 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Saw II
- Review Date: February 12, 2006
- R
- Genre: Horror
- 2005
Common Sense Media says
Gruesome and explicit -- not for kids.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this movie is not for kids. It features gruesome violence, with detailed, explicit imagery of bodies penetrated by sharp implements, shot, burned up, slammed, smashed, punched, kicked, sawed, cut, and dismembered. The movie includes jump scenes and frequent arguments among victims and cops, as well as between the primary cop and the killer, who holds the cop's son hostage. The father and son argue at the beginning of the film, setting the stage for the father's remorse and anger. Characters bleed (lots), vomit, and cough blood. Characters smoke and curse relentlessly; in flashback, one character injects drugs, to demonstrate her addiction. The film also features "extreme" editing, very rough and jaggedy, which in itself may be disturbing for some viewers.
What's the story?
SAW II brings back the serial killer Jigsaw (Tobin Bell), this time as a self-styled family counselor with terminal cancer. It seems that Detective Eric Matthews (Donnie Wahlberg) is not paying proper attention to his troubled son Daniel (Erik Knudsen), and so Jigsaw takes a moralistic interest. Eric comes with the usual compromised background: he's been riding a desk since his own coppish corruption was exposed five years ago. Empowered by his deadly illness, Jigsaw gathers together an assortment of Eric's rigged-evidence victims, recently released from prison and puts them in a booby-trapped house with young Daniel. He also arranges to have every room monitored by video camera, the feeds available for viewing by the cops, in Jigsaw's lair.
Is it any good?
As before, Jigsaw points out to anyone who will listen that he doesn't actually kill anyone, he just sets up his victims and then offers them "choices." Their icky deaths are their own fault. Such reasoning was the premise of Saw, a surprise hit that recycled hoary psycho killer conventions to extra-splattery effect ("There will be blood"). In SAW II, the repetition is only compounded: Jigsaw is suffering from terminal cancer, which he presumes grants him moral authority: "Those who do not appreciate life do not deserve life."
And as always, Jigsaw ("Call me John," he tells Eric) is chatty in the extreme, explaining his games far beyond the point of interest. He talks at Eric and by tape, he talks at the victims in the house (including Franky G, Glenn Plummer, and the first film's Shawnee Smith, returned for more abuse). None of the players in this game is particularly appealing. But even as the film's focus on sadistic pleasures raises questions about audiences' desire to "watch," it's all retread.
Explore, discuss, enjoy
Families can talk about the movie's rudimentary efforts to set up the killer's "moralistic" framework. How does Jigsaw judge his victims in order to rationalize his cruelty? How might the father and son have worked out their conflict in a less sensational way? What does the son want from his father? And where is the mother in all this?
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Teen, 14 years old
August 5, 2009
AGE
great movie
Great movie violent but ends with a great twist, not as violent as the first though
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Kid, 12 years old
July 3, 2009
AGE
Violent...
Not appropriate for most 14 year olds. Very violent bloody, gory. Prolly 50+ f-words. All the people in it are terrible role models. The entire message is just a terrible message. Much more blood than I expected even. Almost every second. But this one actually is enjoying to watch because the plot is decent and there are some real surprises for all of you Saw and horror movie fans out there.
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Teen, 14 years old
September 27, 2011
AGE
:P
Rated R for Language, Drug content, Sexual references, and being downright disgusting.
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Kid, 10 years old
February 1, 2011
AGE
i saw 3 parts and could barely eat or drink. i think it is gruesome and terrorizing.
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Kid, 10 years old
September 16, 2009
AGE
gory, good, but over the top-gore!
This movie is good, but it's gore city. This is a fright fest not for the faint of heart, please, kids 10 and under shoukld not see this psycho killer, guts-filled, explicit horror movie about a man turning drug dealers, addicts, abusers and murderers and cheaters in to torture experiments in a nerve gas house.
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Teen, 14 years old
May 19, 2011
AGE
Great film, fine for teens who are alright with gore and horror
Great movie, i have freinds who've seen it when they were 12 or 13 but its not for the squeamish. Good plot and gets your heart beating at times.
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Parent of 17 year old
April 5, 2011
AGE
worst in the series
gross movie. how can the first be okay for most ages but not this one! the 3rd is great!
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Teen, 16 years old
September 1, 2010
AGE
Almost as Good ast the first
this is one of the best sequals ive ever seen. the twist is great, and it lives up to the 1st one. Yes, don't watch if your really violent sensetive. its not to bad tho. The language is usually the fword, but minor words are used. dont see unless uve seen the 1st one
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Kid, 12 years old
June 22, 2010
AGE
Good Movie
I think the first Saw movie was better. This one is more bloody. Jigsaw gets his but kicked by a cop. Overall it is a good movie
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Kid, 9 years old
April 2, 2010
AGE
Saw II
Rated R For Grisly Violence And Gore,Terror,Language And Drug Content
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| Studio: | Lionsgate |
| Director: | Darren Lynn Bousman |
| Cast: | Beverley Mitchell, Donnie Wahlberg, Tobin Bell |
| Genre: | Horror |
| Run time: | 93 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | October 28, 2005 |
| DVD release date: | February 14, 2006 |
| MPAA rating: | R |
| MPAA explanation: | grisly violence and gore, terror, language and drug content |
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