In 2004 minor-major studio Lionsgate had a surprise hit on their hands with the low-budget horror flick, Saw. It was our introduction to the torture loving "Jigsaw" (who liked to toss in a few life lessons and tests of will along the way) and due to its success quickly garnered a sequel the next October - and now, like clockwork, another October has come and another Saw movie is gracing movie theatre screens. And while Saw III might not offer much new in the way of premise, originality, or plot; it does sport enough twists, pleasingly gruesome moments, and grimy enjoyment to make this the most consistent horror franchise on the go today (although, truthfully, this should be the last one - even though Lionsgate announced a fourth to come out next Halloween past on this films highly successful opening weekend tally).

After being left for dead at the end of the previous entry, John (Tobin Bell) and sidekick Amanda (Shawnee Smith) aren't done playing games yet as a whole new batch of bloody fun is about to begin.

Following a few torture scenes (one guy is strung up with chains and has to rip his body free, a woman detective has her ribs spread in an unpleasant way), the duo end up kidnapping emergency room surgeon Lynn (Bahar Soomekh) and place an explosive collar around her neck that will explode if she tries to run or John's heart rate drops below a certain level. In order to live all she has to do is keep him alive as long as she possibly can.

At the same time we're introduced to Jeff (Angus Macfadyen), who's been living a revenge seeking and depressing life since losing his young son to a drunk driver. As the new pawn in our duo's game he wakes up in a crate within a warehouse and is given three "tests" in order to try and help him "let go" of his child. Of course, this being a Saw movie, the tests involve various mechanical devices that are set to kill people who were all in some way involved in his son's murder case.

Little do Lynn and Jeff know (but we as an audience can figure it out pretty easily), but their fates will intertwine in the end and how each one performs will determine whether they live or whether they die.

Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman with the same hyperactivity he brought to the previous entry, decently acted by the cast (as usual Bell stands out having made the "Jigsaw" character his own), and written by Leigh Whannell (who's written all three movies and co-starred in the original), Saw III delivers exactly what we're expecting. The story manages to stay interesting enough to keep you watching and even though the devices dreamed up here don't quite match those of the previous movies there's enough grim goings-on to keep the even the most morbid viewers amongst you pleased - but it has to say something when the most stomach churning moment isn't even a death scene, but rather when Lynn is forced to do a makeshift brain surgery on John.

More entertaining that it has any right to be (it is the third part, after all), Saw III is like visiting an old, familiar friend - be it one that likes to rip the human soul (and body) apart any way possible. Hopefully Lionsgate doesn't get too greedy and release multiple DVD versions of the movie as well as continue to crank out sequels - like I said, this should be the last of the series, but with the aforementioned announcement of a part four I guess the almighty dollar is more important than common sense. (Chris Hartley, 10/31/06)

Directed By: Darren Lynn Bousman.
Written By: Leigh Whannell.

Starring: Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith, Angus Macfadyen, Bahar Soomekh.