MPAA Rating: R/ Genre: Horror/Stars: Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith, Synnøve Macody Lund, Steven Brand, Renata Vaca, Joshua Okamoto, Octavio Hinojosa, Paulette Hernandez, Jorge Briseño, Michael Beach, Isan Beomhyun Lee, Katie Barberi/Runtime: 118 minutes

I think it’s safe to say that if anyone tries to tell you that they watch an entry in the distinct horror franchise that is Saw because of the riveting narrative and/or three-dimensional cast of characters….then it might be time to have them take a polygraph to see what else they might be lying to you about. I say this because overall this is one franchise that, to a large extent, has never really revolved around giving those who make up its audience a narrative that makes a lot of sense or a group of characters who are really worth caring about since the vast majority of them are fairly despicable to a significant extent. Rather, these are cinematic outings that by and large are meant to just present the viewer with as many sadistic and wince-inducing torture devices as they can within their runtime. Yet even though this franchise has, pardon the pun, played this game better than anyone else it’s also no closely guarded secret that as time has gone on this is one franchise that not even the combined efforts of Chris Rock and Samuel L. Jackson could seemingly save from the cinematic graveyard. Thankfully I can safely say that is not something I can say about the latest installment, and slice of cinema I am reviewing for you today, Saw X. A film that not only has Tobin Bell enter center stage in an entry for once, but is also one that actually tries to give the audience a solid story let alone cast of characters. In other words: not only do we really get a cast of characters that are actually fairly well constructed as individuals rather than mere trap fodder, but there is also a genuine attempt on display here to permit the movie goer to look past the curtain and comprehend why the man voted Most Twisted Life Coach of the Decade chooses to engage in the….motivational methods that he does. To be sure, this slice of cinema is most definitely by no means tidy, and no that’s not just a nod to the liters of blood that must be spilt by those Jigsaw wants to better appreciate life. Rather, it’s the fact that while it is appreciated by this reviewer that the film does try to give us a proper analysis at Jigsaw’s point of view it does come off as a bit much at times. That and even though there is an attempt made to give audiences a typical twist ending like the ones this franchise has thrown out pretty consistently since the beginning it also is by no means one of the better ones in the series. Yet even though it’s a rather…unusual cinematic outing, it isn’t a bad one by any means either. I say that because this movie might be flawed, but with the aid of fairly solid work on both sides of the camera Saw X is also able to easily be the best entry in this distinct franchise since the first one all the way back in 2004.

The plot is as follows: Taking place in the gap of time present between the first and second installments, this sequel (or a midquel if you prefer) winds the clock back to give us a rather distinct take on franchise antagonist John Kramer. A man who, dependent on your perspective, is either someone who wishes for people to atone for the mistakes they have made by literally sacrificing some key element to themselves in order to get a second chance at life….or just a twisted and psychopathic murderer with one of the more extreme cases of a deity complex ever seen. At any rate, we see that in this installment that John is given the news that, due to a rapidly advancing case of brain cancer, he is not long for this world. A fair amount of time later however, we see that John’s life soon takes a turn when he manages to cross paths with a former member of a cancer support group he attended at one time by the name of Henry Kessler who now, quite remarkably, looks healthy and seemingly cancer-free again. We soon learn along with John that the reason for this, according to Henry, has to do with a group known as The Pederson Clinic that has managed to create an almost miraculous treatment that has the potential to wipe out one’s cancer for good. To that end, we soon see join John as he embarks to the clinic’s location in Mexico City where, upon paying the surgeon in charge of the operation and her small yet seemingly skilled team 250,000 dollars, is subjected to both a surgical procedure as well as a drug trial that, for all intents and purposes, seems to have worked its magic on John as well. As such, not only is our….”hero” given what he feels to be a new lease on his lifetime warranty so to speak, but he also feels that maybe with his second chance that he shouldn’t waste it on pursuing his activities as the infamous Jigsaw any more than he has already done. Tragically however, we see that fate has other plans in store since it isn’t long before, upon making a return visit to the clinic where the procedure took place, that John finds it abandoned. Not because the procedure has received the necessary international seals of approval to begin treating patients all over. Instead, and in case you hadn’t put two and five together already dear reader, it’s because not only was the whole operation a hustle, but because the doctor and her team are nothing more than glorified con artists. Unfortunately for them, and as we are destined to find out with them, I think it’s safe to say that maybe they picked the wrong guy to hustle. A belief that soon becomes terrifying truth when John decides to kidnap and put these people through a little game. As for what that game entails to say nothing of the outcome of said game that I think I will leave for you to find out for yourself…..

Now right off, it is worth noting that the idea of motive has long been one of the lesser components to this franchise to such an extent that, as the franchise went on, I just became convinced that the people chosen as “players” in Jigsaw’s “games” were only chosen because the filmmakers had come up with an ingenious trap set piece and needed people to put them in. Thankfully, in that regard, Saw X is most assuredly an improvement on that. I say that not just because John Kramer is actually the protagonist in this installment, but in a lot of ways the traps in this feels less like ones in a Saw film and more like something Paul Kersey would’ve done in an unrated cut of Death Wish 1.5. Indeed even though a “normal human being” wouldn’t (at least I hope not) engage in the actions that John Kramer chooses to, there is no denying that this film’s gifted screenwriting duo manage to do a wonderful albeit unnervingly so job at beckoning you to try and comprehend his point of view. I mean after all: sure, Kramer is a nefarious individual, but there is always a perverse delight in seeing someone nefarious pursue someone who is worse than them wouldn’t you say? Thus even though there is a bit of a ick factor to potentially be located in this film’s request from us for sympathy in regards to its main monster, it also most assuredly has an intriguing manner in getting us to reanalyze the character and his actions. This is because yes the man’s traps have killed people, but ever since the beginning of this franchise John Kramer has never constructed one that was designed explicitly to do that. Instead, every single one of the people put in the trap was someone who had made mistakes and was being given a chance to make amends and live to see another day in perhaps the most extreme method possible. Yet perhaps the other key element to these people is that, their mistake aside, they were fairly innocent people who perhaps had simply lost their way morally/ethically. However, by managing to incorporate actual criminals in these traps for once, we see that this film is able to make an intriguing point that perhaps there are times where Kramer’s methodology could be perhaps justifiable (at least to him). Now when it comes to the more “iconic” components to this franchise however, this film can be a bit of a toss-up at times. This is because even though providing a more in-depth look at John Kramer is very much appreciated, it also means that if you are solely here to see just how much blood and guts are going to be split or how much pain the body can endure you might find yourself waiting a fair bit throughout. Yes the film works overall because the calm before the storm provides depth to what happens later to say nothing of some clever mentions of the not so positive image health care providers have to say nothing of the infamous “Big Pharma” label, but it also means as a result that the traps aren’t the best the franchise has given us even if they will definitely leave you uneasy or wanting to look anywhere in the theater rather than at the big screen in front of you. Suffice it to say that when you also incorporate an appropriately chilling musical accompaniment and well-done work from the cinematography department it’s clear that this film is definitely a step above the norm when it comes to this franchise.

Of course, the other big element that helps this entry distinguish itself would have to come in the form of the fairly solid performances by the cast of players in front of the camera as well. Without question, this starts with Tobin Bell in the role of John Kramer/Jigsaw and honestly while Bell has always been an absolute blast in the part, we see that here he actually manages to do an incredible job at actually making this character feel more like a three-dimensional individual. Not only in the way that Bell ensures that we are continuously seeing the emotion in Kramer’s eyes, but also in how (in a rather perverse way) this take on Kramer is actually more empathetic than usual due to being sick of the pain from his impending demise and would rather just have a little bit of hope again. To be sure, you still might have more than a fair bit of difficulty in giving your full approval to the actions he chooses to partake in. Having said that though, not only do you actually feel a degree of empathy for the character, but you also (perhaps in another series first) aren’t ever entirely on the side of the victims that have found themselves given the opportunity to participate in his “games” either. Along with the work done by Bell, we also get another wonderful reprisal in the form of Shawnee Smith as former Jigsaw victim turned protégé Amanda Young. Indeed it’s not exactly a spoiler to tell you that she is in the movie for significantly longer than the trailer might have suggested, but along with that it is also by no means a spoiler to reveal that Smith is absolutely wonderful again in the part. Indeed not only does she and Bell have a wonderful dynamic in their scenes together to say nothing of some unexpectedly emotional moments, but Smith also brings such a delightful self-awareness to say nothing of surprisingly effective comedic timing that this manages to be a genuinely delightful reprisal of one of the other iconic recurring characters in this franchise. Now although the vast majority of the cast of unwilling game participants are, sadly, fairly run of the mill in terms of the performances given, there is one that is thankfully a standout. That being the one given by Synnøve Macody Lund in the role of the head doctor, and ringleader of the group behind the scam, Cecilia Pederson. Indeed Lund does a magnetic job at showcasing for movie goers that distinct smarmy energy on display that is typically exuded by an arrogant individual who, no matter the situation, has no qualms about thinking they are the proverbial “smartest person in a given set of circumstances” only to horrifyingly discover just how wrong that distinct diagnosis truly is. Suffice it to say that if there is a single person you will desire to see get their comeuppance in the worst way it is definitely this character and then some. Thus there might be some issues with this slice of cinema, but thankfully the work done by the cast in front of the camera does help to keep things sharp.

All in all and at the end of the day, is Saw X a perfect slice and dice of cinema by any stretch of the imagination? Honestly that is definitely not the case, but that’s ok because this is by no means a film that is aiming for that. At the same time though, is this the worst entry in this franchise? Thankfully I cand also most assuredly say that is not the case either. To be fair, I don’t know if I can say with absolute confidence that this entry in the franchise will be truly capable of jolting this franchise back to full force (not only because Bell is in his 80s at this point and because there really is only so much backstory material you could squeeze out before that particular well runs dry since…..reasons that you can go and see in the other movies for yourself). At any rate though, there is no denying that even if this entry does in point of fact turn out to be the *final* *final* *final* chapter to this particularly story then at the very least I think it should be praised for giving us a conclusion that was a lot better than even I must admit I was expecting it to turn out to be. To be sure, it won’t ever be seen by either fans of the horror genre let alone critics as an iconic horror film and it also is not the best movie to introduce to new fans of the franchise. However if you are someone who has been on this cinematic rollercoaster since its inception all the way back in 2004, it should be said that, with the aid of surprisingly solid material both behind and in front of the camera, Saw X is a twistedly delightful reminder that when it comes to games being played which might literally cost you your arm or leg no one still makes them as perversely fun to watch as Jigsaw. Make of that what thou will dear reader. On a scale of 1-5 I give Saw X “2023” a solid 3.5 out of 5.