Following Jigsaw’s grisly demise, Mark Hoffman, the final apprentice to the serial killer is deigned a hero. Meanwhile, Agent Strahm continues to track Hoffman while another group of strangers are put through a series of gruesome traps.
Every film series has that one film that just doesn’t live up-to the rest, and for me that film is “SAW V”. That doesn’t mean that it’s not a good film, oh no it’s still a great film, it’s just that for me personally I think it’s the weakest release of the series, but that just goes to show you how strong of a series it is.
With this 5th instalment we are once again thrown in the cat and mouse game, by now you know the formula of the film: Flashbacks, plot twists, revelations and so on. It’s not that these things are bad it’s just that by now you start to get the sense of same old, same old.
When it comes to the cast you can’t fault it really, the character of Mark Hoffman, played by Costas Mandylor, is fantastic, the perfect character to carry on the series. He has the same glint in his eye that Jigsaw had and you start to warm to him. Even though Jigsaw is dead that doesn’t mean we don’t see him, Tobin Bell once again plays his character to a tee and is definitely a big highlight of the film.
For you gore fans out there, this film does not disappoint, with the traps being vicious as usual. By now it’s come to the point of each films traps trying to outdo the previous films, which isn’t a bad thing if you’re a fan.
The revelations are jaw dropping as usual but even though were given answers were also left with some as-well and that’s what keeps the series interesting and makes us crave more. The one thing you realize is, this film may be the weakest but that’s for a reason, as it’s more of what I like to call a set-up film, it’s the film that sets us up for what’s to come later in the series.
You can’t really fault “SAW 5”, if you’re a fan of the previous four films then you get what you want in this film. If the series had stopped here it would’ve been disappointing but gladly it didn’t and what we got next was to pick the series back up.
Miscellaneous facts about the film:
The first sequel in the Saw franchise to not open in first place on opening weekend at the US box office.
Danny Glover was offered a chance to reprise his role in a flashback. He had to decline because of shooting conflicts with the movie Blindness.
Seth’s trap is inspired by the Edgar Allen Poe short story “The Pit and the Pendulum.”
The role of Dan Erickson was written for William Forsythe, He declined the offer due to scheduling conflicts.
The first film of the series in which Billy the Puppet does not appear in person (excluding flashbacks).
Real animal blood was used for the final trap. The director said they wouldn’t have used it if they’d known how bad it was going to smell.
The guillotine blades in the first trap are all shaped like a V’s, the numeral for “Saw V”.
First film in the franchise since the original SAW not to be directed by Darren Lynn Bousman.
