Honestly, if you’re looking for the Saw V full movie, you probably already know what you’re getting into. Blood. Screams. More blood. But there’s a weird thing about this specific entry in the Jigsaw saga that most people totally whiff on. They see the traps and the gore and they think, "Oh, it's just another sequel." It's not. Well, it is, but it’s the one movie in the entire franchise where the victims were actually handed a win on a silver platter and they were too selfish to take it.
The 2008 flick, directed by David Hackl, is basically a masterclass in how human ego destroys everything. Hackl wasn't new to the set—he’d been the production designer for years—so he knew exactly how to make things look grimy. But the story? That’s where it gets twisty.
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The Hoffman Takeover and That Impossible Opening
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. John Kramer (Tobin Bell) is dead. Gone. Autopsied in the last movie. So, how does the story keep going? Enter Mark Hoffman, played by Costas Mandylor with that permanent "I just smelled something bad" facial expression.
The movie kicks off with a trap that feels... off. Seth Baxter, a guy who killed Hoffman’s sister, wakes up under a giant pendulum blade. This is the Pendulum Trap, and it’s a direct nod to Edgar Allan Poe. Seth is told he has to crush his hands to stop the blade. He does it. He literally mangles his bones. And then? The blade kills him anyway.
That’s the first big clue. Jigsaw’s whole vibe was "everybody deserves a chance." Hoffman? He doesn't care about chances. He just wants people dead. This opening sets the stage for the entire movie: a battle of wits between the corrupt Hoffman and the suspicious Agent Strahm (Scott Patterson).
Why the "Fatal Five" Game Was Actually Easy
Most people watch the main game—the one with the five strangers—and think it’s just another gauntlet of death. You've got Brit (Julie Benz), Mallick (Greg Bryk), Luba (Meagan Good), Charles (Carlo Rota), and Ashley (Laura Gordon). They wake up in a room with neck collars and glass jars.
Here’s the thing. They were never supposed to die.
Each trap they encountered had a simple "cheat code" that they ignored because they were too busy trying to throw each other under the bus.
- In the first room, they thought they needed five different keys. Nope. One key fit all five locks.
- In the second room with the bombs, they thought only three people could fit in the tunnels. They could have fit everyone.
- In the bathtub room, they didn't need to kill Luba. They just needed enough conductivity.
By the time Brit and Mallick reach the final room—the 10 Pints of Blood trap—they realize the horrifying truth. If all five of them had worked together, they would have only had to give two pints each. A flesh wound. Instead, because they killed the others, the two survivors have to saw their own arms open to fill the beaker. It’s a brutal, 1500-word-equivalent lesson in cooperation that they learned way too late.
The Glass Coffin: A Twist That Actually Makes Sense
While the group is busy bleeding out, Agent Strahm is playing detective. He’s following Hoffman into a basement, and he finds a room with a glass coffin. This is where the movie earns its keep in the franchise ranking.
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Strahm finds a tape. The tape tells him: "Get in the box."
Naturally, Strahm thinks, "Screw that," and he shoves Hoffman into the box instead.
Big mistake. Huge.
The glass coffin lowers into the floor, and the walls of the room start closing in. It’s one of the most claustrophobic scenes in horror history. As Strahm tries to climb out through the ceiling (and fails miserably), he watches Hoffman safely tucked away in the floor, descending into a protected pit. Strahm gets pancaked. Hoffman wins.
Behind the Scenes and Box Office Reality
Back in 2008, people were starting to get "torture porn" fatigue. Despite that, Saw V pulled in about $113 million worldwide on a budget of just $10.8 million. That’s a massive win for Lionsgate.
The production was actually pretty fast. They filmed the whole thing in Toronto between March and April of 2008. Julie Benz, who played Brit, famously mentioned in interviews that the filming actually gave her nightmares. Can you blame her? Having to act like you're sawing your arm in half isn't exactly a "day at the park" kind of job.
How to Actually "Watch" This Movie Right
If you're going to dive into the Saw V full movie, don't just watch for the traps. Look for the flashbacks. This movie fills in the gaps of how Hoffman helped Jigsaw build the traps from the first three movies. It turns the franchise into a weird, bloody police procedural.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans:
- Watch for the voices: In the Pendulum Trap tape, listen closely. The producers actually layered Tobin Bell’s voice with Costas Mandylor’s voice to show Hoffman was still learning how to mimic Jigsaw.
- The "Survival" Rule: Re-watch the Fatal Five scenes. See if you can spot the clues in the background that show how all five could have survived. It’s all there in the production design.
- Timeline Check: This movie happens almost immediately after the events of Saw IV. If you're marathon-watching, watch IV and V back-to-back to see the "Hoffman Reveal" play out in real-time.
At the end of the day, this isn't just a movie about a guy in a pig mask. It's a cynical look at how we treat each other when the lights go out. If you're looking for a deep, psychological thriller disguised as a gore-fest, this is the peak of the series. Just... maybe don't eat dinner while you're watching the final ten minutes.
Next Steps: You should check out the director's commentary on the Blu-ray release if you can find it. David Hackl goes into insane detail about the engineering of the glass coffin trap and how they had to build a literal hydraulic press to make the walls move. It’s fascinating, and way more technical than you’d expect for a slasher flick.