SPIRAL: FROM THE BOOK OF SAW
Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman
Written by Josh Stolberg and Peter Goldfinger
Chris Rock and Samuel L. Jackson are some big gets for the franchise, but “Spiral” not only squanders those high-profile actors but also loses the few elements of the previous sequels that kept the franchise afloat. First of all, how can you change the voice in the videos and on the tape recorders? It’s the iconic element that weaves all these entries together. Just as you can’t change Ghostface’s voice in the “Scream” franchise, the “Saw” voice should be untouchable. The replacement is distracting and laughable.
On the other hand, I was willing to overlook changing the doll with the pig, since it ties to the murdering of law enforcement. Chris Rock’s serious guy effort feels half-hearted, none of the traps are memorable, and the entire climax feels unwarranted and fizzles out, lacking the essential jaw-dropping finale. It’s nice to see the franchise get a better budget, stepping away from the grungy texture of most of the earlier films, but otherwise, it feels hollow.
SAW VI (2009)
Directed by Kevin Greutert
Written by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan
Leaning too desperately on Costas Mandylor and Betsy Russell to carry the franchise, “Saw VI” buckles under the pressure of trying too hard to live up to where the series had gone before. Heavyhandedly injecting social commentary into its kills, it feels singularly poised to allow viewers to take out their aggressions vicariously toward health insurance providers and mortgage brokers. That story element allows Tobin Bell’s Jigsaw to remain front-and-center for yet another film following his death and does so effectively. But the melodramatic glaze started in “Saw IV” also infests this entry. Rather than leveling you and heightening the entire film, the twist ending leaves you with a shrug.
SAW 3D (2010)
Directed by Kevin Greutert
Written by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan
“Saw 3D” is the sole entry Lionsgate would probably like to have back. It reeks of the desperation that plagued many films around the 2010s that felt obligated to buy into the 3D gimmick. Also, the subtitle “The Final Chapter” was quietly removed. Like some of the previous films, this one oozes melodrama. The central character (Sean Patrick Flanery) advocates as a survivor of one of Jigaw’s games. His arc is interesting, but it, along with the twists that come later, pale in comparison to most of what has come before, showing the writers at the bottom of the barrels of fun and interesting new ideas. Costas Mandylor and Betsy Russell start to wear out their welcomes, and Cary Elwes’s return feels more of a cash grab than the 3D shtick.
SAW IV (2007)
Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman
Written by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan
Melodrama engulfs “Saw IV,” and its chokehold on the franchise echoes for the next few films. Although it’s nice to fill in some blanks regarding Jigsaw’s origin story, the whole thing feels like a filthy soap opera. The viewer must also start to suspend disbelief that John/Jigsaw could construct all the pending traps and tribulations that follow his death while he is still alive.
The game for Officer Daniel Rigg is interesting enough, with the underlying message that he needs to stop trying to save everyone, tying well into how the people he tries to rescue end up trying to kill him. But when he reaches his ultimate goal, the message gets muddied, and instead of it all feeling like the film’s pinnacle, it feels like a low. Getting Donnie Wahlberg’s character back heightens Riggs’ journey, adding to the connectedness of the previous films.
JIGSAW (2017)
Directed by The Spierig Brothers
Written by Josh Stolberg and Peter Goldfinger
After the franchise started to fizzle out, with entries like “Saw VI” and “Saw 3D,” the original depth and creativity returned with “Jigsaw.” With a seven-year gap from the previous production and new directors behind the camera, this is one of the first films in the series to feel updated and less grimy. Even though the budget was just as small as many previous entries, it feels bigger and better. The game at the farm feels like a return to form, mixing in the elements we love with some new twists. There’s a level of genius in how the franchise has kept Tobin Bell’s Jigsaw alive despite killing him off relatively early in the series. Adding in elements like a Jigsaw “fangirl” and a copycat killer allows for a new cog in the machine, stepping away from the direct relationships, like Jigsaw’s wife or his previously known accomplices, and once again allowing for the mystery of the killer’s identity to take hold.
SAW III (2006)
Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman
Written by Leigh Whannell
“Saw III” stands out by placing a doctor trying to save Jigsaw’s life at the story’s center. In doing so, Jigsaw also tries to impart his unique ability to make victims appreciate their lives. Amanda acts as the loose cannon in this installment, often stretching Shawnee Smith’s acting abilities. This third entry is also where the franchise starts to fold in on itself by setting up loose ends that will be answered in later films, leaving the whole story feeling unfinished. In the game, the mourning father feels slightly lazy as he faces each person responsible for allowing his child’s killer to be set free. The Danica freezer scene is one of the most memorable deaths of the franchise, taking the R-rated level up a notch from the previous films. However, the actor playing the father, Angus Macfadyen, is rather unremarkable, and his lackadaisical nature makes all the deaths less inspiring. The twist at the end is also the first to feel forced and unremarkable.
SAW V (2008)
Directed by David Hackl
Written by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan
Pitting FBI Agent Strahm (Scott Patterson) against Jigsaw’s accomplice makes “Saw V” feel fresher than many of the sequels. It also marks the first time more well-known actors participated in the games, with Julie Benz and Meagan Good taking on Jigsaw’s twisted tests. As with any good “Saw” film, the character’s revelations at the end of the game make you rethink the entire course of the film, and the showdown between Strahm and the accomplice is one of the franchise’s most memorable moments.
SAW X (2023)
Directed by Kevin Greutert
Written by Peter Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg
John Kramer, aka Jigsaw, as an anti-hero is the exact invigoration this franchise needed from its horror icon. I remember enjoying 2013’s “Texas Chainsaw” for a similar reason: you feel compassion for Leatherface and his wanting to protect his family. “Saw X” takes this central character who has evil tendencies and finds someone even worse than he is. And getting to see Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith (Amanda), and Costas Mandylor (Detective Mark Hoffman) back in their sadistic roles all these years later satisfies an unrecognized itch. There’s still so much mining to do from these personalities, and seeing them together and in a film with a higher quality than previously seen adds a level of gravitas to their characters.
The opening sequence, where John believes he may have found a cure for his cancer, is entirely relatable. Yes, this man has confined countless victims to their deaths, but at the heart and soul of his character, he just wants to live. There’s still so much “work” to do. And you believe he may get that. But when things take a turn, John does what he does best and puts his perpetrators to the test. There are oddly comical moments, like when John eludes to what he does when questioned about his profession and when a young boy gets involved with some of Jigsaw’s games.
I’m guessing the vomit bags were solely for publicity because the film doesn’t go much harder than almost any other film, although the “eyeball” game is disturbing. The ticking clock is one of the only problems I have with Jigsaw’s new games. I get the need for it, but for the most part, the people are completing the challenges but dying anyway because of a few seconds. That could be because this is a prequel, and John hasn’t perfected his craft yet, but these people are earning their redemption and losing their lives on a technicality.
SAW II
Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman
Written by Leigh Whannell and Darren Lynn Bousman
“Saw II” is one of the only films in the franchise that gets to use Tobin Bell as Jigsaw to his fullest potential. Pitting him at the heart of the “game,” he and Donnie Wahlberg play off each other brilliantly. Once again, there’s a level of genius to the game’s design, with twists and reveals that are franchise highlights. The house of horror’s production design is impeccable and was a pivotal moment in peaking my interest in working in Hollywood.
SAW
Directed by James Wan
Written by Leigh Whannell
Nothing can beat the original. James Wan instantly put himself on the map as an iconic horror director with “Saw,” reaching M. Night Shyamalan levels with his twist ending and proving adept at creating tension with a small budget and within a small space. Cary Elwes relaunches his career with an intense performance as one of the leading players in the first “game.” Wan sets the groundwork for most of the sequels, with many characters and the single location returning several times. “Saw” would set the bar for the escape room fad that followed, layering in elements of sleuthing and weaving characters together in a thought-provoking and genius-level way.
