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Saw IV
Lionsgate


6.1

based on 16 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 101 votes
Read user comments
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FILM:

MPAA RATING: R for sequences of grisly bloody violence and torture throughout, and for language

Starring Tobin Bell, Scott Patterson, Betsy Russell, Costas Mandylor, Lyriq Bent, Athena Karkanis, Donnie Wahlberg, and Angus Macfadyen

Jigsaw and his apprentice Amanda are dead. Upon the news of Detective Kerry's murder, two seasoned FBI profilers, Agent Strahm and Agent Perez, arrive at the depleted police precinct to help veteran Detective Hoffman sift through Jigsaw's latest grisly game of victims, as well as piece together the puzzle. But then SWAT Commander Rigg, the last officer untouched by Jigsaw, is suddenly abducted. Thrust into the madman's harrowing game, the officer has but 90 minutes to overcome a series of interconnected traps...or face the deadly consequences. Rigg's citywide pursuit leaves a wake of dead bodies, while Detective Hoffman and the FBI uncover long-hidden clues that lead them back to Jigsaw's ex-wife Jill. The genesis of Jigsaw's evil is unveiled, exposing the puppet master's true intentions, as well as the sinister plan for his past, present, and future victims. (Lionsgate)

GENRE(S):	Crime \| Horror \| Suspense/Thriller
WRITTEN BY:	Thomas H. Fenton (story) Marcus Dunstan (& story) Patrick Melton (&story)
DIRECTED BY:	Darren Lynn Bousman
RELEASE DATE:	DVD: January 22, 2008 Theatrical: October 26, 2007
RUNNING TIME:	108 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...

The Hollywood Reporter Frank Scheck

Director Darren Lynn Bousman, who also helmed the past two installments, doesn't deviate from the stylistic formula, which includes grinding industrial music, frenzied editing and a blue-gray color palette.

TV Guide Ken Fox

The trouble is that if you haven't seen the other entries in the cycle, or don't have all the characters committed to memory, you'll have trouble figuring out who anybody is or, in the end, what any of it is supposed to mean.

Variety Robert Koehler

Even by the standards of the recent "Saws," which have enjoyed considerably larger budgets than the first pic, the new edition is more frenetically cut (by editors Kevin Greutert and Brett Sullivan), more dimly lit (by lenser David A. Armstrong), sweatier in terms of perfs by the grimly serious cast, more madly packed with micro-incidents and action, and more brazen in requiring suspension of disbelief.

New York Daily News Elizabeth Weitzman

If an hour and a half of so-called "torture porn" sounds like fun, you'll find Saw IV situated somewhere between the first in the cycle (a solid original with plenty of energy in it) and the last (a gasping copycat willing to do anything to stay alive).

New York Post Kyle Smith

Since the thing is increasingly impatient to jump forward to the next big torture set piece, there isn't any time to establish anyone's character. Butcher shops are bloody, too, but they're not scary.

The New York Times Jeannette Catsoulis

Saw IV is bloody proof that Jigsaw may be dead, but his well of corporeal abuses has yet to run dry.

Premiere Darren Ratner

Though the series seemed like a great concept three years ago, it's now just a repeated assault on the senses, designed strictly for the gross-out crowd, and disturbs rather than scares.

Austin Chronicle Marc Savlov

Torture, you may recall, used to be an unparsable, unpardonable sin. Now it's porn.

The Onion (A.V. Club) Nathan Rabin

Fans know exactly what they're in for, while everyone else knows to stay far away. Everyone can agree, however, that this is probably the worst date movie ever. For non-sadists, at least.

LA Weekly Scott Foundas

Like the movie’s mysterious Jigsaw doppelgänger, Saw IV is itself a poor substitute for the original.

ReelViews James Berardinelli

It's a depressing experience to view something like Saw IV. It's not just the soullessness that's dispiriting, but the lack of invention. When a movie does little more than repeat what its predecessors accomplished with grotesque effectiveness, it's past time to tip this corpse into its grave and bury it.

Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman

He now imparts so many life lessons via his Rube Goldberg thresher devices that he's starting to turn into the Rod Serling of severed body parts. Now that's torture.

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Stephen Cole

There is no narrative tension in the film, however, just a variety of grisly crucifixions. And the morality tales are blood-stained window dressing.

San Francisco Chronicle Peter Hartlaub

One more small thing: Every other scene in Saw IV starts and ends with a potential victim pressing "play" on a tape recorder, to the point where it's almost funny.

Film Threat Michael Ferraro

For devotees of the series, the gore is still there and the traps are just as weird as they were in the other entries but for the rest of us, your mind will forget it the second the end credits roll.

Boston Globe Wesley Morris

Getting to the true root of his evil may necessitate "Saw LX."

The average user rating for this movie is 6.1 (out of 10) based on 101 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

unknown gave it a10:
Apparently a lot of people watched the movies and didn't light up that they aren't what it looks like. They were like pieces of the big picture. If you'd like to know why you think they're stupid, well i will tell you...These movies are like one big puzzle. Each movie connects the pieces together and the 4th one really did introduce new hidden parts of it. All of the movies are very interesting and all of them twist in a way to keep your attention if your IQ is not that low enough to get it. IF you want to watch just horror and be left with good impressions of SAW then watch the 1st or 2nd one IF you want blood and slaughter, well all of them got it and IF you watched them and understood how entertaining the story is, well let's hope they keep it this way And i certainly don't think the ideas are ran out. Actually it seems like it is one big idea ever since the 1st one.

Matthew M. gave it a10:
How many movie franchises can put 5 movies together with all the plot twists and charachters and revolving storylines? None.

Nikki C. gave it a9:
This film is not just another gore-fest like everyone says it is, if you look past the traps you see why John is the way he is. There is a story behind all the death and destruction, but some people don't bother looking, and just want a reason to complain about a perfectly reasonable film about human survival.

Estefany B. gave it a6:
it wasn't as good as the other 3...it concludes the stories and the reasons of the other movies. But this is utterly disgusting,which made me realize to not watch the 5th one! TERRIBLE MOVIE! Do not watch it.

The Swami gave it a2:
Highly disappointing. At this rate the next SAW will be in negative numbers. I'd give SAW I a 10, SAW II a 7-8, SAW III was at best a 4, and now this clunker barely comes in at a 2. Much as I enjoyed the first two, I fear this series has run it's course...worth seeing if you have seen the first 3, but don't expect to be thrilled by it.

Zack f. gave it a10:
This movie was far far better than the original and the following two sequels. But although i gave it a ten for being just a great movie, there are limits to how many times you should repeat the same type of (in this case) "game" in the movies. And also may i add that the movies will just keep going on and on and on, when jeff dies in somewhere around Saw VI another person will take his place and they will die in like Saw VIII and so on. Overall Originality 8 creativity 10 repetition from previous movies 5 sequence of the "saw" movies 9 storyline 10 if you disagree with me , you are entitled to your own opinions and i respect that.

Brenda M. gave it a5:
Wasn't as good as i thought it should be. didn't explain that well on how that cop became the new jigsaw

Saw IV Lionsgate

Saw IV
Lionsgate