Warning: Minor spoilers ahead for Saw X.
Many critics think Saw X is the best movie in the franchise, offering multiple takeaways about the movie in their reviews. The most recent addition to the Saw series explores John Kramer’s experience with cancer and how that changed his perspective on the Jigsaw games. After getting conned by a supposed cancer treatment group, Kramer decides to put them into traps, forcing them to confront their terrible life choices.
The movie Saw X debuted with the highest Rotten Tomatoes score of all 10 installments. After just one day at the box office, 68 critics ranked it at a high score of 85%, beating even the earlier films in the franchise. The reviews provide a glimpse into the elements that make Saw X such a strong addition to the horror movie genre, from its unique story to its complex characters.
8 Saw X Offers The First Linear Narrative
One element that sets Saw X apart from the other movies in the franchise is its choice to tell its story linearly. The other Saw movies frequently use flashbacks with massive time jumps to provide context and narrative exposition. Though a couple of flashbacks occur toward the end of Saw X, the events referenced play out within the time frame of the movie. As such, it feels more contained and linear than the rest of the franchise.
The typical approach for the Saw franchise works well because it helps build the mystery and suspense necessary for a horror movie. However, Saw X proves that a linear storyline can provide just as many thrills. Bob Strauss affirmed this in his review for the San Francisco Chronicle. He wrote, “This first totally linear narrative in the ‘Saw’ saga is a well-told tale, with some solid characterizations and quite decent twists.” After the success of Saw X‘s linear narrative, future installments in the franchise may consider taking a similar approach.
7 Saw X’s Prequel Setting Helps The Continuity
With nine previous installments, the continuity of the Saw franchise has become increasingly muddled and complicated over time. This makes it challenging to produce sequels, as the screenwriters would likely need to retcon subplots or throw continuity out the window. Luckily, Saw X avoids the messiness of navigating the continuity by taking the prequel approach.
Matt Donato of Inverse praised Saw X‘s avoidance of the developed continuity in his review. He wrote, “The best thing the Saw franchise could do is step away from its tangled present-day continuity. Thankfully, this is what Saw X does.” By developing the Saw lore and keeping the continuity intact, Saw X sets itself apart as the best movie in the franchise. It also provides a blueprint for future installments of massive horror franchises with complicated histories.
6 John Kramer’s Story In Saw X Is Refreshing
The Saw franchise was built off the idea that John Kramer tortures people due to his morally dubious notion that people who do bad things will learn to make better choices after being put in a deadly situation. However, Saw X provides more nuance and thoughtfulness when it comes to his character. The movie posits the idea that Jigsaw may actually have some good inside him, showing him fighting against injustices against vulnerable people. It also provides context as to why Kramer’s games became more savage and disturbing as the series went on.
Sean Chandler from Sean Chandler Talks Aboutasserted that John Kramer’s storyline made it the best film in the Saw franchise. He said in his review, “By finally putting Jigsaw as the lead, it feels the franchise has found its stride again.” Other critics agreed with this idea, pointing out that Saw X offers a character study and origin story for the original Jigsaw killer.
5 Tobin Bell’s Performance In Saw X Is Among His Best
Probably the biggest reason Saw X found the success it did is because Tobin Bell provides a phenomenal performance as John Kramer. Half of the movie focuses on Kramer’s cancer journey rather than his sadistic games. In the quieter moments of the film, Bell’s facial expressions and small movements make up for the lack of action and horror. Though Jigsaw is objectively twisted, Bell manages to make Kramer more sympathetic as a character.
Many critics placed Saw X among Bell’s best performances. Lucy Buglass of What To Watch wrote in her review, “Saw X gives fans even more insight into Jigsaw’s personal life and motivations, with a career-best performance from Tobin Bell.” Kat Hughes of The Hollywood Newsalso praised the actor’s abilities in her review. She wrote, “A welcome return to the original timeline, Saw X provides all the expected thrills and kills, but with an added emotional depth that demonstrates Tobin Bell’s talents.” Though horror movies rarely get recognition at awards shows, Bell deserves an Oscar for his performance as John Kramer in Saw X.
4 Saw X Focuses On The Mentor/Apprentice Relationship Of John And Amanda
Though John Kramer is the primary villain of the Saw franchise, he also has roped others into running his games in previous movies — most notably, Amanda Young. Amanda is one of the most likable Jigsaw killers, and Saw X recognizes her strength as a character. She features heavily in the movie’s plot, pushing the events forward while also getting moments to shine. More than giving Amanda her own story, Saw X shows the dynamic that drives her relationship with John.
Perri Nemiroff from Collider Video praised Saw X for being “a well crafted John Kramer-focused story with a heavy emphasis on his mentor/protégé connection with Amanda…” As Nemiroff mentioned, the movie explores the mentor/apprentice relationship between John and Amanda, made possible due to Saw X’s placement between Saw and Saw II in the timeline. The narrative in Saw X shows both John and Amanda in a different light, emphasizing that Amanda has stronger morality.
3 Saw X Embraces The Grittiness Of The Original Saw
Saw X returns to the narrative and visual grittiness that made the first Saw movie iconic, a choice that makes the newest addition to the franchise fun to watch. Richard Whittaker of The Austin Chronicle called the film a “welcome return to form,” highlighting the recent movies’ gimmicky and non-scary nature. Instead of repeating the mistakes of recent installments, Saw X‘s visuals are dark and edgy, embracing the original color palette.
Another critic, Stephanie Malone from Morbidly Beautiful, wrote that Kevin Greutert “[steered] this ship back to its original glory and [anchored] it in the depth and intelligence that first made Saw great.” The amount of thought that goes into the games makes them feel fresh. Every trap feels clever and thought-out rather than contrived. Ultimately, this return to form in Saw X strengthened the critics’ response.
2 The Bloodboarding Scene Provides The Most Bloody Scene In Saw X
The Saw movies are known for their gore, disturbing body horror, and twisted psychological games. While it’s hard to top the most brutal Jigsaw traps that have come before, Saw X sets itself apart by including the bloodiest scene in the franchise. Clarisse Loughrey of Independent UK praised this in her review. She wrote, “Kevin Greutert knows what’ll satisfy his audience: a few buckets of blood and the gag-inducing sound of crunching bone.”
The buckets of blood comment references Saw X‘s twist ending, when John Kramer and Carlos get strapped down and bloodboarded — like waterboarding but with blood. In this contraption, one person pulls the lever, and they get tipped backward. The faucet above them turns on and dumps blood on the individual’s face. This scene leans into the psychologically twisted and gory aspects that make the Saw movies enjoyable.
1 Saw X Provides The Most Complex Characters Of The Franchise
While the Saw franchise always focused on people who made bad choices, Saw X provides some of the most reprehensible characters to be placed in Jigsaw’s games. However, they aren’t simply one-dimensional players with no background or development. As Robert Kojder wrote on Flickering Myth, Saw X “[shades] in aspects of its most complex and morally deranged characters.”
Saw X explores the motivations of deplorable characters like Dr. Cecilia Pederson and Dr. Cortez/Diego, even if those motives are corrupt. The movie explores the vast scope of their cons, taking advantage of people who have terminal illnesses. As such, it’s easy to root for John Kramer and Amanda Young inSaw X instead of the victims of their games.
Sources: San Francisco Chronicle, Inverse, Sean Chandler Talks About, What To Watch, The Hollywood News, Collider Video, The Austin Chronicle, Morbidly Beautiful, Independent UK, Flickering Myth
