Review of Saw V (2008) by Chads. — 24 Oct 2008

Danny Glover in "Saw", that was unexpected. Then again, after Miles Davis lended his sax to a Scritti Politti track("Oh, Patti(Don't Feel Sorry for Loverboy) from the album "Provision"), nothing could ever surprise me to quite that extent again.

Davis actually went so far as to cover "Perfect Way"(from "Cupid and Psyche '85); he thought Green Gartside was a musical genius. Some music critic, at the time(I think it was Rob Sheffield), called Davis' assessment about Scritti Politti's music, "a cry for help".

Glover, on the other hand, participated in the original "Saw", strictly for the money. By lending his name, he gave the low-budget film some credibility, just as Donald Pleasance did in John Carpenter's "Halloween".

Now Glover is back, sort of, as a black and white image on a 8 X 11 photograph, and a flashback. Since "Saw", Glover has worked with Lars Von Trier, Michel Gondry, Fernando Merilles, and John Sayles.

Thanks to "Saw", Glover underwent a renaissance. He became relevant again(the "Lethal Weapon" star was also in Bill Condon's "Dreamgirls"). Filmmakers saw "Saw"; saw his cry for help, and put his talent to better use.

That 8 X 11 glossy, that flashback, are probably the classiest moments in "Saw V". Maybe seeing the last three sequels would help me understand whatever subtleties lie in this poorly photographed, poorly acted film, but being "Saw"-literate still wouldn't make the "creative" murders any more easier to stomach.