But for a series as famous for its twist endings as M. Night Shyamalan, Saw V was a breeze to figure out, which was more than a little unsettling. Don't get me wrong, I'm relieved that the story was relatively left alone, but I'm puzzled as to whether Hackl and company decided not to go with an 11th-hour shocker or just couldn't find anything better than what they used. The scant few teases there are to set up for Saw VI are a little cheaply handled.
In any case, the ending isn't all that's underwhelming about Saw V. The entire film seems like it's just going through the motions, a sure-fire sign that a once vibrant franchise has lost a little of its luster. The acting is just as mediocre, the overall style hasn't changed a bit, and Jigsaw once again rehashes his whole "How far would you go to live?" spiel. The story and traps are interesting enough to hold your attention, but the whole affair just doesn't seem that daring anymore, burdened by a sense of routine and existing for the sake of making a profit.
I appreciate Saw for blessing the horror genre with a sense of smarts, and by no means do I deem Saw V a bad film. But at this point, the filmmakers do seem more interested in bringing home a paycheck than they do in truly trying to spice up the franchise. Unless some much-needed repairs are made, it looks like Jigsaw's blades have at last grown dull.
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