Saw VII: The Final Chapter (or, as it was called in the cinemas, Saw 3D) is an example of how an aging, creaking, pathetic mess of a franchise can pick itself for a last gory hurrah. It has taken me two years to get round to seeing it (admittedly in 2D rather than gimmicky 3D), and I have to be honest; I was very impressed.
Perhaps the film seemed so good because I watched it straight away after Saw V, a particularly lacklustre instalment. But I believe Saw VII stands up on its own as a fiendishly inventive, wonderfully spectacular festival of carnage.
The plot is more involving than many of the other ridiculous sequels, and manages to retain some of the powerful strength that infused the original movie in 2004 (helped by a terrific cameo appearance from one of the original cast members).
The ending does feature a death scene that I could have lived without seeing (it just tipped over the line that separates gory-fun and gory-nastiness), but for the most part this is a fantastically staged horror event, and expertly directed by the series’ editor Kevin Greutert.
Saw VII: The Final Chapter (2010), directed by Kevin Greutert, is released on blu-ray disc and DVD by Lionsgate, Certificate 18.
