Really? Another movie about another victim being held captive by another madman? Who knew the Saw franchise would result in a string of less-then-stellar rip-offs. And yet, here we are.
So, I’m sitting here watching The Betrayed and these thoughts keep running through my head:
Why do audiences enjoy watching women (and men, for that matter) treated like crap while locked in a room under the power of a faceless psychopath? Have we become so desensitized to the value of human life that watching others suffer and possibly die because of it has become the name of the game?
Partly yes, and partly no. I think that most of the time these flicks are made because they are cheap to make. Stick an unknown actor or actress in a small set on a rented soundstage, throw in some cool-looking torture devices and creepy lighting, add another unknown actor with a mask on, and you’ve got a producible movie. Oh, and don’t forget lines like: “Why are you doing this?” “Please, let me go! I won’t tell anyone about this;” and “What do you want from me?”
While this particular film tries to rise above these conventions associated with what some call “torture porn,” the overall feeling one gets by watching it makes you miss Jigsaw and his creepy puppet Billy.
No special features are present on this DVD, not even commentary.
For fans of this genre, check it out. If you can be patient, however, Saw VI is just around the corner this Halloween.