Saw 3D: The Final Chapter

The Saw series continues with this seventh entry, which details the exploits of serial killer Jigsaw's (Bell) surviving victims, who seek counseling from a self-help mentor (Flanery) whose past as a previous victim figures directly into each one's fate. Cary Elwes returns to the franchise for the first time since his character survived Jigsaw's first cinematic outing in 2004. (Gary Reber)

The Blu-ray Disc™ Combo Pack includes the 3-D and 2-D Blu-ray versions, the DVD version, and a downloadable digital copy. Special features include Producer commentary, Writers Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan commentary, six deleted and extended scenes (HD 13:45) five music videos (HD 20:48), the featurette 52 Ways To Die (HD 14:15), the theatrical trailer, up-front previews, and LG-Live functionality.

The 1.78:1 1080p MVC 3-D picture was photographed natively in digital 3D. The imagery is fantastic in its realistic rendering of depth, making for an incredible visual experience. The picture exhibits the edgy "industrial" look of the series, with the dark, dungy industrial warehouse locale depicted as a maze of rooms with precision-killing machines. The production design is dominated with green, yellow, blue, and brown hues. Still, at times, the color palette appears perfectly natural, with accurate fleshtones and strong vivid hues, such as the lone pinkish lightbulb in one scene. Yet, blood is rendered desaturated. Contrast is generally excellent, with deep, solid blacks and revealing shadow delineation. Depending on the scene, the color spectrum varies but consistently delivers a creepy appearance. The characters are set off against their backgrounds, for dramatic effect, which enhances the dimensionality. Even in 2D the dimensional imagery is excellent, as well as the color fidelity, and other parameters. At times, the imagery appears a bit rough, which is sort of a visual trademark of the series, though, not so much with this release. During flashbacks the imagery appears extremely "plastic" and blown out, with desaturated color. But even though the 3D in such sequences is that of a conversion from 2D, the result is impressive. Otherwise, resolution is excellent, with fine details revealed in machinery, metal traps, fine facial features, clothing, and object textures. At times, the detail is so finely resolved that various prosthetics and special effects are obvious. Out-of-screen perspectives are dramatic and poke out of the screen, such as spattered body parts. Other sequences extend well into the depths of the screen, to define the locales and interiors. Ghosting artifacts are virtually nonexistent, and the overall picture is pristine. Saw fans will not be disappointed with this picture, as it is a virtually faultless 3-D experience that will have you squirming in your seat. (Gary Reber)

The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 7.1-channel soundtrack is, as with the previous Saw VI soundtrack, superb, with the additional channels providing a larger holosonic® presence, and unlike the previous Saw V and VI renderings, the added channels are proper side channels. This 7.1-channel mix was done by Brant Biles at Mi Casa Multimedia, the pioneers of 7.1 mixing. This mix matches perfectly our preferred 7.1-channel setup—a perfect circle, with each full-range loudspeaker location equidistant from the sweet spot and equidistant from each other along the perimeter of the 360-degree circle. In this arrangement, the added mid-left and mid-right surrounds convey added surround envelopment and dimensionality. Unfortunately, some 7.1-channel soundtracks are produced with the added channels not at the sides but behind the sweet spot listening position, which then creates positioning problems for normal 5.1-channel presentations, with the surround loudspeakers located to the back sides of the prime listening position, including for surround music reproduction. As with Saw VI, the sound design is intense, often at loud, system-threatening levels in all channels, with deliberately positioned sound effects in the surround channels. The shifting of sonic positioning in accord with camera angle direction is impressive. The entire soundfield is often energized, with sound effects directionalized, such as spinning saws and moving gadgets and traps. Bass extension is deep and solid, extending to well below 25 Hz in the .1 LFE channel. In the junkyard scene an explosion ignites every channel to the full SPL standard. Bass serves as a solid foundation for the intense visual portrayals. The music score is well recorded, with a wide and deep spacious soundstage that wraps around into the surrounds. The jigsaw narration is heard effectively in every channel, switching direction and focus, depending on camera view. Dialogue, otherwise, is nicely supported spatially, which enhances the dimensional realism. This is an intense sonic experience that is spectacularly holosonic and a perfect adrenaline-inducing match to the amazing 3-D visuals. (Gary Reber)