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Jigsaw Movie Review: Uses The Same Old Tricky Formula Used Before In The Past Seven "Saw" Movies

THE 'SAW' film franchise was started by Director James Wan (who also created "The Conjuring" and "Insidious" franchises) in Halloween of 2004 and for the next six years, there was a new "Saw" flick every October. It stopped in 2010 with "Saw VII" when the stories became so ridiculously convoluted and contrived that box office returns have diminished.

But now, after hibernating for seven years, they've revived it with "Jigsaw" and, whaddaya know, it's currently the number one Halloween offering in the U.S. It's not surprising since the horror genre is now more saturated with ghost stories that have ceased to be scary. Now directed by the Spierig Brothers from Australia, Michael and Peter (of "Predestination" and "Daybreakers"), the series is not really reinvented but is the same old thing, also banking on the same tricks used by its predecessors. There's really not much surprise as it also makes the viewer guess where the deceitful script that twists one's expectations is going.

But if you're a fan of the Saw franchise who's been missing it a lot and doesn't mind being treated to more of the same formula, then you won't complain at all as your wish will be granted. The premise is the same. Five people are captured and four of them wake up inside a meticulously designed and constructed torture chamber.

The last victim doesn't wake up at all until he's just about to get sliced and killed by an electric saw. The four who remain are Anna (Laura Vandervoort), Ryan (Paul Braunstein), Mitch (Mandela Van Peebles) and Carly (Brittany Allen.)



Just like the other victims before, they regain consciousness without any knowledge of who captured them, where they are imprisoned and why they are being punished. Eventually, of course, it will be revealed that they are all sinners who all have their own deep dark secrets. Meantime, a police investigation is being conducted while the killer has the time to do all the torturing and still get to surreptitiously surrender the bodies of those who died in captivity to the cops.

It appears that the killer is once again John Kramer (Tobin Bell), the original murderer who was shown dying in "Saw III" when his head was blown off. But now, he seems to have now risen from the grave to sow mayhem once again. Or is it just a copycat killer who's doing all the grisly murders this time?

It's up to forensic medical examiners Logan Nelson (Matt Passmore) and Eleanor Bonneville (Hannah Anderson) to discover who the killer is, based on the mutilated corpses that the seemingly long dead Jigsaw killer is sending to them. But Detective Halloran (Callum Rennie), who's in charge of the case, starts suspecting that the medical examiners themselves must somehow have a connection with the new killer.

Of course, the lengthy explanations will come fast and furious towards the end and it's all up to you if you'd care to buy the ridiculousness of it all. Honestly, for us, there are so many loopholes and questions that remain unanswered. For instance, who are throwing all those sharp objects on two of the captives who get trapped in a silo when the killer is later revealed to be somewhere else while this is happening. And how did he get to construct his elaborate death chambers when he doesn't even have any assistant to help him at all in carrying out his gory, grisly deeds?

Honestly, we don't see "Jigsaw" reinvigorating the "Saw" franchise. We didn't care for any of the victims. They all got involved in some crime where innocent people get killed and all their fighting and screaming also get on our nerves. Actually, they all just got the comeuppance that they deserve. And we don't also sympathize with the killer who is so self righteous in teaching valuable moral lessons to his victims.

Even the lead detective on the case turns out to be a corrupt cop who has broken the law several times. So, they can all die or kill each other, for all we care, and maybe they should include the makers of this movie among their victims to make sure no other sequel will be made, which is, sadly, a certainty, especially now that it's making a killing at the U.S. box office.
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Sheryl Cruz Joins 'Impostora' As Kris Bernal's Long Lost Mom, Talks About Rift With Aunt Susan Roces & Cousin Sen. Grace Poe

SHERYL CRUZ has been added to the cast of GMA-7's hit afternoon drama, "Impostora". "After 'Meant to Be' and guesting in 'Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko', I told myself na next year na uli ako tatanggap ng show, but 'Impostora' came and my role is good so I accepted it," she tells us on the show's set in Cainta. "I play Betty Romero, who starts nice and friendly to Nimfa, but it turns out siya pala ang long lost mother ni Rosette and, later, they will conspire against Nimfa. But Rosette and I don't really get along well kasi galit siya sa'kin after I abandoned her and her father when she was still a child, so she has a hard time forgiving me. May addiction kasi ako sa gambling at sumama ko sa ibang lalaki. When Rosette got imprisoned, tinulungan ko siyang makalaya. Ako naman, naging wanted sa isang loan shark, played by Marc Abaya, kasi malaking utang ko sa kanya sa sugal and I tell him kay Rosette siya maningil."

So she's playing another bad character. "Yes, okay lang kasi in my last two shows, 'Once Again' and 'Meant to Be', mabait ang roles ko, e. And I'm enjoying doing 'Impostora' kasi first time ko to work with Kris Bernal and our other co-stars like Rafael Rosell, Assunta de Rossi, Renz Fernandez and Marc Abaya himself as my partner in crime."

And how does she find Kris? "She's good, versatile, kasi she can do both the bida and kontrabida roles so effectively. I'm really happy to be part of 'Impostora'."

Her ex-husband in the U.S., Norman Bustos, has already found a new girlfriend. How about her? Does she have a new romance? "I go out on dates, pero wala, e. Ten years na kaming hiwalay, but I'm extra careful now. Hindi ako naghahanap kasi kusa naman daw dumarating yan, e. Basta my main concern now is to be a good parent to our daughter, Ashley, who's already 16 and is a high school junior. She wants to take up psychology in college."

Does Ashley and her dad have communication? "Yes. Each summer, I send her to the U.S. to have a vacation with her dad who is very responsible in helping her a good education, so bakit ko naman ipagkakait sa kanya ang anak namin who I want to experience the love of both parents, even if we're not together anymore."

How's her relationship with her auntie, Susan Roces, and Sen. Grace Poe, after their rift in the last elections? "My aunt and I are okay, we communicate. Blood is really thicker than water and I owe her a lot, so I consider her my second mom. But my cousin and I, hindi pa kami nagkakausap, which is sad."

What about her aunt and her mom, Rosemarie Sonora? "They also don't talk. My mom felt hurt when I was accused na tumanggap daw ako ng pera from a rival candidate para siraan ang pinsan ko. Nasaan ang pera? Di sana, ang yaman-yaman ko na ngayon at di na lang ako nagtatrabaho. Masakit kasi may mga taong pinag-away talaga kami with speculations na sinakyan naman ng publiko."

She also feels very sad about what happened to Isabel Granada. "Magkasama kami sa 'That's Entertainment' and schoolmates pa kami sa OB Montessori kaya I was shocked when I learned what happened to her. Me and all our friends are all praying for her na sana, magkaroon ng miracle to heal her."
Read more @ Showbiz Portal

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