text: Going into "Saw 3" I expected a drop off from "Saw 2" which was a solid followup to "Saw". Generally, two solid sequels is a rareity in the horror genre. Well in the case of "Saw 3", Whannell, Bousman, and Wan get together to create a rareity. While "Saw 3" doesn't hold the same excitement as "Saw 2" did (mostly due to a smaller cast), it has much better traps and a much more clever overall storyline. The best thing is this second sequel picks up right where "Saw 2" left off, as the police are scowering the city for Jigsaw's latest victims to try and hopefully save them and catch Jigsaw at the same time. But Jigsaw being as clever as he usually is, is hidden away in a secret location with Amanda watching over him as his condition worsens, and I mean worsens. Jigsaw is not in good shape in this film people. He's bedridden and can't even move and can barely speak. However, despite his near death situation...that hasn't stopped him from playing games with those who he believes have taken life for granted. But this time around, the games are much more devious and nastier, and the victims trapped within the games are in a lose lose situation. Unlike when Jigsaw games his victims, they are given a chance to win their freedom. But as the films first 2 victims find out, these new games are rigged specifically for the victim to die regardless of whether they get free or not. So the question early on becomes...has Jigsaw changed inside and revealed his true self as a murderer, or is something else going on? That's one of the films big reveals which I won't give away here. "Saw 3" has alot of great twists and like the first two films in the series, it juggles many different substories wrapped within the films main story which this time has a man named Jeff (Angus Macfayden) playing a game where he has to choose whether or not to save those involved in his son's accidental death. As Jeff is going through his game, A doctor named Lynn Denlon (Bahar Soomekh) has been brought to Jigsaw by Amanda as specifically requested by him, to keep him from dying. Dr. Denlon is apprehensive at first, especially because she doesn't have the necessary tools or medicines to perform the intricate procedure necessary to keep Jigsaw alive. But of course with Jigsaw being Jigsaw, he makes her an "explosive" offer she can't refuse. One of the other things to like about "Saw 3" is that while Bell as Jigsaw does play a major role in the pic, most of the film is carried along by Shawnee Smith as Amanda who becomes a much more interesting and intriguing character in the film. You've gotta love the way her character has been expanded in the series from a victim in the first "Saw" movie, to a trojan horse in the second film, and to a major player in the third film. Soomekh's character of Dr. Denlon being tossed into the mix also makes the chemistry and relationship between Jigsaw and Amanda change at many points in the film, as Amanda goes through alot of different emotions in the movie which ultimately dictate the fate of alot of the movies characters. Along the way we also find out the fates of two characters from past "Saw" movies and how Amanda fits into all of that as well. Macfayden also does an excellent job as Jeff who only has half of his story told in the beginning before he's kidnapped and tossed into Jigsaw's ultimate game. Jeff lost his son to a hit and run driver which is told to us early on, but there's much more to his story which we learn at the very end and believe me it's a shocker. Jigsaw through a series of games, gives Jeff the opportunity to take revenge upon the three people involved in his son's demise. A woman who refused to testify to witnessing the accident, the judge who sentenced the driver leniently to just 6 months in prison, and the driver himself. J