Saw 3D

Movie review by Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media
Saw 3D Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 18+

Seventh in grisly gore franchise adds 3-D to the mix.

R 2010 90 minutes
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Parents say

age 16+

Based on 23 reviews

Kids say

age 16+

Based on 69 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Saw 3D (aka Saw 7 or Saw: The Final Chapter) is as gory and bloody as the first six installments, if not more so. There are many graphic, grisly deaths via elaborate torture devices and lots of violence against women. Very often, there's a chance to save one victim if another victim is willing to endure high amounts of pain or risk death; the supposed idea is that all of the victims are being punished -- and tested -- for their "everyday" bad behavior. Language is strong, with multiple uses of "f--k" and "s--t." Although the movie was shot in 3-D, the effects aren't particularly impressive or memorable -- and they're already so gross and over-the-top that the 3-D aspect doesn't up the ante as much as it does in other movies.

Community Reviews

ContentFlag
ContentFlag Adult
July 17, 2022
age 18+

Rated 18 (very strong bloody gore, horror).

MAIN CONTENT ISSUES - There is frequent, very graphic and prolonged scenes of gore and bloody injury detail, as well as sadistic horror and threat. A number of gory horror sequences involve people in elaborate death traps that are designed to cause as much physical trauma and pain to the victims as possible. Some of these sequences include a woman being cut in half by a circular saw causing blood and intestines to spray everywhere, a woman having a hook being pulled from inside her stomach and out of her mouth while she coughs up blood and pieces of flesh, a woman slowly being impaled through they eyes and mouth by metal spikes causing excessive blood spurting, a woman having an apparatus placed on her head which rips her mouth open causing blood and gore to spurt and her tongue to fall out of her mouth, a man having to tear his back skin away from a seat he has been glued to causing very bloody injury detail, as well as many other examples. These images of gore are very explicit and sustained, and there is a significant focus on the prolonged suffering and anticipation of death from the victims. All of the "trap" sequences are very intense. | OTHER ISSUES - There are some scenes of strong bloody violence, such as a man stabbing several people in the throat and a man repeatedly slamming a woman's head into a table. There is also frequent use of strong language ("f*ck"), as well as one aggressive use of very strong language ("c*nt"). | Rated "18" - Suitable only for persons aged 18 years and over. Contains content recommended for viewing by adults only.
Apersonthatdoesstuff ..
Apersonthatdoesstuff .. Adult
April 29, 2021
age 12+

Underrated

Violence 5/5 Sex 2/5 During the Pain Train, You see Jill's Breast after being hit. Language 5/5 Drinking/Drugs/Smoking 0/5
See all 23 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In SAW 3D, Jigsaw's widow, Jill Tuck (Betsy Russell), begins by trying to kill Jigsaw's current disciple, Mark Hoffman (Costas Mandylor) -- but fails. She then agrees to provide the police with all the information they need in exchange for protection. Meanwhile, Jigsaw survivor Bobby Dagen (Sean Patrick Flanery) has published a successful book about his ordeal ... but the killer knows the truth, and so Bobby is tested with an elaborate series of gory traps involving his beloved wife and all his various handlers. For "fun," there are a couple of random, gruesome traps that have nothing to do with the rest of the plot. Chad Donella plays an internal affairs detective trying to solve the whole thing, and Tobin Bell appears in flashbacks as the original Jigsaw.

Is It Any Good?

In its defense, the seventh installment of the bloody Saw franchise does occasionally attempt to rise above the typical "torture porn" flick. The killers act out of a sense of duty, and all of their victims are "guilty" in some way of some transgression. Additionally, the series has built up a complex lore around the original Jigsaw and his followers. And the traps themselves are incredibly elaborate; it's difficult for viewers to predict just what they're going to do, so the movie does manage to create a certain amount of tension around them.

Unfortunately, Saw 3D also thrives on extreme, ghastly gore as its primary motivation, making all other concerns secondary; in essence, it's more an endurance test than it is a movie. Plus, the writing and directing are strictly "C"-level, and the acting -- with the exception of Cary Elwes -- isn't much better.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Saw 3D's extreme violence. How did it make you feel? What was your reaction?

  • How do the gory images in movies like this impact viewers, especially young ones? Why do you think there's been a trend toward these "torture porn" movies in recent years?

  • What draws audiences to movies like this? Why have the Saw movies been so popular?

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