Movie Jail: This week's defendant is...the Saw franchise!

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

This is Movie Jail, a unique maximum security prison that houses some of the worst writers, directors, actors and producers from Hollywood and beyond. Their crimes? The offenses vary from convict to convict but most of these inmates have contributed negatively to the film world to some capacity and his or her misdeeds have covered a long enough period of time that the authorities had to intervene. In each column a defendant is put on trial, arguments are made, and then it is up to YOU, the jury, to decide if the person is guilty or not guilty of crimes against cinema. Their lives are in your hands, dude.

The Defendant

The Case

Warning: Saw spoilers below!

The Prosecution: Saw IV, Saw V, Saw VI, Saw 3D

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, with Halloween right around the corner, the prosecution has decided it's time we toss the Saw franchise in Movie Jail. Recently we learned the producers want to do a new movie, but even if creators James Wan and Leigh Whannell do return, do we really want another Saw flick?

The first Saw is a great horror movie with an excellent twist, but like most horror franchises, every sequel has been worse than the previous installment, and the prosecution doesn't think there's much left the filmmakers can do with the series. Tobin Bell's Jigsaw was killed in the third movie, and in the prosecution's opinion that's also when the franchise should have died.

Instead, we got sequels with nastier traps and bigger twists, but it just felt like more of the same, especially with Jigsaw still slightly running things from beyond the grave. Most of the sequels just aren't as scary or creepy as the first film. It's also not as if the films have received stellar reviews from critics either. None of them have a fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes, and even the first one is only sitting at 48%.

The prosecution has absolutely no interest in seeing a new movie, and we're positive we aren't the only ones who are pretty much done with the series. Let's put the Saw franchise where it belongs: in a dark prison cell in Movie Jail.

The Defense: Saw, Saw II, Saw III

Ladies and gentlemen, while the defense does think some of the sequels (especially 4 through 7) are a little ridiculous, we don't believe the Saw franchise belongs in Movie Jail. There are other horror movie series that deserve to be locked up more than the Saw movies, and the defense thinks the jury will agree.

The series as a whole hasn't received great reviews from critics, but like the prosecution says, the horror franchise definitely has its fans, and the audience scores for the films are much higher compared to reviews by critics. Saw 3D (the lowest rated film in the series) is only at 9% at Rotten Tomatoes, but the audience score is 42%. Critics also tend to be very hard on horror movies, so it's no surprise most didn't enjoy the Saw films.

The prosecution doesn't care for the big twists in the later sequels, but the defense doesn't think they hurt the films as much as the prosecution claims. And although they aren't as good as the first three Saw movies, the defense believe they are still very solid horror flicks. At least the Saw series has some balls to it, unlike the Paranormal Activity movies.

With the creators possibly coming back for the next Saw, we should at least give them the chance to make one more film. If the eighth movie ends up being awful, then maybe we can talk about locking up the series, but right now the defense doesn't think the horror franchise needs to go to Movie Jail.

IN CLOSING…

Are you sick of Jigsaw and his games, or hopeful the planned eighth movie will be better than the last few sequels? Are you a fan of the films, or do you think there's been more bad than good when it comes to the horror movies? Is the Saw franchise GUILTY or NOT GUILTY?

COMMENT BELOW WITH YOUR VERDICT!

*The cases for and against a defendant going to Movie Jail by the author are not necessarily his views and opinions but they are some of the beliefs that one would use to effectively make an argument for both sides. Not quite a devil's advocate but you get the point. Anyways, this is all in fun so don't take it too seriously. We have a separate jail for those people called "Troll Tower" and believe me you do NOT want to go there.

WHAT SAY YOU, GUILTY OR NOT?

LAST WEEK'S VERDICT

Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman was found NOT GUILTY of all charges in last week's trial, with jury members saying there's no way he deserves to go to prison, even though his recent films haven't been great. And just like Arnold Schwarzenegger's trial, the jury again chastised the defense for not liking Twins. Although Mr. Reitman is safe (for now), his son Jason better be careful, or he might find himself up for Movie Jail in the near future.

PREVIOUS VERDICTS

GUILTY Adam Sandler, Eddie Murphy, Vince Vaughn, Tim Burton, The Farrelly Brothers, Michael Bay, Jessica Alba, Ice Cube, Gerard Butler, Halle Berry, Marlon Wayans, Julia Roberts, M. Night Shyamalan , Katherine Heigl , Cuba Gooding, Jr., Tyler Perry, Cameron Diaz, Kate Hudson, Ashton Kutcher, Happy Madison Productions, Jennifer Lopez, Bruce Willis, Paul W.S. Anderson, Matthew Broderick, Sarah Jessica Parker, Brett Ratner, Rob Cohen, Renee Zellweger, Shia LaBeouf, Renny Harlin, Diane Keaton, McG, Demi Moore, King Joffrey (Game of Thrones Special), David Spade, Spike Lee, Kevin James, Joel Schumacher, Ehren Kruger, Chris Rock, Mark Steven Johnson, Mickey Rourke, Ashley Judd, Uma Thurman, Josh Duhamel