John Kramer is back for the franchise’s most personal look into the mind of the Jigsaw Killer.
This year marks 20 years since rookie filmmakers James Wan and Leigh Whannell put together the short film Saw (2003), retroactively referred to as Saw 0.5. After being backed by Twisted Pictures and released by Lionsgate Films, Saw (2004) triggered a zeitgeist in the horror sphere–giving fans seven films over seven years. Tobin Bell’s portrayal of the Jigsaw killer captivated audiences who yearned to see who would be the next victim to be put to the test. After a seven year hiatus followed their seven year stint, the franchise returned in 2017 with Jigsaw and again in 2021 with Spiral: From the Book of Saw, but these films attempted to move away from their humble beginnings. Now, Jigsaw is back in Saw X with director and editor Kevin Greutert at the helm. Replenishing all of the key ingredients that make a great Saw film, Saw X gives a surprisingly fresh experience sure to thrill long time fans and new converts alike.
Taking place between the events of Saw (2004) and Saw II (2005), Saw X follows John Kramer (Tobin Bell) as he travels to Mexico in search of a miracle cure for his inoperable brain tumor. No stranger to experimental methods, he takes a leap of faith in a final effort to extend his life. Upon the realization that the operation was just a scheme at the hands of those who wish to prey on the weak, John turns the tables on the unsuspecting con artists and begins his most personal and vengeful games.
While most films in the Saw franchise open with a rehashing of previous events or a cold open kill, Saw X places the audience directly into the life of John Kramer, who one could say is in trap of his own. Visiting hospitals, doctor’s offices, getting MRIs and discussing his prognosis, John is stuck in a cruel game of fate and strapped to mechanical entrapments that might tell him that he’ll “live or die”…but when it comes to cancer, one doesn’t have much choice. This film is primarily concerned with the inner world of John Kramer and spends much of its time with him as ‘John’ rather than time with him as ‘Jigsaw.’ The franchise’s infamous color palette is deployed in a way that colors the despair that John is feeling as he moves through his day-to-day after being given mere months to live. These gloomy blues are transformed into hazy warm landscapes when John travels to Mexico to seek out the methods of Dr. Cecilia Pederson (Synnøve Macody Lund) at the suggestion of a fellow cancer patient now in remission. Expertly shot by cinematographer Nick Matthews, you can feel the warmth radiating from the city and from the deceitfully angelic Dr. Pederson herself–painting these moments with a dreamlike quality that might clue the viewer into the fact that things might be too good to be true.
While slow-paced at first, the film wastes no time getting its hands dirty once John recruits his beloved apprentice, Amanda Young (Shawnee Smith), to round up Dr. Pederson and her team of schemers like pigs for the slaughter.
Saw X goes back to the film’s roots–with its grimy textures and grizzly traps. John is up close and personal, moderating some of his most bloody and hard-hitting entrapments, fueled by the pain and betrayal he feels. However, while these traps are downright gnarly, it is not necessarily a non-stop gore fest, careful to keep John’s pain and his relationship with Amanda front and center. One of the film’s major strengths is being able to fully flesh out Amanda’s love for John and delivering to fans tender moments when they truly work side by side as master and apprentice. Most importantly, the seeds of Amanda’s weaknesses are planted, hopefully answering some questions as to how her relationship with John develops into what is seen in Saw III (2006)–making it the most emotional entry in the Book of Saw.
Because the film takes place between films in a timeline that has been endlessly dissected by hardcore Saw fans, one has to wonder how the film would manage to keep fans on their toes. While attempting to live up to this integral element of surprise might be one of the film’s weaknesses, it is still able to stand tall on the shoulders of a compelling group of characters and an always inventive slew of traps. One thing that is clear is the care that went into delivering the tenth installment of this beloved franchise. Having worked as editor since the very first Saw film, then moving into the role of director on Saw VI and Saw: The Final Chapter/Saw 3D, Kevin Greutert knows these films and the character of John Kramer better than most. The return of Greutert to the franchise, along with a diligent script by Josh Stolberg and Pete Goldfinger and Charlie Clouser’s iconic score, presents a well crafted film that is filled with heart. Saw X is easily one of the best films of the franchise.
Stay tuned for a spoiler-filled in-depth analysis coming soon… and be sure to pick up FANGORIA Vol. 2 Issue #21 to read my interviews with the filmmakers behind Saw X and my retrospective essay on the significance behind the Saw franchise!
Siren Death Cult 