Hi guys. If you read my previous posting you'll know that I promised this and part of the reasons behind it anyway but I wanted to add that this is here because I just finished watching the DVD. Yes I did buy it in part due to the hype surrounding the sixth installment's recent release but not for the blog alone, it's just the sort of thing I do anyway. I'm a sucker for hype but I quite enjoy that part of film fandom. I am hoping that will gain the piece some extra relevance though.
SPOILER COUNTRY - YOU KNOW THE DRILL!!!
In a nutshell this movie naturally picks up where the previous one left off. (find my review of that elsewhere on the blog). Detective Hoffman has picked up the torch of previous protagonist Jigsaw. With no loose end present one is presented as the FBI agent from the previous movie, Peter Strahm, is seen as supposed to die in the mass house death orgy that made up Saw 3, 4 and now the start of 5 but he survives in quite a clever way and with John Kramer dead sets out to find the new man responsible, putting Hoffman's secret in jeopardy. Along the way we see in flashback how he and Jigsaw met and, unknowing to us in the audience, the ways in which Hoffman was present at the events from all 3 films (conveniently with both other villains foolishly killed off). This is done surprisingly well despite being necessary but more on that later. Concurrently with the investigation and attempts by Hoffman to cover his tracks by framing his pursuer we follow a Saw 2 style set up of 5 victims (get it?) in a series of rooms set as traps as they attempt to survive grisly fates, and learn a valuable life lesson about morality. No sarcasm intended, you do get that in a non-overt or ironic way. Now to the review...
We open as ever with a traditional straight-into-the-action trap. Like the previous movies this is the best one here and starts us off well, done excellently, presented well practically and with a later story purpose that justifies even the biggest annoyance that it was not "winnable", since this is, as we learn, Hoffman and not Jigsaw responsible, killing the man who murdered his sister and framing Jigsaw, much to his initial annoyance and setting up their partnership and to a degree all the previous films, or aspects of them. This playing with time and never hall marking where we are in all films' narrative is done better here than before, still bold but with more help than before for the clued in and up to date. This also brings up the best ideas from previous Saw's about the nature of Jigsaw's twisted morality and why these things are happening to people. This along with many other parts of the movie show a major shift away from gratuitous gore and so called "torture porn" to a half way decent story which kept this viewer intrigued and hooked. It is also more comprehensible than the previous attempt at this and easier to follow as a result. That said anyone with no knowledge of previous events would presumably still be very lost. It also brings me to one of my annoyances. I am angered by the idea, presented by ignorant and hack media types mainly, that these films, especially the continuous sequels, are just lowest-common-denominator set pieces and mass market fodder, there is way too much going on, here at least, and credit is due for that. This part of the plot takes in some frustratingly unexplained plot threads regarding Jigsaw's estranged wife but one assumes that is hedging bets for inevitable future revelations. The rest of the linked men's histories reminded me of the Scream 3 description of the last part of a trilogy, we do go back to the beginning and discover something we thought we knew which is shown differently, explaining things in this case, allowing us a whistle stop tour of the first few films which leaves fans feeling rewarded and tying things up surprisingly effectively, never feeling forced. The ending too is one of the better attempts at shocking us as we deeply empathise and encourage the newest victim, Strahm, to do as he is told and learn the rules, as justice is once again perverted and we end on an unfortunately jarringly gruesome scene but brave plot climax as the bad guy wins again, even covering up his deeds as they are blamed on the victim.
The other main plot is also surprisingly decent. We learn as we go the crime these 5 people have commited which made them a target for Jigsaw (though seriously he's dead, that's enough with the "oh but do just set up these last bad people" stuff). Their amoral actions led them to be targets but whats interesting is how clued up the film lets them be, and cleverer, since the audience would presumably be more savvy by now too as we follow along. This part shocks a couple of times by doing the unexpected, first killing off the groups seeming leader then again seeing the less moral-seeming guy saved as the helpless female character is persecuted and killed. The big twist is really cool as we learn that these 5 thought they had to be sacrificed one by one but actually should have worked together, this seems to earn the last, truly awful and grisly, trap a lot more as they have to allow their arms to be carved up to spill enough blood to open their final doorway to freedom. Ordinarily this would seem OTT, especially in lieu of the more reserved tone of the rest of the film but the plot makes it have more of a point, as it does with these people's presence, though like before they seem to serve no point to the continuous narrative being displayed and are just here to give us some main focus for this one film, not brilliantly woven in but still good enough as Jigsaw fodder generally. Another gripe, held over from previous reviews is how the traps again, like many of the franchise's traps, seem to have no basis in actual medical reality and are not nearly as survivable you're left feeling which can take you out of the narrative a tad.
The writing here seems vastly improved however, perhaps the best plotting since the first film or two and better than the last 2. The direction too is noticeably accomplished. Whilst constrained by the hyperactive flashes and cuts which have become the Saw hallmark there are a surprising couple of flourishes playing with time changes within the scene by cutting using a pendulum and other objects passing by camera. All in all a very enjoyable night in, less gratuitous and gross than the more inferior efforts, a great plot not too difficult to follow, some fan pleasing stuff without seeming overtly winking at the audience, great ways to still keep Jigsaw involved, which I was worried wouldn't work (and fear won't next time) but was well presented here. Solid, does what it sets out to and I can't find too much to fault and a fair bit to praise, though maybe that's relief after the dropping quality of the previous two films or a good mood, or just good old personal preference. I can't promise everyone will get the same as me out of this but similar viewers and fans will. Whatever, my final score is in...
**** (4/5)
MM
In a nutshell this movie naturally picks up where the previous one left off. (find my review of that elsewhere on the blog). Detective Hoffman has picked up the torch of previous protagonist Jigsaw. With no loose end present one is presented as the FBI agent from the previous movie, Peter Strahm, is seen as supposed to die in the mass house death orgy that made up Saw 3, 4 and now the start of 5 but he survives in quite a clever way and with John Kramer dead sets out to find the new man responsible, putting Hoffman's secret in jeopardy. Along the way we see in flashback how he and Jigsaw met and, unknowing to us in the audience, the ways in which Hoffman was present at the events from all 3 films (conveniently with both other villains foolishly killed off). This is done surprisingly well despite being necessary but more on that later. Concurrently with the investigation and attempts by Hoffman to cover his tracks by framing his pursuer we follow a Saw 2 style set up of 5 victims (get it?) in a series of rooms set as traps as they attempt to survive grisly fates, and learn a valuable life lesson about morality. No sarcasm intended, you do get that in a non-overt or ironic way. Now to the review...
We open as ever with a traditional straight-into-the-action trap. Like the previous movies this is the best one here and starts us off well, done excellently, presented well practically and with a later story purpose that justifies even the biggest annoyance that it was not "winnable", since this is, as we learn, Hoffman and not Jigsaw responsible, killing the man who murdered his sister and framing Jigsaw, much to his initial annoyance and setting up their partnership and to a degree all the previous films, or aspects of them. This playing with time and never hall marking where we are in all films' narrative is done better here than before, still bold but with more help than before for the clued in and up to date. This also brings up the best ideas from previous Saw's about the nature of Jigsaw's twisted morality and why these things are happening to people. This along with many other parts of the movie show a major shift away from gratuitous gore and so called "torture porn" to a half way decent story which kept this viewer intrigued and hooked. It is also more comprehensible than the previous attempt at this and easier to follow as a result. That said anyone with no knowledge of previous events would presumably still be very lost. It also brings me to one of my annoyances. I am angered by the idea, presented by ignorant and hack media types mainly, that these films, especially the continuous sequels, are just lowest-common-denominator set pieces and mass market fodder, there is way too much going on, here at least, and credit is due for that. This part of the plot takes in some frustratingly unexplained plot threads regarding Jigsaw's estranged wife but one assumes that is hedging bets for inevitable future revelations. The rest of the linked men's histories reminded me of the Scream 3 description of the last part of a trilogy, we do go back to the beginning and discover something we thought we knew which is shown differently, explaining things in this case, allowing us a whistle stop tour of the first few films which leaves fans feeling rewarded and tying things up surprisingly effectively, never feeling forced. The ending too is one of the better attempts at shocking us as we deeply empathise and encourage the newest victim, Strahm, to do as he is told and learn the rules, as justice is once again perverted and we end on an unfortunately jarringly gruesome scene but brave plot climax as the bad guy wins again, even covering up his deeds as they are blamed on the victim.
The other main plot is also surprisingly decent. We learn as we go the crime these 5 people have commited which made them a target for Jigsaw (though seriously he's dead, that's enough with the "oh but do just set up these last bad people" stuff). Their amoral actions led them to be targets but whats interesting is how clued up the film lets them be, and cleverer, since the audience would presumably be more savvy by now too as we follow along. This part shocks a couple of times by doing the unexpected, first killing off the groups seeming leader then again seeing the less moral-seeming guy saved as the helpless female character is persecuted and killed. The big twist is really cool as we learn that these 5 thought they had to be sacrificed one by one but actually should have worked together, this seems to earn the last, truly awful and grisly, trap a lot more as they have to allow their arms to be carved up to spill enough blood to open their final doorway to freedom. Ordinarily this would seem OTT, especially in lieu of the more reserved tone of the rest of the film but the plot makes it have more of a point, as it does with these people's presence, though like before they seem to serve no point to the continuous narrative being displayed and are just here to give us some main focus for this one film, not brilliantly woven in but still good enough as Jigsaw fodder generally. Another gripe, held over from previous reviews is how the traps again, like many of the franchise's traps, seem to have no basis in actual medical reality and are not nearly as survivable you're left feeling which can take you out of the narrative a tad.
The writing here seems vastly improved however, perhaps the best plotting since the first film or two and better than the last 2. The direction too is noticeably accomplished. Whilst constrained by the hyperactive flashes and cuts which have become the Saw hallmark there are a surprising couple of flourishes playing with time changes within the scene by cutting using a pendulum and other objects passing by camera. All in all a very enjoyable night in, less gratuitous and gross than the more inferior efforts, a great plot not too difficult to follow, some fan pleasing stuff without seeming overtly winking at the audience, great ways to still keep Jigsaw involved, which I was worried wouldn't work (and fear won't next time) but was well presented here. Solid, does what it sets out to and I can't find too much to fault and a fair bit to praise, though maybe that's relief after the dropping quality of the previous two films or a good mood, or just good old personal preference. I can't promise everyone will get the same as me out of this but similar viewers and fans will. Whatever, my final score is in...
**** (4/5)
MM
Good review, but damn - Saw V really shows how much the industry is obesessed with sequels. First one was inventive and interesting, ever other Saw film I've seen has either been 2/5 or worse though.
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