by Wayne Reeves

Created on: November 02, 2009   Last Updated: October 01, 2010

Every year spooks and spirits are celebrated with Halloween - this is also the time of year when another instalment of the 'Saw' franchise hits the big screen. With 'Saw V', we see the apparent never-ending legacy of the 'Jigsaw' killer take another episodic step-forward (albeit very slowly).

From 'Saw's stunningly grim debut in 2004 - each year has seen another sequel released. While they have proved to be financially successful it does begin to be one originally-good idea played out over and over again.

Formulaic in design, structure and pace, 'Saw V' offers very little in any invention, creativity or insight to the motivations of all concerned. We do see some returning characters from previous movies - Costas Mandylor is again Mark Hoffman - driven to revenge and ultimately into the sights of the Jigsaw. And that is where the film fails to deliver.

Assumptions are all too easy to pinpoint for the Jigsaw - playing like a master of the mind game - he still appears to be able to motivate the protagonists rather too easy (always at their most vulnerable) and all become willing participants to his devious and macabre games.

The reliance on (and having to have seen) all the other films in the series is a must; the original 'Saw' is still the primary source-material for every sequel so far; there are numerous backtracks which seem to be story-filler to pad out the glaring weaknesses in this latest chapter.

'Saw V' will make you squirm and cringe at some set-pieces but they are in fairly short-supply compared to previous outings - the 'game' sequences here feel tacked-on and disconnected to the overall narrative. Director David Hackl keeps the feel and style of the franchise ongoing without bringing anything new to the series (Hackl has been assistant director and production designer on earlier 'Saws').

Tobin Bell still permeates a cold-hearted sadistic evil as the 'Jigsaw' - but he really isn't given much else to do except justify his motives throughout the film (in flashback). Scott Patterson appears again as agent Peter Strahm; driven on to find who is doing Jigsaw's work now.

What started out as a very clever mix of gut-wrenching horror and psychology (in 'Saw') is becoming a dumbed-down retread of a once-good storyline. It is only so long before audiences will want to see the same movie over and over - with a different numeral in the title being the only redeeming feature.

There really isn't any need for endless sequels to what was a chilling original movie - it is all far too predictable and this 92-minute effort adds nothing to the burgeoning collection of redundant annual releases of the 'Saw' franchise every Halloween.

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