Saw V [Blu-ray] [2009] [US Import]

I am admittedly a fairly avid Saw fan and was really looking forward to this movie after being slightly disappointed with the crappy-edited fourth. I have to say though, that this didn't disappoint and was a huge improvement. If you haven't fully understood Saw 3 and 4 you will never get this movie enough to enjoy it - like the other films it is confusing and moves about in time rather than running in linear fashion. It took me 2 or 3 times to see Saw IV and realise that almost the whole film (barring the autopsy) takes place at the same 'time' as Saw III, which is significant to this film as near the beginning we learn the fate of Corbett, the daughter of Jeff and Lynn.

I have seen this movie a few times already, and the story carries on from the fourth, with Agent Strahm locked in a room. He finds a secret doorway and plays a tape that tells him not to enter, but being obsessed with uncovering the truth he does and wakes up in a trap. He barely survives the trap, but is the only one alive that suspects Hoffman is a guilty apprentice. He gets taken off the case by the FBI after numerous bodies are found at the scene, but he revisits other crime scenes in the hope of exposing Hoffman. We see flashbacks of how Hoffman gets acquainted, and blackmailed by Jigsaw, after Hoffman murders his sister's killer trying to make it look like a jigsaw trap.

Meanwhile, five people who are unknowingly guilty (or close) of killing 8 people in a building-fire wake up in an underground sewer, forced to be tested through five rooms as "five become one". The weaker side of the storyline admmitedly, as the characters do not have a strong enough connection to the plot.

Hoffman though has his own plans to frame Strahm for the jigsaw traps and kill him off. Jigsaw leaves a box in his will to his ex-wife Jill Tuck, who also tries to frame Strahm telling the FBI he has been following her. I would personally say the ending is excellent and unexpected - it surprised me.

My advice would be not to listen to the bad coverage around Saw V and go and see it for yourselves - if you have seen the other 4 you don't know what you are missing.

Detective Hoffman (Costas Mandylor) continues Jigsaw's murderous games in this fifth instalment of the horror series. When he feels that his identity might be discovered, Hoffman has to use all his training as a detective to track down anything--and anyone--that might expose him.

I'm a huge fan of the SAW series and have watched them all at the cinema and again on DVD - SAW V is the first that I have seen on the Blu Ray format and I must say I was blown away with the incredible picture and sound quality. The film itself is excellent and a great addition to the series, digging even deeper into the already complex storyline with some of the sickest and clever traps yet. I see people on other reviews complaining that this series seems never-ending and this is true I guess but for me this just adds more and more to the fantastic story of Jigsaw. This one goes back to the original scenes from the previous films and shows how he set up the traps and captured some of his victims, so I imagine for anyone who is a fan of the series (like myself) then you will love this one. It is again very heavy on the gore and has some very graphic content but what do you expect really from an extreme edition (although I didn't really notice any extra scenes that weren't in the cinema version).

Overall this isn't the best of the films but is still a great addition to the series and with such a cliff0hanger ending I can't wait until October to see part 6 now to find out what happens next.

If you are a fan of horror and of the SAW franchise, then there is no reason not to own this. A credit to the existing series of films, this latest addition does not disappoint.

Following on from the forth SAW film, the film opens with a bang and within minutes has your gripped to your seat. This is vastly down to the expert job with special effects, which (at points) has you staring at your screen in disbelief as is the extent to how realistic this film is.

The story-line, without giving anything away, is world-class. But requires the viewer to have watched the previous installments to make head-or-tail of it. Those aware of the previous four, will see the genius behind the script and story, which begins to answer all the un-answered questions. And ends in saw-tradition in a climactic way. It also, however, opens many more questions leading to a sequel.

The acting is also superb, brining back all the old characters, as well as introducing new saw-victims, who must endure yet another hair-raising, an often sickening experience to survive.

In high-definition the film is truly brought to life and is a brilliant experience to watch. Special features are some what basic, but has in-depth featurettes of all the challenges and traps within the movie.

All-in-all a brilliant purchase. One which the small review, barely begins to capture.

10/10 - A must buy for all horror/SAW fans.