One of the things that has made the Saw franchise succeed all these years is the creativity and consistency of the writers in linking each movie to the next without making it repetitive or boring. It has been this capacity of the writers that has made each movie both independent and related to each other at the same time, every time one of its movie comes out it brings something new to the story without trashing its older version, it something that writers from previous horror franchises forgot to do after a promising first part; you could say that it is this regularity has made Saw in my opinion the most successful and profitable horror movie of all times, each year , around Halloween, it has given us a new piece of the puzzle that seems it will never be solved. But for how long are they going to able to keep doing it, without falling into a ruinous repetition ? So far as a fan of the series I can happily say there is at least room for one more, SAW V gives the same exciting thrills, games and deaths as the previous installations, and left the story pending for a good and well elaborated finale.

Saw V Continues offering the same great quality, graphical and imaginative traps set by Jigsaw, while it goes deeper into his past and legacy. He has left one student who has not finished Jigsaw’s rehabilitation’s process. This time around the main victim is Agent Strahm (Scott Patterson) who was left behind in Saw IV trapped in the room where John and Amanda had met their end. Fortunately for him, and surprisingly to the audience he survives the test, and it becomes his obsession to catch the last of John’s compliance. An obsession that although reveals some truth might take him to his end. Along Strahm story, there is a side story of five new people left to play one more deadly game, at the end as usual in these movies both stories fit together, as it they were parts of the same puzzle in a not that surprising ending.

As fan of the series I can not say that this movie disappoints, and as I stated before it has all the other qualities that have made the previous ones excel in the genre. And a big part for this is due to the writing. Yes, the special effects, imaginative games and acting are as good as the previous ones, but it has been the ability of the writers to kept the franchise alive masterfully linking the past and the present in this twisted universe without given the audience a sense of worthlessness or stiffness. The movies flows as a combination of the multi player obstacle course form the second film and the Past, present junction from the fourth movie. this keeps the audience in suspense, even when they know that the main character (Jigsaw) is dead , for a final revelation to close these extensive puzzle, which at the end we are left with more questions than answers again.

For me Saw has become like the movie version of the TV Series, year after year Twisted Pictures brings us a new set of related events that keeps entertaining us as it was one of those never series shown in TV. After the fourth I said to myself that it was going to be the last one, that I would like to leave the series as a successful one, but when I found out about the fifth installment of the series I was both excited and hesitant. First because I wanted to be emerge once again into this bloody, and Thrilled world, and I wanted to know what would be the Real Ending for this movie, but at the same time I was afraid that it was just going to be a collection of creative and gruesome deaths. Well I got to say that I was right, both things happened, first the movie entertain me like all the other, I enjoyed every second like the first time I saw the first one, but at the same time I could not help to notice that although the story was well thought out and written, in general it could have been shown in 45 minutes, the remaining fifty were just filling deaths that up to this point of the series did not make any sense but just to disturb us with violent images. I do not know if the new characters will have an important role in future productions but it seems to me that they were just there to extend the movie. Nonetheless for fans of horror and specially of the series this is a most have, I recommend this movie to anyone who is in the mood for a mystery and have a strong stomach, although if you are not familiar with the series I recommend to see I, III, and IV before. It is not a secret that this years the sixth installment is coming out in theaters, now with Jigsaw dead for more than a movie, and its accomplice identify, I hope the writers keep providing us with an interesting story and finish the Series without falling prey of economical ambition, or worse repetition and inconsistency in a story that has captivated us for years. For now we could be happy that this horror classical has made it to its fifth movie and it still standing tall.

Review By Milo

Release Date: January 20, 2009

DVD DETAILS
OWN DVD

Two years ago Sony had a mild hit with Vacancy, which made about $40 million from its theatrical and DVD run. Wanting to cash in, Sony budgeted $5 million to shoot Vacancy 2 for the direct to video market. Mark L. Smith who wrote the first Vacancy returns, however instead of writing a sequel, he wrote a prequel. This time the movie would be shown from the view of the killers. Too bad nobody told Mark that this type of movie is ten times harder to write. All the mystery that made the first movie so well received would now have to be explained, taking all the mystic out of it. This is exactly what happens and what you have left is a less than stellar horror movie with absolutely zero tension.

Examining Vacancy 2, gives one a better appreciation for the first Vacancy, and I’ve come to the conclusion that what makes the first Vacancy so good was the director, Nimród Antal. Mr. Antal is so good at building tension in his scenes, that every scenes has you on the edge of your seat, and by the time the final frame comes along you’re hit with a final jolt, the motel’s management is basically doing this as a business.

Vacancy 2 explorers how this business got started. The movie starts with Gordon (David Moscow) and Reece (Brian Klugman) up to no good. They have set up one of the rooms in the motel they run with recording equipment to film people having sex. They sell copies of their movies to make a little extra money on the side. But things are slow and the sex tapes aren’t selling so well. Enter Smith (Scott G. Anderson) a serial killer, who Gordon and Reece film killing a prostitute. Gordon and Reece apprehend Smith, but Smith convinces them that if they can film killings on film they could make a whole lot more money. From this point on, Gordon and Reece become killers working along side smith. This is one of the things that bothered me about the movie. Gordon and Reece are too easily convinced to go along with Smith. From this point on, the movie turns into just another horror movie with people screaming and running and dying.

Unlike its predecessor this movie has zero tension; there are no moments of suspense. The only good thing I could say is that the acting is not bad. However, it’s just ok. Also, the quality of the production is nicely done. I only wish they would have had a better script.

Sony has packaged the DVD with subtitled in six different foreign languages and the audio is dubbed in four. The DVD also contains three deleted scenes with only one worth watching and two features: a thirteen minute behind the scenes and a boring feature on the construction of the set of the Meadow View Inn. If you haven’t seen the first Vacancy, go out and get it, but I would recommend skipping this prequel, unless you can’t help not knowing how it all began. However, how it all began isn’t all that exciting.

Review By Brad Peterson

Release Date: January 20, 2009

DVD DETAILS
OWN DVD