Saw X (2023)
In “Saw X”, the tenth installment of the bloody and brutal “Saw” franchise, a group of con artists posing as doctors are forced to play grotesque games that test their will to live. In a desperate attempt to save himself after getting a terminal cancer diagnosis, John Kramer, aka Jigsaw, journeys to Mexico for an experimental treatment that he believes is the only hope for saving his life. After discovering that the operation is a scam, a heartbroken and enraged Kramer captures and traps the people responsible.
The “Saw” franchise was never the same after Jigsaw and Amanda died at the end of “Saw III”. “Saw X” fixes this by taking a page out of 2018 Halloween’s playbook. The movie positions itself as direct sequel to the original, allowing it to ignore the convoluted plotlines of the later sequels. It features a still-living John Kramer, played creepily as ever by Tobin Bell, and the return of Jigsaw apprentice Amanda (Shawnee Smith) for the first time since “Saw III”.
As usual, this installment features a collection of grotesquely clever traps. One trap sucks a victim’s eyeballs out, while another forces a victim to drill into his own brain. For my money, the best trap features a victim who is forced to cut her legs off with a wire saw so that she can use her bone marrow to release a key. Where do they come up with this stuff?
Of course, “Saw X” is just as ridiculous as the rest of this series. The idea that an elderly man with terminal cancer could design these traps, even with help from a couple of assistants, has always strained credibility. And it’s truly remarkable how Jigsaw somehow has the omnipotent ability to anticipate his victims’ every move.
Still, “Saw X” is easily the best installment since the first three. Jigsaw is more human and sympathetic than before. Bell was always the one consistently good aspect of this series, and he delivers his best performance yet. Shawnee Smith has visibly aged since “Saw III” (no surprise, since that was 17 years ago) but she is able to effectively step back into character as Jigsaw’s fanatically devoted and worshipful disciple.
Who could resist watching Jigsaw (or any iconic horror villain) take on corrupt medical practitioners? If you’re looking for a serious critique of the American healthcare system, you’re certainly not going to find it here. This movie is far too silly and shallow for that. But it’s entertaining as hell. They could make a whole new series of Kramer targeting society’s most annoying people. Who’s next? Telemarketers? Insurance salesmen? The possibilities are endless.
Rating:
“Saw X” does a surprisingly successful job reviving this moribund franchise. With creative traps, strong performances, and a surprising amount of emotional depth, “Saw X” is a memorable ride that proves there’s still life in ‘ol Jigsaw yet.
7/10
