Saw X (2023) Review

Warning contains some spoilers for the Saw Series

With a franchise running since the sensational original Saw in 2004, 2021’s Spiral: From the Book of Saw, sought not only to reboot the series but also to bring us a new mastermind behind the terrifying traps, which at this point have made us scream and vomit in equal measure for almost 20 years.

The original antagonist was John Kramer, aka Jigsaw, the cold and calculating genius of gore whose one goal was to put people into horrific life and death situations to force them to reevaluate their entire existence.

Unlike so many horror movie villains, his twisted motivation was not to murder but to save people from themselves and their life choices. When forced to inflict violent and horrific change to their own bodies, in an attempt to survive his insane games, Kramer hoped his victims would also achieve radical change within their minds and even their souls.

Played with aplomb by the terrific Tobin Bell, the terminally ill character was killed off at the end of Saw III. His legacy continued through flashbacks and the actions of his disciples who continued the work of Jigsaw as apprentices allowing Kramer’s message and mutilation to continue on.

Spiral was in fact the first film in the franchise to not physically feature Jigsaw onscreen beyond photographs, and both Kramer and Bell’s absence was most definitely felt. Although both adequate and enjoyable in its own way and featuring all the vital ingredients and iconic motifs you need to make a Saw film you could say this page From the Book of Saw was somewhat lacking.

Seeking to address this and realign the franchise director Kevin Greutert who directed Saw VI and Saw 3D as well as editing Saw IV, V and 2017’s Jigsaw takes the reigns in Saw X and more importantly brings John Kramer back from the dead.

How is that possible I hear you cry? Well because although Saw X is the 10th film in the series its actually set between parts 1 and 2. In many ways this is a clever move which allows the story, penned by Jigsaw and Spiral writing team Josh Stolberg and Pete Goldfinger, to delve deeper into the history of the character who has become such a horror legend.

Being told he has months to live due to advanced brain cancer Kramer is plunged into depression with the knowledge that his recently awakened mission in life will soon come to an end. Searching for some sort of sign he randomly bumps into a fellow cancer sufferer who claims he has been completely cured by a radical treatment pioneered by a Norwegian Doctor Pederson.

Looking into the experimental process, he finds the Doctors daughter Cecilia (Ragnarok’s Synnøve Macody Lund) is running a clinic in Mexico City and signing up straight away Kramer heads out with renewed hope. Meeting the team which includes Gabriela, Mateo, Valentina, and Dr. Cortez (played by Renata Vaca, Octavio Hinojosa, Paulette Hernandez and Joshua Okamoto) he is quickly prepped after handing over a ton of money and made ready for a surgery he believes will save his life.

Awakening to find Cecilia congratulating him that he is now cancer free, Kramer feels a weight has been lifted leaving the facility revived and elated and stopping in a local shop to purchase a thank you gift for the people who cured him.

When Kramer returns to the site of his life saving operation he finds the building abandoned and clear evidence that the whole thing was a cruel scam. Enraged he does what Jigsaw does best and sets about to teach the people who beguiled and betrayed him a lesson they will never forget.

In many Saw films Jigsaw has remained decidedly detached from the people he is forcing to play his deadly games. However, in Saw X its personal which allows Tobin Bell far more free range to display a side of the iconic character audiences have never seen. The move from villain to anti-hero is by far the most interesting (and fan pleasing) element of Saw X as Kramer is as much a victim in the story as the group he is forcing righteous retribution upon.

The traps are all brilliant and bloody and fit perfectly alongside so many of the wicked works of art and pain we have witnessed in the Saw series before. Eyes are sucked out, fingers broken and legs severed as the far from innocent prisoners are given 3 minutes to live or die.

Where the film falls down perhaps is in its desire to appeal to both fans of the franchise and newbies alike. Two of Jigsaw’s most famous companions pop up along the way, one with a major role, which is fine as a viewer if its your tenth film in the series but confusing and plot ruining if this is your first outing.

My tip for the uninitiated is to go away and watch at least the first five Saw films before approaching Saw X. This is solid advice anyway, as if you don’t get along with the grimy style and sick substance of the first quintuple there is no way you will enjoy this.

That said Jigsaw fans will rejoice as Saw X delivers some gloriously gory games, as well as allowing the warped and wonderful main villain to return and give us all a better understanding of why John Kramer does the terrible things he does.

Movie Rating:

Saw X Trailer