The Final Days Before "Saw IV"

So we are literally five days away from, what has become the most anticipated movie in years. Yes, I loved “Rocky Balboa.” I love the anticipation leading up to that film, but Stallone doesn’t have shit on Jigsaw. Since July of this year I have been following the production of “Saw IV.” Once it wrapped and the marketing began, I was there. I have seen every photo, every interview and every clip released through the internet. What is the end result of all these man hours? Nothing. I am still no closer to the plot, or the twist, of this film. I know as much as all of you who have not read a damn thing. I have literally done at least two hours a day of research, at least five days a week for the past three months. This is the genius that is “Saw IV.” So in my final attempt at what I know, here is the last article prior to the review of “Saw IV.”
We know that Jigsaw and Amanda are dead. We know for certain that they won’t return as ghosts, or return from the dead. So far as I can tell, Jigsaw appears mainly in flashbacks and on audio. Amanda may be shown in flashbacks, but it was reported from the set that Shawnee Smith never filmed any new footage for the character. So then where do we begin? In the clip entitled “Autopsy,” we see that Jigsaw’s body has been found and recovered by the authorities (perhaps also answering the question of what happened to Jeff and his daughter?). During a routine autopsy, a tape covered in wax (that answers why Jigsaw pours wax on a tape at the end of “Saw III) is found in Jigsaw’s stomach. Agent Hoffman (from the opening of “Saw III”) is called to the scene to listen to the tape. At this point Jigsaw tells Hoffman that even though he is dead, his work will continue. So now we get the resounding “What the fuck?” moment in which our tiny little brains cannot comprehend how this is possible. A new apprentice? A twin brother? Is this a prequel? Well, it is not a prequel or a sequel in the same way that “Saw II” and “Saw III” weren’t either. The film itself would be a sequel with many flashbacks incorporated.

The main focus of this film appears to be four different stories being told all at once. The first is the story of John and Jill when they were married. I expect this story to unfold and reveal more about why John decided to do what he does best. In the clip “Leaving the Clinic,” we see a pregnant Jill leaving a building. A knock on the outside door surprises her and a man by the name of Cecil (the same one who later appears in the knife trap) bursts in with a knife. He takes the keys from her and enters the building. She looks in his direction, trying to see what he is attempting to do when he bursts through the door yet again, only this time pinning her between the door and the wall, thus killing the baby. He escapes the building just as John shows up to get a real good look at him. The second story is Rigg, who is the S.W.A.T. Commander from the last two movies. He is placed into a series of tests in order to save an old friend, which I believe to be Detective Matthews, once again played by Donnie Wahlberg. Only with the game played by Rigg, it looks like he is to save numerous test subjects (who is putting them into these devices, mind you), who may or may not deserve to be saved. In a hidden clip on the official website, Rigg walks into a room where a woman is strapped into a chair, and her hair in bound to a series of gears which when turned will scalp her. As the trap begins, a tape of Jigsaw tells Rigg that as an officer of the law, his first instinct is to help this woman. But if Rigg knew what Jigsaw knows, he wouldn’t be so quick to save her. Jigsaw goes on to tell him that she is undeserving of the life she has. The double entendre “See what I see” is on the wall next to her in red, which is pictured below.
The next story is Hoffman and his discovery of what exactly is on the tape. He also seems to uncover the body of Kerry from “Saw III.” In fact, judging from the picture below, he is following the exact same path that Jeff did in the third film. The final story being told is of two FBI Profilers who find clues that lead back to Jigsaw’s now ex-wife, Jill. Somewhere in there, somehow, all of these stories fit together perfectly and delivers a nine minute twist that unfolds at the end of the film. Both the cast and crew have called it the biggest surprise in the franchise, and one that will allow the viewer to see the series in a whole new light, not to mention give a direction for both “Saw V” and “Saw VI.” Director Darren Lynn Bousman has already stated that nobody will guess this as it is the ultimate twist, and one that has gone unnoticed by the fans.

Now what about the traps this time around? Aside from the knife trap and the scalping trap, we have an entire host of others. From the trailer, we see a male and a female bound together. It appears as though steel rods are going through each of them. Unless I am way off, it looks like one must pull the rod through their own body to remove it from the other. The woman can also be heard hysterically crying and repeating the phrase “I’m sorry.” For what exactly? The pattern among the known victims so far sees that they are all guilty of something terrible. Cecil killed Jill’s baby and Scalp Lady looks to recruit young girls into a life of prostitution. So what do all the other victims have in common? Of course the now famous green room with what looks like Detective Matthews and another unnamed man. Matthews has a cast on his foot and a chain around his neck. The block of ice under him continues to melt, and if he isn't saved in time he will hang himself. Why is Matthews still alive? What is his purpose? Who is the other man in the chair next to him?
Rarely do you ever see a horror sequel that lives up to the franchise and fans expectations. “Saw” is a rare exception that shows that a film franchise can be made by people who care, and not just people who want to make a quick buck. If “Saw IV” turns out to do what they say, then we’ll all be picking our jaws up off the floor this coming Friday.