the first three(please don't make anymore). The whole middle section, which ultimately turns out to be pointless after the end, plays out like a really bad rendition of Cube. It doesn't even fit the Saw bill considering everyone's fate isn't tied to their own desire to live but more to the selfishness and idiocy of those around them. All the Saws are over the top gross and illogical, but Saw II is the only one I've seen thats actually boring as hell.

Ryan H. gave it a1:
This movie thought it was much smarter than it actually was. The plot is just running some innocent people through a double dare course that actually hurts you. While there was a lot of gore that attracted most of the audience, the story itself could have been the most mindless plot ever. Pretty predictable when the writer tries to show you how ingenious the criminal is by connecting the beginning of the story with the end. Once again all the characters in the story are stupid idiots who should have all been dead years ago by drinking poison under the sink by accident.

Jordan G. gave it a9:
Though the first one has a better plot and more imaginitive scenes this Saw still is a great movie. Those you say this is just disgusting gore didn't pay attention and didn't see the first movie or didn't pay attention their either. The twists and turns in this series are sick and amazing. The first one i find better but still this is a great movie

[Anonymous] gave it a0:
My brother and I found this film to be stupid. It was wack.

Saw II Lions Gate Films Inc.

Saw II
Lions Gate Films Inc.