By Robert Yaniz Jr.

Back in October 2004, a little horror movie called Saw was released in theaters. Costing a little more than $1 million, the film went on to rein in more than $55 million at the U.S. box office and took horror in a grisly new direction. Since then, Saw has become the signature franchise for Lionsgate Films, earning a total domestic gross of more than $300 million thus far. Who knew moviegoers were so bloodthirsty for so-called torture porn?

As evidenced by the just-released Saw VI, the series may feature extravagantly graphic depictions of mayhem and mutilation, but its the continuing story of Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) and his complicated past that keeps the series from devolving into self-parody and becoming stale. Name another sixth part in a horror series that is even watchable, let along half as engaging as Saw VI.

Following an opening sequence that is among the most disturbing of any the series has featured thus far, Saw VI picks up where the fifth film left off. Hoffman (Costas Mandylor), who was revealed as an apprentice of Jigsaws at the conclusion of Saw IV, is now the unquestioned descendant of his work. However, he is forced to partner with Jigsaws widow Jill Tuck (Betsy Russell) to carry out a final round of games.

Since this is a Saw film, the plot, of course, gets far more complicated than that, but director Kevin Greutert -- who served as editor on the first five films -- demonstrates a mastery of the seriessignature macabre style, and screenwriters Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton offer enough twists and turns to easily trump their previous work on the last two films.

Saw VI may not be the epic conclusion to the series that many were hoping for -- Saw VII is already in development for an October 2010 release, in 3-D no less -- but it manages to redeem the series after the disappointing fan response to the previous film. Saw VI takes the series in yet another direction, answering some long-running questions and introducing enough story fodder for the next couple of sequels.

Against all odds, the Saw team has deftly managed to continuously put out entertaining -- and often thought-provoking -- horror films, even with the death of its lead character in Saw III. One cant help but wonder how long the series can continue before descending from horror into just plain old horrible. Heres hoping they already have an endgame in mind. So far, so good.

What Worked

A horror series is only as good as its central villain. Just try and picture A Nightmare on Elm Street without the charred mug of Freddy Krueger or Halloween without the blank gaze of Michael Myers (the latter tried and failed at this actually). Jigsaw has become just as iconic as these characters, and as performed by Bell, he is truly the heart and soul of the series as well

While his castmatesperformances can be considered adequate at best, Bell lends a bit of gravitas to the Saw films, somehow toeing the line between menacing and sympathetic. His tragic past and subsequent descent into a twisted devotion to teaching others to appreciate their lives makes Jigsaw the compelling villain that he is, and even though the characters death has relegated him strictly to flashbacks, the filmmakers of Saw VI find a more political aspect of his storyline.

The film is -- in more ways than one -- Jigsaw versus the evil insurance companies that seemingly play God by denying coverage and dooming those most in need of medical care to almost certain death. This ripped-from-the-headlines approach is the backbone of Saw VI and gives the film the more topical edge that the series needed in order to avoid becoming tiresome and repetitive.

What Didnt Work

As mentioned above, the acting in the Saw films has never been stellar, and Saw VI is no exception. Many of the supporting roles are played a bit too hammy and therefore come across as pretty unconvincing. However, most of these roles are of the Please save me! variety and just long enough for them to fall victim to one of Jigsaws elaborate deathtraps.

The traps in Saw VI are among the grisliest and most clever yet, including a deadly encounter with skin-searing acid and a literal tribute to Shylocks demand for a pound of flesh in Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice, but one trap in particular will leave fans feeling déjà vu. It is one of the best known Saw traps, having appeared more than once in the series already. Though it proves effective in the film, hopefully this is not an indication that the filmmakers intend on recycling the seriesgreatest hits in future installments.

Fans may also be miffed at the realization that Dr. Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes), who infamously severed his own foot in the first film, still does not reappear in Saw VI. There is, however, always the chance that he may appear in the next one somehow, and fans are already concocting theories for his return.

In any case, fans will no doubt show up to theaters next Halloween to see what Jigsaw is up to next. See you then.

Giving Credit Where Credit is Due

Saw VI stars Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Betsy Russell and Peter Outerbridge. It was written by Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton and directed by Kevin Greutert. Saw VI is now playing in theaters.