Saw V Review
by tom elce (dr-pepperite AT hotmail DOT com)November 4th, 2008
Saw V (2008)
1.5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Tom Elce
Directed by David Hackl
Cast: Costas Mandylor, Tobin Bell, Scott Patterson, Betsy Russell, Julie Benz, Meagan Good, Mark Rolston, Carlo Rota, Greg Bryk, Laura Gordon, Shawnee Smith, Angus Macfadyen, Mike Realba, Lyriq Bent, Athena Karkanis, Justin Louis, Donnie Wahlberg, Danny Glover, Bahar Soomekh, Tim Burd, Niamh Wilson, Tony Nappo, Mike Butters Rated: R (MPAA), 18 (BBFC)
A series that stood virtually complete with the third entry, the "Saw" saga put the proverbial nail in its own coffin with the rank "Saw IV". And in a more creatively-minded movie world, that would have been that for Lionsgate's reliable cash cow. Yet this specific production company isn't interested in artistic integrity nor an abundance of logic, and while all human instincts pointed towards allowing this series to truly die, their executives weren't about to miss out on dollars aplenty. Thus, "Saw V" is born.
Clunky, mediocre and never ever scary, this latest installment sees David Hackl - second unit director of the last two entries - take seat in the directors chair, with the jarringly untalented Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton once again taking up screenwriting duties. Their focus primarily on relaying what made Detective Mark Hoffman (Costas Mandylor) - revealed to be Jigsaw's (Tobin Bell) accomplice in the conclusion of the last film - come over to the dark side, this uninteresting, plodding story broken up ocassionaly by their version of "Saw II", in which Julie Benz's wig gives a more memorable display than the actress herself.
"Saw V" is certainly horrific, but not in the way intended. Atrociously acted, hyperactively shot and edited, inanely written and completely lifeless when compared to the first three entries at the least. Whereas the original movie kept the plot moving forward in a way that surprised and energized the viewer, this latest is but an insufferable slog through territory covered previously with a whole lot more fire. There is no joy and no intrigue in watching the pieces connecting Detective Hoffman to Jigsaw's gruelling games, as the movie meanders along at the same sluggish pace, affording us a lead villain of no apparent interest and a central performance by Costas Mandylor that couldn't look more bored and defeated were the actor to really try for it. Worse still, something at least partway similar was glimpsed in "Saw III" regards Amanda Young (Shawnee Smith), so the journey the director/screenwriter partnership takes us on feels like repetition regardless.
And then there's the ending; Having equipped the film with the tagline "you won't believe how it ends" the marketing people are at least aware of the sole driving force of the series. Alas, the conclusion to "Saw V" is so empty, worthless and unsurprising that it actually stands to make the film worse (whereas the endings to the previous films, even the poor "Saw IV", at least went out with a shot in the arm). There is no payoff to be had in the closing three minutes, as it simply amounts to another brutal flytrap only this time scored to the recognisable theme music of the series as opposed to the thud-like sound effects experienced previously. The ending, simply put, isn't anymore an event than the soul-defeating eighty minutes that proceed it.
When Tobin Bell's John Kramer got his throat slit by Jeff (Angus Macfadyen) in the ingenious closing moments of "Saw III", he died and took the series with him. Unfortunately, Lionsgate - quickly becoming the most creatively bankrupt studio around - didn't (or wouldn't) get the message. The result of which is that the puzzle the original villain has now successfully put together is so spectacularly elaborate that it no longer borders on ludicrous, but has plunged off the edge of the logic-driven world. With no surprises and no pay-off, "Saw V" doesn't even live up to the basic expectations set by its brethren, credible solely for a gloomy aesthetic and a couple of sadistic torture implements that still fail to compare to what we've seen in the previous films. The Saw series was always headed in an insipid and uninspired direction as soon as Lionsgate okayed "Saw IV". With "Saw V", it moves ever closer to the bottom of the barrel.
Originally posted in the rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup. Copyright belongs to original author unless otherwise stated. We take no responsibilities nor do we endorse the contents of this review.
