The first "Saw" movie is clever in that a lot of the gore is more implied by quick edits and character reactions rather than actually shown on screen. This installment is where the series stops holding back with showing gore. There is quite a bit of gore in this movie, but there is still less than other movies in the series. The gore effects are pretty good all things considered. Tobin Bell is featured more prominently here than he was in the first one, and that is definitely a good thing. Although his main purpose is to just sit there and talk, he makes the Jigsaw killer come to life. He has an interesting voice and it makes his lines sound more intense. His acting is a bright spot in this film, because the acting that surrounds him ranges from terrible to just okay. Donnie Wahlberg stars as police officer, Eric Matthews. He tracks down Jigsaw and discovers that Jigsaw has his son in a trap house. For his son to be safe, he needs to sit and talk with Jigsaw for two hours as his test. This is all while being able to watch his son on screen navigate a trap filled house with people Matthews had planted evidence against to arrest. Now, here's the thing: Jigsaw's whole philosophy revolves around taking people who "do not appreciate life" and putting them through a life threatening "game" so that they can have a new perspective and appreciation for life, so he uses bad people in his traps since bad people do not appreciate life. Matthews is a crooked cop, and all the people in the house are non-sympathetic. So, it is difficult to really cheer for these people to overcome the traps since they are generally bad. However, even though it may be difficult to sympathize with the characters, there is still a rush of anxiety (or nausea) when they are stuck in a trap, which is the purpose of these movies. They story ends with a twist, which is a staple among "Saw" movies and is one of the things that keep them entertaining. The story and plot are simple here, the more complex and twisted storylines come in the upcoming installments, but still there are elements put in place here that set up an expanding Saw world, which is good for a sequel to do. The first "Saw" has some heart and charm to it, but the other installments lack quite a bit in that department, and this one is no different. This movie will entertain fans of the torture horror genre, but if that doesn't interest you, pass on this one. Overall, I give this movie a 5.5/10.