Saw X

The Doctor’s Diagnosis: B+

               First, a brief tangent: Why is everyone pronouncing the title of this movie as “Saw Ex,” as in pronouncing the letter “X?” This is the tenth Saw movie, so pronounce it as “Saw Ten.” When Saw XI inevitably arrives, are we going to refer to it as “Saw Ex Eye?” Get your shit together, people, it’s just Roman numerals.

               Anyway, Saw now joins Friday the 13^th and Halloween as the only horror franchises to reach double digits with all entries being theatrical releases (Hellraiser and Puppet Master are also in double digits, but most of them were straight to video/streaming releases). Even more admirably, the series’ entry into this exclusive club is surprisingly good. Saw X is a refreshingly simplified return-to-form for the series and the best entry since Saw III (or “Saw Eye Eye Eye,” as we are apparently saying things now).

               Not coincidentally, this is also the first one since Saw III in which Jigsaw is actually alive. Those viewers that are deterred by the amazingly complicated continuity of the series can rejoice, as Saw X takes place much earlier in the timeline between the events of the first and second movies. Following the original Saw, John Kramer (aka Jigsaw) learns of a new cancer treatment that amounts to a miracle cure. The only catch is the treatment is illegal because it lacks FDA approval, so John must travel to a makeshift clinic in Mexico to undergo the procedure. After undergoing the procedure and paying $250,000 in cash, John discovers that the entire thing was a hoax, the doctors were just con artists and he’s still sick. You can probably see where this is going from here.

               The biggest creative mistake in this entire franchise was killing Jigsaw in Saw III and the series has been grasping for ways to continue ever since, largely resulting in a labyrinthine continuity built on flashbacks and endless apprentices. While Saw X may still be grasping at straws in terms of continuing the narrative, the earlier setting in the timeline and renewed focus on Jigsaw jettisons much of the baggage of the later films and creates a far more entertaining and streamlined experience than the last few entries.

               For the first time, John Kramer is the lead character and, even more oddly, he’s actually the good guy. Tobin Bell’s performances in the series have always been underappreciated and he absolutely knocks it out of the park here. The first act of the film is really just about John, a desperate cancer patient looking for a cure. Other than an unnecessary dream sequence that feels like a studio note, there is nothing Saw-like at all and Bell plays this magnificently as a straight-up drama. This is the most fleshed-out character arc in the series, as we see John going from desperate to hopeful and ultimately to complete despair and cementing his role as Jigsaw going forward. It’s surprisingly sad and adds a new dimension to the other movies upon additional viewings (these events are even alluded to in flashbacks in Saw VI, further highlighting this series’ incredible devotion to continuity).

               Eventually, though, it’s time for this to become a full-blown Saw movie. This reminded me of watching Rambo: Last Blood when you get to a point in the film and think wow, did they just fuck with the wrong dude. While it is odd for John to be the outright good guy this time around, these bastards deserve it and the traps are satisfyingly gruesome. The traps are also scaled-back in complexity from the later films, which makes sense given the timeline, but they are also some of the more memorable traps in the series. We have eyes vacuumed out, a leg cut off with razor wire and, perhaps most notably, self-performed brain surgery. This is probably the most character-driven film in the series, but it certainly hasn’t forgotten its roots.

               I already discussed Tobin Bell’s excellent performance, but Shawnee Smith also has a welcome return as Amanda, Jigsaw’s original apprentice (at least she’s the original in terms of appearance order in the series). Amanda’s presence is really the only direct connection to the events of the first film and the dynamic between her and Jigsaw does much to illuminate the development of their relationship between Saw and Saw II. Smith’s performance here is more reserved and unsure, as Amanda is still early in her membership on Team Jigsaw and this helps create a more coherent arc for her character throughout the series. I also want to mention Synnøve Macody Lund as the lead villain/victim for creating someone despicable enough for Jigsaw to be the clear moral superior in the film. That’s hard to do, but her cold and calculating performance pulls it off well.

               This isn’t a perfect movie. It’s the longest film in the series at 118 minutes and the pacing would benefit from losing about 10 minutes in the middle. The ending becomes a ridiculous series of events that requires everything to happen in such a specific way for Jigsaw’s plan to work that it becomes absurd even by the standards of Saw movie endings. However, I really can’t nitpick too much because its Saw X for Christ’s sake. It’s commendable for the tenth entry in a series to not only be one of the best of the series, but a legitimate return to form. If you’re looking to go to the movie theater for a horror movie this October, do it like we did in the 2000s and check out the new Saw. Certainly don’t check out the new Exorcist. Oh boy, am I about to rip that apart.

Image By: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saw_X#/media/File:Saw_X_poster.png