Saw III (Film Review)

2006 Lionsgate Films
Directed by: Darren Lynn Bousman; Written by: Leigh Whannell
Starring: Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith, Angus Macfadyen, Bahar Soomekh, and Dina Meyer
MPAA Rating: R; Running Time: 108 Minutes
The Nicsperiment Score: 3/10

Immediately after the events of Saw II, it seems Jigsaw's modus operandi has changed. The masked figure used to lock people into traps that would force them to confront their biggest vice, and painfully defeat it in order to escape, or die. Now, it seems like the sadistic traps actually have no way out. Meanwhile, Jigsaw is actually on his deathbed, needing emergency surgery. He's had his protege kidnap Dr. Lynn Denlon to keep him alive, and put a collar on Denlon's neck that will explode if he dies. Jigsaw wants to remain alive until another abductee completes a test of his own. Could all this be connected in some new, elaborate Jigsaw plan?
I really enjoy the first Saw movie, the sequel less. The first film has an engaging and unpredictable story, cloaked in marvelous atmosphere. The traps and gore are only a facet of the film. 2006's Saw III is just a nihilistic gorefest, filmed through a green filter of puke and entrails.
I don't really want to go into much detail here. The first 20 minutes of this film are irredeemably disgusting, an unforgiving avalanche of blood, gore, and broken bones. When the story finally picks up, Bahar Soomekh is at least effective as Lynn and Angus Macfadyen as the mysterious man forced to undergo a strange test by Jigsaw. Tobin Bell is always great as Jigsaw, but he's confined to a bed and forced to mumble the few times he gets to talk here. There are some satisfying twists late in the film, even if they are heavily caked in misery. The movie does at least try to rise above its inherent nihilism by making a final statement about not acting out in anger and unfiltered rage when dealing with unforgiveness, but that message is washed out through a river of that nihilism. I know there are a lot more films in this series, but I think three is enough Saw for me.