One has to give a hand to the creators of the SAW franchise for being able to deliver six consecutive films over the past six Halloweens. No other horror franchise can stake that claim, and I'd likely say there probably will never be another with the annual consistency of the SAW films, which are all set for a seventh installment in the series in 2010, this time in 3D. I personally managed to avoid the franchise up until this Halloween season, when I began slowly making my way through the first five films. Despite the series giving me a place to walk away at the end of the first two films, I kept going; once the lure of "Saw IV" hooked me, I strapped myself in for the long haul.

The SAW films are impossible to discuss without referring back to the previous installments and the creators know this. The series, unlike say "Friday the 13th" or "A Nightmare on Elm Street," must be watched from one through five. The DVD packaging of "Saw VI" discusses the end of "Saw V" in very spoiler filled terms as well, so if you haven't made your way through the series, stop now and work your way through them. You may wind up back here, eager to here in "Saw VI" is worth your time, or you may show greater willpower than myself and leave the series behind. So from this point on, don't say I didn't warn you.

"Saw VI" continues the Hoffman saga established at the end of "Saw IV" and fully realized throughout "Saw V." The character of Mark Hoffman (Costas Mandylor) is a double-edged sword from a SAW fan's perspective. While he returns the terror and menace to the villain role once possessed by a now, largely humanized (for horror standards) Jigsaw (Tobin Bell), his first major outing in "SAW V" was a train wreck. While I thoroughly enjoyed his "origin" story, the showpiece games sequence that the SAW series is known for delivering was largely pointless, resulting in nothing more than a very thin, anemic connection to Jigsaw and ultimately only serving as an overly long means to a final showdown between Hoffman and Peter Strahm (Scott Patterson).

Fans would have had another opportunity to walk away from the series at the end of "Saw V" if it wasn't for one tiny fly in the ointment, Jill Tuck (Betsy Russell), Jigsaw's ex-wife. So, now with Strahm dead, in one of the most brutal traps in SAW history, and Hoffman looking like he will continue Jigsaw's work, "Saw VI" picks up directly where it's predecessor left off. This time out, Hoffman is throwing William Easton (Peter Outerbridge) into a game, set up by Jigsaw before his death, all the way back in "Saw III." Viewers can let out a heavy sigh of relief, as Easton's connection to Jigsaw is much more satisfying and his story thread feels like in belongs in the SAW universe. And yes, we will find out what was in the box left to Jill in "Saw V."

While Hoffman carries out overseeing Easton's game in the present, his connection to Jigsaw plays out in series trademark flashbacks. Tobin Bell returns to fill in more back-story and his presence is gladly appreciated. Bell's creepiness factor is at a near series high here, on par with his "real" debut in "Saw II." Most importantly though, his inclusion allows the character of Hoffman to feel like a reasonably fleshed out entity and in doing so, events as far back as "Saw III" are more appreciated.

The man at the helm for the sixth outing is Kevin Greutert, the editor on the previous five films and he deserves solid praise for delivering a satisfying film. His ability to tie up plot holes from the previous films while adding his own spin on the series makes me feel like I haven't wasted my time with the previous two films. At only 90-minutes, I'm convinced if Greutert was given free reign over "Saw V" he could have easily edited the bits of it that worked into his end product here, for one hell of a movie. Unfortunately, David Hackl (director of "Saw V") is back for "Saw VII" and the bar that Greutert elevated, will likely be kicked to the ground again come Halloween.

As pleasing as the overall story of "Saw VI" is, the traps don't disappoint either. The film's cold open is incredibly gruesome and mirrors "Saw V" in the notion that nothing that follows is as cringe worthy. That's not to say the traps featured in Easton's game are letdowns. They appropriately call back to Jigsaw's original intentions, although there are specific elements to them that appear to violate Jigsaw's philosophies and suggest Hoffman added his own touch the final details of the execution. Fortunately, the film remains relatively free of shrill performances, save for the opening trap, a factor that amps up the intensity as opposed as to treading parody territory.

"Saw VI" is by no means a great movie in terms of the bigger picture of filmmaking, but it is a very solid genre entry and in my opinion on par with the original two films. The one area where the film show's it's greatest weakness is in the very one-dimensional characterization of Easton in the events leading up to his inclusion in the game. The writers have decided to take the time to allow Jigsaw's actions to serve as a twisted social commentary on the health care system, as Easton is the heartless head of an insurance company. The grossly absurd handling of his character results in the viewer scratching their head at his initial plight. Yes, the guy is a piece of moral refuse, but still he's human and in no way deserving of the sadism he's thrust into.

When it is all done and over, I would be shocked if any SAW fan doesn't feel satisfied with the end result here. Unlike in "Saw IV" and "Saw V" the buildup is not all for the sake of a hackneyed cheat of an ending. Yes, there is going to be a "Saw VII" that is supposed to finally wrap this franchise up, and if you've come this far, you might as well finish. No, "Saw VI" has more respect for its audience (case in point: stick around after the credits) and lets them remember why they became fans of the films in the first place. It's an above average horror film and quite literally, a much needed, second chance at life for the franchise.

The 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer stands nicely alongside the strong transfers of the previous five films. There is a moderate level of detail behind the digital grain used for stylistic effect and both color and contrast levels are rock solid. The series' trademark dark atmospheres are easy to follow as a result and I never found myself straining to see what was going on.

The Audio

Just like in the visual department, the audio department of "Saw VI' doesn't disappoint either. The English Dolby 5.1 EX track is well-mixed handling the quieter, dialogue driven flashbacks featuring Jigsaw with great competence, while the noisy, wonderfully designed action sequences give your surrounds a nice workout. While many people associate the notion of frantic, music video style editing with the SAW films, they might often neglect to take time to appreciate the sound design. Everything is in perfect synergy here from the sounds of furnaces utilizing your system's LFE channel, to the more high frequency effects of ominous metal equipment both on and off screen. An English 2.0 track is present as well as English and Spanish subtitles

The Extras

Two commentary tracks make up the bulk of the film's special features. The first features Producer Mark Burg and Executive Producers Peter Block and Jason Constantine. It's a solid, well-paced track that focuses on the production of "Saw VI" as well as how it ties to the rest of the series. As equally lively, but a bit more laid back is the commentary with Director Kevin Greutert and Screenwriters Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan. I enjoyed this one just a fraction more as it was more focused on the film at hand.

A series of featurettes runs the gamut from focusing on the film's trademark traps in "The Traps of Saw VI," to a short look at Tobin Bell's work on the series and his contributions both on-screen and off in "Jigsaw Revealed." "A Killer Maze: Making SAW GAME OVER" is equal parts promotion and equal parts making-of, for a haunted hose/amusement park attraction based on the series at Universal Studios.

Rounding out the extras are music videos from Mushroomhead, Memphis May Fire, Hatebreed, and Suicide Silence. I don't care for any of the bands, so the inclusion of these videos was rather worthless. Last but not least is the film's original theatrical trailer.

There is a second disc in this release and it's a very puzzling one. The original R-rated theatrical cut of the very first "Saw" is packaged here. As I said before, there is no reason why anyone should be watching this film without having made his or her way through the first five films. Fans will likely already own this disc as well. My only thought is Lion's Gate had a bunch of R-rated discs they needed to get rid of and used this as an opportunity to do so. I'll probably pass the disc onto any friend that is looking to get into the series.

Final Thoughts

"Saw VI" continues the tradition of a solid technical presentation on DVD. I don't blame you if "Saw V" has you cursing ever getting hooked in the first place, but trust me, "Saw VI" is worth it. Despite it's few glaring flaws, it's an easy film to get sucked into. While it doesn't have the visceral sting of the first two films, it makes up for it in intensity and rock solid genre performances, especially from the always-wonderful Tobin Bell. Most importantly, it redeems the Hoffman character. Recommended.