The Saw series is like a bad relationship. It started off amazing, then gradually got worse and worse. Every so often it would offer glimpses of its past with the hopes that things would get better, yet with 4 sequels so far, nothing much has improved. Still, like a sucker I keep on running back.

The first movie was brilliant and probably one of the greatest suspense films of all time in my book. The intricately woven plot details all culminated in a multitude of twists I honestly never “saw” (hehe) coming. The second movie was decent, however more and more attention was focused on the traps and torture devices instead of what I felt was the meat of the series, which is the plot. The third film adds insult to injury, in that the plot has taken a backseat to the traps, evolving into the genre that is now known as ‘torture porn.”

This third film also featured perhaps what can be considered the bravest and at the same time stupidest risk in all of movies- they killed off Jigsaw, the mastermind behind the entire series. It is also with this film that the notion of time and space becomes extremely murky. All of a sudden Jigsaw has multiple accomplices. The events of the later films occur simultaneously and often times prior to the events of the first film. Keep in mind that this is all after he died in what is a desperate attempt at keeping the series going. While the plots were nowhere near the caliber of the first or even the second for that matter, I would have gladly settled for some sort of cohesion, yet sadly it has all become a muddled mess by the conclusion of the fourth movie. Which brings us to Saw V…

I’ll start off by saying that this film, while showcasing a fair amount of traps and devices, shifts some of its focus back to story telling. While the film starts off with the customary gratuitous trap scene, the rest of the film is focused on the unravelling plot, with a few torture sequences thrown in for good measure. Ever since Jigsaw’s “death” in the third movie, it has become painfully apparent just how desperately the series needs him. He has had a few accomplices throughout the series, but none of them share his complexity or his genuine belief and passion for his work. Where Jigsaw is a man with a vision, twisted as it may be, his accomplices are simply weak minded cronies manipulated to assist him.  Sadly, they are ill equipped to run things themselves, much less carry an entire movie alone.  This movie starts off a bit slow, only finally picking up at the first Jigsaw flashback scene, at which point the movie begins to really hit its stride.

I’m not even going to begin to attempt to describe the plot other than saying people get trapped, they get tortured, and pretty much everyone dies. There are obviously a few more details than that, but I would be ruining the film if I were to reveal any more. Be assured that the plot is decent, perhaps one of the better plots in the series since the second movie.

Tobin Bell, the actor who plays Jigsaw, has really got his portrayal down to a science. He is what makes these movies, at least for me anyways. He is so good that not only is it impossible to imagine someone else playing Jigsaw, it is equally impossible to envision him playing a different character. I actually watched a movie in which he played the rich father of some girl being held hostage and the entire time I was just waiting for him to say “I would like to play a game.” That’s how iconic his portrayal is to this series. As usual he is excellent in this film and it becomes painfully obvious that he is the thread holding this series together.

The supporting cast is decent. Nothing award winning going on here and no actors here that couldn’t be replaced by a million other actors. At this point in the series they could just hire extras as the only purpose they serve is as ammunition for the traps. One bright spot in the cast was Meagan Good who is just so smoking hot that she deserves to be mentioned. I can’t remember her character’s name or any of her lines, but I do remember how she died and that even as a dead body she looked incredibly good.

There are different things that attract people to this series. Some people enjoy the torture scenes while others, like myself, keep watching these movies for the plot in the hopes that one of them will at least come close to the greatness of the original film. This film seems a bit more balanced than the previous sequels, with equal emphasis placed on the traps and the development of the story. Those expecting the customary “M. Night Shyamalan” style twist at the end will not be disappointed, although it is nowhere near as surprising as the plot twists in the previous movies. One thing this series is good at is leaving loose ends, and Saw V manages to leave quite a few. Then again you don’t make 5 movies by giving the audience closure. Overall Saw V is a decent movie. I would recommend it for a rental if you’re into these types of movies. If these movies are not your thing then this definitely isn’t the movie to bring you around.