Saw II (2005)

Two men talking at a table: that’s the best part of Saw II, and nobody is anywhere near the traps. Tobin Bell’s John Kramer sits there sick, calm and patient while Donnie Wahlberg’s angry detective tries to bully him into talking, and Bell wins every round without raising his voice. Wahlberg plays Eric like a guy whose only setting is shouting, and it wears you out. Meanwhile, the house full of strangers is all screaming people who split up, accuse each other and make the worst possible choice every time, like a reality show where everyone votes themselves off. Shawnee Smith’s Amanda is the only one in there using her head. The ticking clock gives it pressure, and the closing reveal is a genuinely clever trick. It made $147.7 million worldwide on a reported $4M. A 4.4 because the cat-and-mouse is smart and the people in the house are just waiting to be crossed off a list. $22.19 says a creepy puppet stares at you from a shelf someday and you back out of the room slowly.

What works: Tobin Bell’s calm, chilling conversations with Donnie Wahlberg are the strongest scenes, and the final twist really lands.

What doesn’t: The people stuck in the house are mostly loud cardboard, and the movie leans on shock instead of real suspense.

Who it’s for: Grown-up horror fans who care more about the puzzle and the twist than the scares.