Jigsaw: The Game Continues 4K UltraHD

In the latest terrifying installment of the legendary "Saw" series, "Jigsaw: The Game Continues," law enforcement finds itself chasing the ghost of a man dead for over a decade, embroiled in a diabolical new game that's only just begun. Has John Kramer, the infamous Jigsaw Killer, returned from the dead to commit a series of murders and remind the world to be grateful for the gift of life? Or is this a trap set by a different killer with designs of their own? (Gary Reber)

Special features include commentary with Producers Mark Burg, Oren Koules, and Peter Block; the seven-part documentary "I Speak For The Dead: The Legacy Of Jigsaw" (HD 01:21 56); the featurette "The Choice Is Yours: Exploring The Props" (HD 06:27); upfront previews; and an UltraViolet digital copy

The 2.39:1 2160p HEVC/H.265 Ultra HD HDR10/Dolby Vision picture, reviewed on a Sony Bravia Z9D 4K Ultra HD HDR display, was photographed digitally using the Arri Alexa Mini camera system and sourced from a 2K (not 4K) master Digital Intermediate format. As the 2K Digital Intermediate has been upconverted to 2160p, there is no real gain in native resolution. Picture quality is fantastic! The color palette exhibits a wide natural spectrum of hues that are vividly rich and warm. Colors pop throughout, especially red visual effects. Fleshtones are perfectly natural. Production design is excellent with terrific lighting effects and bright highlights. HDR contrast is also terrific with highlights contrasted with deep, solid blacks. Sharpness and clarity are excellent with imagery that is pristine throughout. Resolution also is superb with fine detail exhibited throughout, especially during close-ups of facial features, skin pores, hair, beard stubble, clothing and object texts. WOW! segments are from 14:26 to 15:40, 32:08 to 35:18, 01:05:44 to 01:07:10, and 01:16:12 to 01:18:00. This is an impressive window to terrifying situations that add a dimension never before experienced in the "Saw" series, with reference-quality imagery. (Gary Reber)

The Dolby Atmos/Dolby TrueHD 7.1-channel soundtrack is very dynamic and recorded with excellent fidelity. Deep, powerful bass extends to sub-25 Hz frequencies but never sounds artificial, even the .1 LFE enhancement. Atmospherics are realistic sounding and positioned effectively throughout the soundfield. Sound effects are powerfully dynamic and aggressive as an immersive element through the four surround channels and the overheads. The orchestra score is similar to the previous composition and delivers an eerie, haunting emotional feel that excites the emotional uncertainty of the terror that is to come. The music spans wide and deep across the soundstage and extends aggressively to the surrounds. Dialogue is consistently intelligible and generally well integrated spatially.

The Immersive Sound element consists of very low-level music extension, digital clock buzzer sounds, the Jigsaw Killer voice, pouring grain, a chain-like spiraling effect, a dropping dead mutilated body, and low-level ambient sounds extended from the ear-level soundtrack. The sound design could have been much more powerful and effective had not so much been extended to the height channels.

Still, this is a most effectively chilling and horrific holosonic® spherical surround experience that is often reference quality. (Gary Reber)