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"SAW V" (2008) (Tobin Bell, Scott Patterson) (R) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Moderate Extreme Extreme *Extreme Extreme Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Moderate Minor Extreme None Extreme Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence *Minor Minor Moderate Moderate Extreme QUICK TAKE: Horror: A bad cop continues the work of a deranged serial killer who uses elaborate and deadly traps to try to teach bad people about the error of their ways, all as an FBI agent tries to prove he's the perp. PLOT: Now that a devious serial killer, Jigsaw (TOBIN BELL), is dead, FBI agent Strahm (SCOTT PATTERSON) thinks the case is closed. But after local cop Det. Mark Hoffman (COSTAS MANDYLOR) locks him in with the dead man, Strahm finds himself in one of the killer's traps. He barely manages to escape that, but is told by his boss, Agent Erickson (MARK ROLSTON), that he's been removed from the case. Even so, Strahm is certain that Hoffman is somehow involved, but little does he initially know that the cop was Jigsaw's assistant and has now taken over his work of staging those elaborate and deadly traps to try to teach bad people about the error of their ways. The latest such victims -- Charles (CARLO ROTA), Brit (JULIE BENZ), Luba (MEAGAN GOOD), Mallick (GREG BRYK) and Ashley (LAURA GORDON) -- find themselves in a series of such diabolical scenarios where they must do unthinkable things to survive and then move on to the next level. As they make their way through that, Strahm tries to find proof that Hoffman is his perp, all while the cop works to make sure that doesn't happen. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? If they're fans of any/all of the first four installments, they might. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R For sequences of grisly bloody violence and torture, language and brief nudity. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: TOBIN BELL plays the now dead mastermind behind the elaborate morality traps, seen in flashback doing his deeds, while also blackmailing Hoffman to become his assistant and successor. SCOTT PATTERSON plays an FBI agent who barely escapes one of the killer's traps and then tries to pin the latest outbreak of similar killings on Hoffman. He uses strong profanity. COSTAS MANDYLOR plays the cop who's secretly been Jigsaw's assistant and has now taken over his work, the latest of which involves five new victims. He wants to make sure Strahm doesn't finger him for such behavior, uses strong profanity, and is briefly seen drinking in a flashback. MARK ROLSTON plays Strahm's boss who removes him from the case, but then finds himself wrapped up in that. CARLO ROTA, JULIE BENZ, MEAGAN GOOD, GREG BRYK and LAURA GORDON play the killer's latest victims who find themselves in a horrific situation (due to their individual and collective immoral behavior in the past) and end up turning on each other (including hitting and even murder) to try to survive while facing unspeakable horrors. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this horror film. Profanity consists of at least 32 "f" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. While the film is partially rated R for "brief nudity," we didn't note any, and others who've also seen the film have also stated they saw nothing (confirmed through multiple personal and professional resources). Violence consists of people being murdered or otherwise killed by various and often sadistic means, while others are injured, and fighting is also present. Much of that has extremely bloody/gory results. Those scenes, the related visuals, and various moments of potential peril may be unsettling, suspenseful, and/or scary for some viewers, particularly the young and/or the squeamish. Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes, and it's possible some of the sadistic behavior might be enticing for some troubled kids to imitate. There's brief drinking and a few comments about one character being a heroin addict (we briefly see old track marks on his arm), while there's also brief cigarette content. Some brief tense family material (death of an adult sibling) is also present. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. For those concerned with bright flashes of light on the screen, there's some of that from lightning early in the film. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE One of the trapped victims is noted as being a "tweeker," we briefly see track marks on his arm, and he later admits to receiving an ounce of heroine in exchange for bringing a building down. We briefly see a flashback to Hoffman drinking in a bar, with Jigsaw commenting on Hoffman getting drunk. A man drinks from a bottle of liquor, breaks the bottle and prepares to cut his wrist with that, but a sound stops him. BLOOD/GORE We see a shirtless man strapped down to a table where he learns that a sharp pendulum blade will slice through and then cut him in half if he doesn't place his hands in contraptions that will crush them, thus stopping the blade. He's reluctant and tries to get loose, but then reluctantly places his hands in those devices that then close down on his hands, crushing them (with very bloody results). But the blade doesn't stop, with each swipe cutting deeper through his belly until he's completely severed (with very bloody/gory results, including him spitting up some). We see footage from the last film where Strahm shoots another man dead, while other people in the room (including Jigsaw) are also dead and bloody. Hoffman has some blood from his nose. We see blood on Strahm's hospital pillow (from his previous neck wound). We see a flashback to a booby-trapped puppet exploding in Strahm's partner's face, bloodying her. The five latest victims find themselves in a room with cables attached to collars around their necks, with those cables running back into a wall across V-shaped razor edges. With the time counting down before they're all yanked back against those blades, they panic to get to keys to unlock those collars. All do but one who's then yanked back and decapitated (fully seen, including the severed head, twitching body, and lots of blood on both as well as a large pool on the floor around the head). We see a photo of Hoffman's dead sister, lying on a bed with her throat slit and lots of blood on and around her. We see photos of the dead pendulum victim from above, and then flashback footage of the killer cutting a jigsaw shaped piece of flesh from the body. We then see various cops on the scene, with more views of the bloody body. After an explosion, we see the bloody and gory remains on the floor (intestines, body parts, etc.). We see a flashback to Hoffman finding his murdered sister lying dead on a bed with her throat cut open (very bloody). We see photos of various dead and bloody bodies. Blood spurts out when a woman stabs another woman in the neck. We see a flashback to violence from the previous films, including two large pieces swinging down and smashing a person's head, and various people being shot, all with very bloody/gory results. Two trapped victims find themselves having to bleed themselves in order to escape from a room (the weight of their blood -- 10 pints total -- will unlock the door). But they must place their hands into a contraption with spinning saw blades that then cut through their hands between their fingers, with very bloody results (on their hands, splattering everywhere, and filling the weighed container). After they succeed (and beat the countdown clock that would have set off another nail bomb), they're very bloody, with the man holding up his arm that's split open two or more times vertically, while the woman has a lot of blood around her on the floor. Hoffman has a bloody nose after fighting Strahm. A man finds himself in a room where the walls are closing in on him. He tries to stop them but can't, with his arm breaking (we see the bone come out, with bloody results) and then him being fully crushed (with lots of blood splattering everywhere). DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Jigsaw (seen in various flashbacks) has a bad attitude for enacting his own justice on people via his diabolical and deadly traps, with Hoffman being his assistant and successor at doing the same. We hear that a victim is actually a murderer who got off due to a technicality. The various victims (who were individually and then collectively responsible for the deaths of 8 people in a building that came down) have bad attitudes toward each other -- mostly stemming from the dire predicament in which they find themselves -- and even resort to striking and even killing the others to try to survive. Jigsaw blackmails Hoffman to become his assistant. FRIGHTENING SCENES Scenes listed under "Violence," "Blood/Gore" and "Jump Scenes" may be unsettling, suspenseful or scary to younger viewers and/or those with low tolerance levels for such material. We see a shirtless man strapped down to a table where he learns that a sharp pendulum blade will slice through and then cut him in half if he doesn't place his hands in contraptions that will crush them, thus stopping the blade. He's reluctant and tries to get loose, but then reluctantly places his hands in those devices that then close down on his hands, crushing them (with very bloody results). But the blade doesn't stop, with each swipe cutting deeper through his belly until he's completely severed (with very bloody/gory results, including him spitting up some). Strahm slowly makes his way through the killer's lair with his gun drawn, despite being warned (by a tape recording) not to. A masked figure then grabs and attacks Strahm, and the scenes fades out, with Strahm then finding himself seated in a chair with a Plexiglas or similar box placed over his head. It then starts filling with water or a similar liquid, with him struggling to free himself but he can't. Desperate and holding his breath, he grabs a pen, jabs it through his neck, and creates an impromptu tracheotomy tube through which he then breathes. The five latest victims find themselves in a room with cables attached to collars around their necks, with those cables running back into a wall across V-shaped razor edges. With the time counting down before they're all yanked back against those blades, they panic to get to keys to unlock those collars. All do but one who's then yanked back and decapitated (fully seen, including the severed head, twitching body, and lots of blood on both as well as a large pool on the floor around the head). Four trapped victims find themselves in a room filled with nail bombs that will go off in a certain amount of time. They then race to retrieve and then match keys to locked "tunnels" that will provide them safe cover. One of the guys hits another with a rod repeatedly and then pushes a woman aside. When the hit man reaches for a key, the other man steps down on his arm, but a woman strikes that man with a rod. That's followed by the explosion, and while we don't see the impact, we later see the bloody and gory remains on the floor (intestines, body parts, etc.). After hearing suspicious sounds, Hoffman slowly walks through an area with his gun drawn. Hoffman comes to and finds himself tied to a chair with twine attached to his wrists and then the trigger on a shotgun that's propped up and aimed at his head. After some talking, Jigsaw then puts his finger on the trigger and pulls it, but no shot is fired. Strahm slowly walks through an area with his gun drawn. A man drinks from a bottle of liquor, breaks the bottle and prepares to cut his wrist with that, but a sound stops him. Three trapped victims find themselves in a room where they'll be sealed in forever if they don't accomplish a task of connecting various electric lines. Since they won't reach, one woman hits the lone man, but the other woman stabs the first in the neck, with blood spurting out. She and a man then place that seemingly still living victim in a bathtub so that her limbs are splayed out and can have those electric lines attached to them. They do, including having to jam a hooked line into her foot/leg and head, with the electricity in them causing her body to convulse from the voltage. Two trapped victims find themselves having to bleed themselves in order to escape from a room (the weight of their blood -- 10 pints total -- will unlock the door). But they must place their hands into a contraption with spinning saw blades that then cut through their hands between their fingers, with very bloody results (on their hands, splattering everywhere, and filling the weighed container). After they succeed (and beat the countdown clock that would have set off another nail bomb), they're very bloody, with the man holding up his arm that's split open two or more times vertically, while the woman has a lot of blood around her on the floor. Strahm slowly walks through the killer's lair with his gun drawn. Erickson is later seen doing the same, while Hoffman is also seen cautiously walking along with his gun drawn. A man finds himself in a room where the walls are closing in on him. He tries to stop them but can't, with his arm breaking (we see the bone come out, with bloody results) and then him being fully crushed (with lots of blood splattering everywhere). GUNS/WEAPONS Handguns/Explosives/Various deadly torture devices/Booby-traps: Carried and/or used to threaten, wound or kill others and/or cause property damage. See "Violence" for details. Hoffman comes to and finds himself tied to a chair with twine attached to his wrists and then the trigger on a shotgun that's propped up and aimed at his head. After some talking, Jigsaw then puts his finger on the trigger and pulls it, but no shot is fired. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "F*ck you," "Back the f*ck off," "Are you f*cking nuts?" "How the f*ck do you know that?" "Nice f*cking try, Nancy Drew," "Would you f*cking talk to me?" "I am f*cking relaxed," "F*cked up," "So f*cking sick of your self-righteousness," "Bite your f*cking tongue," "Let's do this f*cking thing," "F*cking bitch," "How the f*ck are we gonna do this?" "You m*therf*cker," "All sorts of demented sh*t," "Shady sh*t," "Bullsh*t," "You're starting to freak me out, dude," "Tweeker," "My ass," "Where the hell are you?" and "What the hell is that?" It's possible some of the sadistic behavior and imaginative traps might be enticing for some troubled kids to imitate. A shirtless man shows various tattoos, while another man later in the film is also tattooed. A man drinks from a bottle of liquor, breaks the bottle and prepares to cut his wrist with that, but a sound stops him. JUMP SCENES Hoffman opens a door, only to have a barking (but leashed) dog suddenly lunge at him. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) An extreme amount of suspenseful and ominous music occurs in the film. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY At least 32 "f" words (1 used with "mother"), 6 "s" words, 4 hells, 3 asses (2 used with "hole"), 1 S.O.B., 4 uses of "Jesus Christ," 3 of "Oh God" and 2 of "Jesus." SEX/NUDITY While the film is partially rated R for "brief nudity," we didn't note any, and others who've also seen the film have also stated they saw nothing (confirmed through multiple personal and professional resources). We see a shirtless man strapped down to a table. We see a quick flashback to a dead victim (in just boxers) entwined in barbwire. A woman shows a little cleavage. SMOKING We briefly see a woman put an unlit cigarette in her mouth, while a photo shows a woman smoking. TENSE FAMILY SCENES Jigsaw's wife cries upon seeing him on videotape following his death. Jigsaw mentions having lost a family member, much like Hoffman having his sister murdered by her boyfriend. We then see a flashback to Hoffman finding his murdered sister lying dead on a bed with her throat cut open (very bloody). TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT The question of how far people will go to save themselves or others. How traumatic events can transform individuals into different sorts of people. We hear that a victim is actually a murderer who got off due to a technicality. Jigsaw's defense that he's never killed anyone by giving all of his victims the chance to escape if they follow his rules (and thus endure some horrible wound, etc. to guarantee their freedom). Jigsaw's comment that everyone deserves a chance. Jigsaw's view of his traps as means of rehabilitating those who've been bad in the past. VIOLENCE We see a shirtless man strapped down to a table where he learns that a sharp pendulum blade will slice through and then cut him in half if he doesn't place his hands in contraptions that will crush them, thus stopping the blade. He's reluctant and tries to get loose, but then reluctantly places his hands in those devices that then close down on his hands, crushing them (with very bloody results). But the blade doesn't stop, with each swipe cutting deeper through his belly until he's completely severed (with very bloody/gory results, including him spitting up some). We see footage from the last film where Strahm shoots another man dead, while other people in the room (including Jigsaw) are also dead and bloody. A masked figure grabs and attacks Strahm, and the scenes fades out, with Strahm then finding himself seated in a chair with a Plexiglas or similar box placed over his head. It then starts filling with water or a similar liquid, with him struggling to free himself but he can't. Desperate and holding his breath, he grabs a pen, jabs it through his neck, and creates an impromptu tracheotomy tube through which he then breathes. We see a flashback to a booby-trapped puppet exploding in Strahm's partner's face, bloodying her. The five latest victims find themselves in a room with cables attached to collars around their necks, with those cables running back into a wall across V-shaped razor edges. With the time counting down before they're all yanked back against those blades, they panic to get to keys to unlock those collars. All do but one who's then yanked back and decapitated (fully seen, including the severed head, twitching body, and lots of blood on both as well as a large pool on the floor around the head). We see a photo of Hoffman's dead sister, lying on a bed with her throat slit and lots of blood on and around her (from unseen violence - the body is seen on several other occasions, but not the violence that killed her). Four trapped victims find themselves in a room filled with nail bombs that will go off in a certain amount of time. They then race to retrieve and then match keys to locked "tunnels" that will provide them safe cover. One of the guys hits another with a rod repeatedly and then pushes a woman aside. When the hit man reaches for a key, the other man steps down on his arm, but a woman strikes that man with a rod. That's followed by the explosion, and while we don't see the impact, we later see the bloody and gory remains on the floor (intestines, body parts, etc.). Jigsaw pushes Hoffman back against an elevator wall and then jabs something into his neck, rendering him unconscious. A man drinks from a bottle of liquor, breaks the bottle and prepares to cut his wrist with that, but a sound stops him. He then gets out of his car to have a masked figure attack him. He throws that person aside and then does the same to a second masked man, but starts choking that one. The other then stabs something into that victim's back and he comes at that figure, but the latter stabs something into the man's chest, finally stopping him. We then see that man's dead body entwined in barbwire. Three trapped victims find themselves in a room where they'll be sealed in forever if they don't accomplish a task of connecting various electric lines. Since they won't reach, one woman hits the lone man, but the other woman stabs the first in the neck, with blood spurting out. She and a man then place that seemingly still living victim in a bathtub so that her limbs are splayed out and can have those electric lines attached to them. They do, including having to jam a hooked line into her foot/leg and head, with the electricity in them causing her body to convulse from the voltage. We see a flashback to violence from the previous films, including two large pieces swinging down and smashing a person's head, and various people being shot, all with very bloody/gory results. Two trapped victims find themselves having to bleed themselves in order to escape from a room (the weight of their blood -- 10 pints total -- will unlock the door). But they must place their hands into a contraption with spinning saw blades that then cut through their hands between their fingers, with very bloody results (on their hands, splattering everywhere, and filling the weighed container). After they succeed (and beat the countdown clock that would have set off another nail bomb), they're very bloody, with the man holding up his arm that's split open two or more times vertically, while the woman has a lot of blood around her on the floor. Hoffman and Strahm fight, with punches thrown and delivered, followed by a hard head-butt. But Strahm finally gets the upper hand and pushes Hoffman back into a chamber of broken glass. When he realizes he's trapped, Strahm tries shooting that chamber's lock and then through the Plexiglas, but to no avail. A man finds himself in a room where the walls are closing in on him. He tries to stop them but can't, with his arm breaking (we see the bone come out, with bloody results) and then him being fully crushed (with lots of blood splattering everywhere). Reviewed October 24, 2008 / Posted October 24, 2008

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