[Note: This review will discuss elements of Saw X that was revealed in promotional material, such as trailers. If you’re someone who enjoys going into recent movies knowing as little as possible, you may want to skip reading this review.]
I love the Saw franchise.
While those unfamiliar with the series will think it’s because of the gory kills, that really isn’t what I love about the movies. Sure, the gore is a major part of every film. But to me, the gore is the horror element, as I always find scenes of torture in these films to be disturbing and unsettling (which means it’s doing its job). And while I love to be disturbed while watching a Saw film, what always motivates me to come back for more is how ridiculous the story gets. Every single film has unpredictable twists and turns, often becoming either more nonsensical or overdramatized every single time. While the first few movies (I’d say up until Saw IV) had twists in service of the story, they soon became hilariously disjointed. To the point where some twists outright didn’t make sense (looking at you Saw 3D, or Saw: The Final Chapter, or whatever your name is).
But Saw X does something different with the franchise, breathing new life into the series by changing up the predictable formula of its predecessors. Taking place between the events of Saw and Saw II, the tenth film in the series no longer focuses on Jigsaw’s victims or apprentices. Instead, it chooses to make Tobin Bell’s John Kramer the main protagonist. Suffering because of his ongoing battle with cancer, John soon learns from a friend that there is an alleged miracle cure being touted by a group of secretive doctors from Europe. At the behest of his friend’s testimony to the miraculous surgery and drug treatment they provide, John goes to Mexico where these doctors are hiding out. However, after his treatment seemingly does nothing, John realizes the doctors are not doctors at all. They are con artists that have been scamming him and other cancer patients out of their money. Armed with a personal vendetta, John enlists the help of his most trusted apprentice, Amanda, in setting up a game for the scammers. Live or die. The choice is theirs.
The most intriguing part of this particular Saw film is the decision to make John Kramer the protagonist instead of the all-seeing antagonist. This is further bolstered by the film’s decision to make its first forty minutes or so feel less like a gore-filled Saw movie and more like a psychological drama. There are scenes that underscore John’s true mindset: An ill man using his self-justification to enact justice upon the world through his traps. This is best illustrated in a very poignant scene at the start, which clarifies how John truly doesn’t want to hurt people with his traps, but sees no other option when their crimes become too detrimental for society. John truly sees himself as a crusader for good, something the movie runs with in order to make the audience understand his perspective. While it sometimes felt a little weird to root for John during the gorier parts of the movie, I also couldn’t help but sympathize with him given the objectively scummy people he was torturing.
And although the film’s story was my favorite part, I can’t talk about Saw X without talking about the gore. While I personally thought the levels of gore here were satisfactory, some Saw fans may be disappointed in the amount of creativity involved. While there was one scene in particular that had me cringing due to the sheer disgusting nature of it, most of them were scenes veteran Saw fans wouldn’t blink at. There was plenty of satisfaction to them, made even more visceral and disturbing because of the actors’ convincing performances. But at the end of the day, if you’re going into this film looking for something highly over-the-top in terms of bloody display, you may end up disappointed. That said, every trap is still a stellar rendition of what the franchise is known for, even if most of it happens during the back half of the film.
The back half is also what made this film stand out as a Saw movie in general. Getting to see a Jigsaw game from the perspectives of John and Amanda was a breath of fresh air. It also gave the film a level of intrigue other Saw movies haven’t quite reached. This is because, in keeping with tradition, Saw X does have a twist. However, this twist is obfuscated from the audience despite John and Amanda being followed throughout the movie. That took some major dedication, and it’s because of this that I feel like the film had the perfect balance of both Jigsaw and his victims. Meaning: I’m glad the focus was on John, but not enough to reveal what the twist in the movie would be. I have to give Saw X props for keeping me on my toes in that regard, especially because of just how well-developed John’s plan ended up being.
But the real standouts of the film—and what I’d expect everyone to be talking about—are Tobin Bell and Shawnee Smith. Both of them reprise their roles as John and Amanda as if slipping into an old pair of shoes. They fit perfectly, and it’s as if they never left. Despite clearly being older than their characters in the Saw canon, it didn’t matter. At the risk of sounding superfluous, Bell and Smith returned to their roles in a similar way as actors from Breaking Bad who returned in Better Call Saul. It didn’t matter that they’d aged. What mattered was their performances. And, much like all their previous appearances in the franchise, the pair were stellar in their roles. The focus on John’s psychology throughout the film also allowed for some emotional moments between the two. Even if said emotion did stem from their torturous methods of making people appreciate their lives.
And it wouldn’t be Saw without some level of goofiness to everything that was going on too. Much like how all the other movies played straight even the most ridiculous aspects of the franchise, Saw X manages to turn even the most over-the-top moments into memorable additions to the franchise. This comes in the form of both creative traps and hammering home John Kramer as a sympathetic everyman. While sympathy for John has been the name of the game for the last several Saw films, this one manages to do a better job at making him feel human while also retaining the goofiness of his God complex. It’s really something that has to be seen to be believed, but trust me when I say, it wasn’t hard to root for John throughout most of the movie. Not in an ironic “Jigsaw did nothing wrong” way either (which, I confess, I am guilty of). Instead, he became a more understandable character, which somehow made the film better while also adding to its zany nature.
But the heart of this entry was truly defined by the idea that not every Saw film has to be about expanding the lore in meaningful ways or trying to be as over-the-top as possible. The movie proved that John Kramer can be seen as a genuinely sympathetic character in the right circumstances. Especially when his beliefs feel justifiable despite not being justified. Not only does it feel like the perfect swan song for John’s character development, but it also opens the door to a new approach for Saw films going forward. Let’s face it, this franchise will never end. But Saw X proves that it can evolve, even in ways that would be totally out of left field for a series like this. Whether a Saw movie could be presented this way without John Kramer remains to be seen. But it does establish a new direction for the franchise that I’m looking forward to see become even wilder—as is inevitable with these films.
Saw X truly is an impressive entry in a franchise that has not only been floundering with its last few releases, but is now 10 movies deep into its sprawling serial killer epic. While I never expected a sympathetic Jigsaw story with this much tact, this film managed to deliver. Not only did it provide a dramatic story that made John’s tortures in this scenario understandable from his warped perspective, but it also didn’t betray the classic elements of Saw that have made the franchise successful. Embracing both the gore and deeper characterization, this sequel is likely to be remembered by most as the best one yet. Bell’s performance in particular was great, while everyone else—especially Smith—managed to compliment it in their own ways. I had a lot of fun watching this film for both its psychoanalysis of John Kramer as the Jigsaw killer, as well as the general disturbing nature of the franchise’s signature gore.
I guess you could say I was…getting Jiggy with it.
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…Okay. I’ll see myself out.
***
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