'From the writers of Saw IV, V and VI" trumpets the poster for The Collector. It's hardly the highest recommendation - as much as we treasure Jigsaw and his fiendish bear trap torture machines, the franchise has displayed increasing signs of wear and tear since the fourth instalment. If, however, you've stuck around to see if Cary Elwes will show up for the denouement or if you just enjoy watching new and grisly ways to die, The Collector is a decent enough diversion between now and the final film in the Saw sequence and a diverting chunk of grand guinol in its own right..
The film opens with a well-heeled couple arriving home to discover a thumping box with a nasty surprise inside. It's a neat prelude for the main high concept event; desperate divorced dad Arkin (Josh Stewart) breaks into a swish home only to discover a much more malevolent intruder has made it inside ahead of him. Bad things quickly ensue.
Who is this Collector? And what exactly does he want. The film, alas, is saving such inquiries until the sequels. As things stand, it offers plenty of inventive Jigsaw brand torture and traps but none of that villain's charisma. Instead, we're presented with a cartoonish serial killer, devoid of motivation or context, who recalls Elmer Fudd as often as he references Ed Gein.