This macabre follow-up to 2004's low-budget horror smash can't rival its predecessor's fiendish ingenuity. But it makes up for it with a deliciously devious plot and enough gory shocks for a dozen Halloweens.
Saw II (2005)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:113
Fresh:40
Rotten:73
Average Rating:4.6/10
Consensus: Saw II is likely to please the gore-happy fans of the original, though it may be too gruesome for those not familiar with first film's premise.
Runtime: 1 hr 35 mins
Genre: Horror/Suspense
Synopsis: In SAW, a huge horror hit in 2004, a masked man called Jigsaw orchestrated the kidnapping of two people, chained them in a disgusting bathroom in an abandoned warehouse, and played vicious, brutal... In SAW, a huge horror hit in 2004, a masked man called Jigsaw orchestrated the kidnapping of two people, chained them in a disgusting bathroom in an abandoned warehouse, and played vicious, brutal mind games with them that potentially could lead to their freedom. Jigsaw is back for more gory fun in SAW II, but this time he comes out from behind the mask to terrorize a troubled cop face-to-face. Tobin Bell reprises his brief role as Jigsaw in the first film with a major starring turn in the sequel. Dying of cancer, Jigsaw lets himself get caught, only to show Detective Eric Matthews (Donnie Wahlberg) that his son, Daniel (Erik Knudsen), has been taken hostage with seven other people, all of whom have been placed in a house of horrors with only the slimmest chance of escaping with their lives. Jigsaw promises Matthews that Daniel will live only if the cop follows the rules of the game, but time is running out, as the captives' bodies have been poisoned with a toxin that will soon destroy them. Meanwhile, in the dank, mysterious, booby-trapped house, the ever-more-desperate group of people (including Shawnee Smith, who is back as Amanda, the lone survivor of SAW) furiously try to find their connection to each other and a way out, but blood and violence lie in their path. Like its predecessor, SAW II is a frightening thriller filled with plenty of tricks and treats to satisfy even the most jaded horror fan. [More]
Starring: Tony Nappo, Shawnee Smith, Franky G, Beverley Mitchell
Starring: Tony Nappo, Shawnee Smith, Franky G, Beverley Mitchell, Tim Burd, Glenn Plummer, Emmanuelle Vaugier, Erik Knudsen, Tobin Bell, Lyriq Bent, Donnie Wahlberg, Dina Meyer
Director: Darren Lynn Bausman
Director: Darren Lynn Bausman
Screenwriter: Darren Lynn Bausman, Leigh Whannell
Producer: Gregg Hoffman, Mark Burg
Composer: Charlie Clouser
Studio: Lions Gate Films
Reviews for Saw II
Saw 2 gives talented, creepy-looking character actor Tobin Bell the chance to shine again as the cancer-ridden serial killer.
Bigger budget, bigger cast, and more blood. Will deliver for Jigsaw’s fans.
By no means a masterpiece of the genre, but it's a slickly made picture that more than delivers on the promise made on its poster--oh yes, there will be blood.
Saw II -- better-acted than its predecessor, which isn't saying much -- is so gratuitously, sadistically violent, and to such little end, that it finally falls over dead on the far side of obscene.
... this time around the ordeal is less grueling than simply distasteful.
Saw II doesn't exhibit a steep decline in quality from its predecessor. Take that as you will.
It gets off to a really rough start, and it never really redeems itself until the end. But do know that it does redeem itself, and that’s what makes it a worthwhile film.
mimics the original without quite catching what made that original worth seeing
Essentially, this is one more movie that, regardless of its setting or even planet, exists to knock off its cast members one by one.
Saw II is, all things considered, a superior film to the first installment.
...the premise of the second is hackneyed, its acting weak, its score thudding and its direction and production values low rent
To enjoy Saw II, one must have enjoyed Saw. This is a given. As to which is better, this is a fairly pointless question given how bad both of these movies are.
Latest News for Saw II
October 16, 2009:
See Saw with Alex, Day 2: Saw II
Fear, I think, is one of the essential components of movie watching that almost completely disappears as we grow older. When was the last time you sat down for a movie truly... More...
November 09, 2007:
Ending Already Written for Saw V
The biggest thrills of the Saw movies are their surprise endings, which seem to keep audiences guessing even more than M. Night Shyamalan's latest creations. That's why the... More...
November 07, 2007:
Saw V Still On Track for 2008
Saw IV is the fourth Saw film in as many years. After reports that the Saw franchise would finally take a year off, producer Mark Burg countered that he's still aiming for... More...
November 01, 2007:
Box Office Guru Preview: Bees and Gangsters Slug It Out For #1 Spot
Following a sluggish fall season, November kicks off with a bang this weekend with two high profile films both reaching for the number one spot while appealing to vastly... More...
More DVDs
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 95% 95% | Star Trek |
| 14% 14% | The Ugly Truth |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 86% 86% | A Christmas Tale |
| 60% 60% | Paper Heart |
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Fresh Links
Featured

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.



Top Critic

