REEL CRITIC:’Saw’ tips the scale on film violence

If you enjoyed the first two “Saw” movies and they gave you the creeps, then definitely cut your teeth on the latest installment of this sharply crafted horror franchise.

First of all, if you’ve not seen “Saw” and “Saw II,” don’t waste your time attending “Saw III.” You must see the previous films to understand the complicated plot.

Now that I’ve got that out of the way, let’s get down to business.

“Saw III” picks up where the sequel left off and only a few minutes pass by before the first victim dies a horrible death at the hands of the resident villain, Jigsaw. Or was it really Jigsaw? That’s the interesting question that is posed in “Saw III.” Who actually is the bad guy or girl, and why are people being tortured?

“Saw III” is a fantastic movie for fans of gory, dark and gruesome pictures. There is nothing humorous, except for the numerous methods that cause people to meet their demise in elaborate death scenes.

Believe it or not, the movie is not very scary. The concept behind the project is more about grossing-out than scare tactics. My audience was gasping for air during the many disgusting scenes that included dead animals, brain surgery and missing limbs.

This is one of the hardest R-rated movies I’ve ever seen. The biggest shock of my movie-going life, however, was seeing the family next to me sitting comfortably with their 3-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter. Watching those poor kids sit through this type of entertainment was much more appalling than witnessing the violence in this film. Don’t be an idiot. Keep your kids at home.

I can’t comment on the acting because it’s just a goofy horror movie, but the cinematography and sound effects are solid and seeing the film in a dark movie house adds to the creepiness.

For the right demographic, “Saw III” makes an excellent date movie. Most of the people at my screening were young couples on romantic dates. Do not eat a big meal beforehand. There are at least 10 scenes that will cause someone with a weak stomach to become violently ill.

Even though it was gross, disgusting and offensive, I’m glad I saw “Saw III.” I have no idea what that says about me as a person — and I don’t care. I welcome “Saw IV.”