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Bookmark this pageSaw V (2008)
Director: David Hackl
Synopsis
The latest instalment of the now-annual 'Saw' franchise with Tobin Bell returning as the demented serial killer, Jigsaw. See you next year, kids!
Movie review
From Time Out London
“You won’t believe how it ends”, proclaim the posters for the latest ‘Saw’ movie. It’s a good strap-line, and for once it’s true. You won’t believe how pitifully anti-climactic the ending is; the film doesn’t so much end as come to an abrupt, bewildering halt. This underwhelming denouement aside, even the most die-hard of ‘Saw’ fans won’t credit how tedious, lame and pointless this fourth sequel manages to be. ‘Saw IV’ tried to jump-start the series’ failing heart by introducing a Jigsaw acolyte, Detective Mark Hoffman (Costas Mandylor).Padded out with multiple flashbacks to the four previous instalments, ‘Saw V’ details Hoffman’s training at the hands of the now-dead deviser of gruesome games. But another survivor of the last bloodbath, FBI agent Peter Strahm (Scott Patterson), suspects the heroic Hoffman of having had a hand in the killings. After all, Hoffman investigated every one of the murders, and had a personal vested interest in one of them – that of his slain sister.
Because all this boring police procedural stuff happens outside the slaughterhouse, any potential tension or suspense is dissipated. Meanwhile, inside the house of pain, it’s déjà vu all over again, as five incarcerated victims try to figure out cryptic video-taped clues, and escape fiendishly booby-trapped rooms. Yet not even these cruel engines of pain are as ingenious or horrific as those in the previous films. Any film that opens with a scene stolen from Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Pit and the Pendulum’ has much to live up to. Suffice to say, this doesn’t.
Author: Nigel Floyd
Time Out London Issue 1992: October 23-29, 2008
User reviews of this film
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- Thomas Noctor said...
- Posted on Sep 05 2009 01:26 Some of the tradidional Saw fans will be clapping while the usual dumb cinema goers will be scratching their heads like the usual dumb American queen "who did what" this is the finest Saw movie a puzzler to the dumb
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- David said...
- Posted on Feb 01 2009 23:38 The original Saw film was pretty substandard, not interested in seeing any even lamer sequels.
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- ollie p said...
- Posted on Dec 10 2008 16:54 This is the most gripping, spine chilling film i have ever seen!! much better than the other 4 installments, i was reluctant to go and see it but i came out quivering IT WAS SO GOOD!!!
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- Self-Regarder said...
- Posted on Dec 03 2008 12:39 danny - out of all the saw films I`ve seen, saw II has to be the second one. oh man, we was meant to be reviewin saw 5!!
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- Danny said...
- Posted on Nov 25 2008 17:30 Out of all the Saw films I've seen, Saw II has to be the best.
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- patrick said...
- Posted on Nov 23 2008 16:08 Sad effort, very poor. I liked 1 2 and 3, 4 was ok but 5 very poor.
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- ABIGAILTHAMRAT said...
- Posted on Nov 20 2008 17:56 AWESOME......THATS ALL I CAN SAY IT WAS AWESOME!!!
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- Toni said...
- Posted on Nov 17 2008 14:46 After being dragged along to James Bond and falling asleep within the first half hour..my boyfriend thought he would take me to see Saw5, cant say it was as good as the others, but at least i didnt fall asleep!
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- javedys said...
- Posted on Nov 16 2008 01:47 i was very unhappy with saw5! its official i am giving up. i waste 20 bucks to go see this movie all the time, and im not happy. the mivie is just a constant chain. i see jigsaw's wife becomin the jigg. like its getting so pointless. who knows, ill probably end up seeing it again. uggghhhhh frustration is horrible.
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- critique said...
- Posted on Nov 14 2008 12:39 Solid entry in the oft-maligned Saw series, gripping and well paced.
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- yvette said...
- Posted on Nov 08 2008 00:14 i forget to rate it 10/10
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- yvette said...
- Posted on Nov 08 2008 00:13 saw 5 was reallyreally good, it tied up all the loose ends and it really satified my hunger for some good scary thriler. so people please dont trash it, it was very very goooood!!!!!!!
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- yvette said...
- Posted on Nov 08 2008 00:13 saw 5 was reallyreally good, it tied up all the loose ends and it really satified my hunger for some good scary thriler. so people please dont trash it, it was very very goooood!!!!!!!
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- k said...
- Posted on Nov 07 2008 10:44 I thought saw v was good maybe not as good as the first or second but they never are. it's definately worth watching and is definately left open for another.
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- Crystal said...
- Posted on Nov 06 2008 13:56 I thought that saw 5 was the best of the saw movies yet! I loved it, see ya next October!
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Cast & crew
Director: David Hackl
Cast: Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Scott Patterson, Betsy Russell, Julie Benz, Meagan Good full cast
Genre(s): Horror
Rated: 18
Duration: 88 mins
UK Release: Oct 24 2008
US Release: Oct 24 2008
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