Saw X (2023) User Reviews

Saw X: Back from the dead

[Platypuschow · 7/10 · 8 March 2024]

Plot

A sick and desperate John travels to Mexico for a risky and experimental medical procedure in hopes of a miracle cure for his cancer only to discover the entire operation is a scam to defraud the most vulnerable.

Cast

Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith and Ragnarok's Synnøve Macody Lund shine.

Verdict

I'll be honest, I haven't enjoyed a Saw movie since Saw III. I thought Spiral breathed a small amount of life into the series but not enough to make it credible. Much like Final Destination they pounded out movie after movie each less inspired as the last! A dead franchise in my opinion. Hearing about another I couldn't have been less excited and after the watching the trailer and seeing it was a prequel had me confident this would be another bland uneventful final nail in the franchises coffin.

I'm man enough to admit when I'm wrong, and here I was wrong.

I don't like prequels, I deemed this a dead franchise, but somehow someway against the odds they delivered a decent enough film and I'd argue the 3rd best overall behind the original and part 2.

I just love how unexpected it is, you defies logic and reason and provides an engaging tale and one that doesn't rely on shock value or gore like many of those that game before did.

Good job, now I'm open to more.

Rants

I like Shawnee Smith, my first experience with her was as the crazy girl in the original The Stand (1994) but her presence here seemed strange on account of how much older she looks here then last time we saw her. They used no effect to make her look younger and the timeline subsequently made no sense. I know such things shouldn't matter but movies are about immersion and that took something away from it here.

Breakdown

Surprisingly decent plot Solid performances by many of the cast Has breathed new life into a dead series The Shawnee Smith age issue is annoying.

This was surprisingly good.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 30 September 2023]

John Kramer is told he has just months left to live, he's given home of a new treatment, a life saving surgery being held in Mexico, when it doesn't quite go as expected, he takes his revenge.

We're at the point now where new horrors just aren't sticking, hardly anything looks worthy of a follow-up, so we're getting endless Scream and Halloween movies, all of which seem to diminish with time, Saw though has been different, could this later one offer something new?

This latest film really does offer something new, it's unlike any of its predecessors, very much John's story, it's all from his point of view, we're almost made to feel a degree of sympathy for him, it's very, very clever. There's a monster even greater than John Kramer.

I should be used to the macabre deaths by now, but once again they manage to shock and horrify, there are some nasty moments here, a girl a few rows in front of me was actually sick during the second death scene, it is a very nasty moment.

The pace is unlike any other Saw movie, deliberately so, I found the build up very interesting, the fallout was very exciting, not for the faint hearted.

Tobin Bell delivers yet another excellent performance, he really does shine once again, and credit to the makeup team, you see a physical decline in the character as the movie develops, it's very well done.

It made me add The Hollies to my playlist.

Is that the end? I doubt it, I doubt it very much.

8/10.

The best Saw movie since the original

[isaacsundaralingam · 7/10 · 5 October 2023]

The Saw movies are those we go into with the lowest of expectations, and even then there have been instances of utter disappointment (think Saw 3D or Jigsaw). But now, for almost the first time since Saw II in 2005, there finally is a "good" Saw movie. Yes, actually good.

Saw X does two very important things that make it work so well. The first is that we now have a movie where John Kramer is finally the main character. Rather than having to learn about him through his victims, like was so for the 8 other movies he was in, we finally get to know John Kramer through John Kramer. The second is that we're finally on John's side, essentially rooting for a serial killer, because the "players" in this movie are written to be some of the most disgustingly scummy people on Earth.

Saw X is much longer (with a runtime of 118 minutes) compared to the 9 other movies (all of which average at 90), and is paced much slower too; which quite honestly works really well. The games are decent, the violence is unwatchable (which in Saw language means it's good) and we also get a few fun Easter eggs.

There is yet one major disappointment, but that's spoiler territory since it has to do with the ending, so I will ignore that for now. Other than that, the movie was surprisingly good and I honestly did enjoy it more than I thought I would. If you have been keeping up with the Saw movies, definitely go check it out in cinemas!

Gory and wholesome

[masonsaul · 7/10 · 3 October 2023]

Saw X definitely has the gruesome goods expected of a Saw film however, what makes this entry really good is the unexpected amount of heart. It's a personal tale of revenge that's oddly wholesome, using its concept to make its traps and victim's suffering enjoyable viewing.

Front and centre like never before Tobin Bell gets to lead this one and it's absolutely all the better for it. The relief when he believes he's cured and the realisation it's all fake is heartbreaking which makes him easy to root for. Also, his bond with Shawnnee Smith feels so genuine.

Kevin Greutert's direction is really good, it's the same style that the rest of the franchise has but as a prequel trying to match that same aesthetic it works. The traps here are inventive, gross and believable, it's only the final one that feels too nice for the monster it's meant for.

Charlie Clouser's score still uses that iconic theme at the end, which will honestly never get old at this point and before then it still avoids going unnoticed. As the first half is mostly trap free the score itself is nicer and more laid back.

Arugably 1st or 2nd best Saw film? Saw XI now seems very likely.

[taylorcenci · 7/10 · 7 October 2023]

Hard to believe the same director and writers that produced the trash of the previous few installments, could deliver such a strong and refreshing take on the Saw franchise.

For seemingly the first time - Saw X takes pause to develop story and characters, which does a beautiful job at building tension in anticipation for what you know is coming, and the pay off is more grizzly than I could have imagined...and boy was it grizzly.

In addition to the 'poster trap' being (in my opinion) the most visually iconic, and eerie looking trap in the whole series. The 'Twist' in Saw X, is that the movie is surprisingly good.

9/10 for a Saw movie. 7/10 as a regular movie.

Saw 1.5

[Movies4lyfexx · 6/10 · 15 October 2023]

My biggest problem with these prequels is that the characters don't look like themselves. Amanda and John should look 20 years younger than they do for this to work and it really takes me out of the movie.

The boss woman's speech near the end is way too long and cartoonish. They could've just killed everyone, even without a working gun, and just leave the place with the real money bag. What's up with not checking the gun and just assuming you get a fully loaded pistol handed to you after pointing it at others?

How does everything always work exactly like planned by the way? Especially for someone who gets fooled with a false cancer treatment?

As the synopsis states, this movie happens between the first and the 2nd movie, hence my title - Saw 1.5.

I gave this a 6 because I think it was interesting enough and better than some of the sequels. It was also good to see more Kramer than before.

Not bad .... But still very far behind Saw (2004)

[mraaronchan · 6/10 · 25 October 2023]

Yes it's entertaining and there is a plot twist as usual, although it is obvious that Parker is an accomplice of Cecilia as soon as he shows up at the warehouse.

The finale game is underwhelming compared to other games played in the movie. Valentina has to cut her own leg, Mateo has to open his own skull, Gabriella needs to shatter her own hand and foot. And Cecilia's game? Just to kill a guy, that's it.

I mean, throughout the movie Cecilia has demonstrated her callous behavior. When she saw her accomplice died, she was thinking "one less person to split the money". I don't see why the finale game is challenging for her nor give her a chance to "reborn".... She would have killed Parker anyways if given the right circumstances.

The cinematography and gruesome scenes were nicely done though.

They nailed it

[jtindahouse · 10/10 · 28 September 2023]

I had the honour of attending the world premiere of this film tonight. I think at this point it would be pretty hard to argue that 'Saw' is the most consistent horror series ever made. To be 10 films in and still putting out masterpieces is something we really shouldn't take for granted. And 'Saw X' is a masterpiece in my opinion. This film was everything I wanted and more.

The motivations of John Kramer and whether they are justified or not has always been a great discussion among horror lovers and 'Saw' fans alike. This film is very aware of that. It makes multiple references to this debate and they are done in a way that is both slightly tongue in cheek and also deadly serious coming out of the mouth of Kramer.

This film is a little different to others in the series however. This time we have a revenge plot and no matter where you stand on Kramer, he is likely going to be your undisputed protagonist here. I thought the revenge element was a brilliant addition to the series. It adds another layer to the depravity that we are witnessing and makes everything so much more layered.

The movie is probably the most patient in terms of set up the series has seen yet. It takes quite a while for the movie to get all its ducks in a row and get down to the nitty gritty business. Once it does though it is relentless the second half of the film moves at an electric pace.

This film was incredible. I couldn't have asked for more. 10/10.

Good stuff

[FeastMode · 7/10 · 29 September 2023]

I'm a huge fan of this series. I love the original 7 and I mildly enjoy Jigsaw and Spiral. I was excited for another chapter and was not disappointed. This is a great addition to the series.

Just like with the other sequels, this continues to add layers to the backstory and lore with interesting new material. And of course we have lots of cool and gruesome traps. But in many ways, this chapter is different from any of the previous.

For one thing, it takes it's time building story and character. The pace ends up slower because of this, but I think it's worth it. Everything feels more fleshed out (unintended pun). We don't see the hyper-editing style this franchise is known for. And the movie overall feels a bit higher in quality of filmmaking.

My only downside is a lack of surprises, for me at least. I think it might work better for people who aren't as familiar with this franchise as I am.

I had a fun bloody time with this movie and look forward to any future chapters in this series. More games. More blood. More, please. (1 viewing, opening Thursday EMAX 9/28/2023)

Decent buildup into nothing

[alfredvankuik · 5/10 · 31 October 2023]

It is impossible to explain why Saw X is such a disappointment without spoiling it, so I'm gonna have to do just that. This tenth installment in a series that should never have gotten ten installments starts off surprisingly strong. John gets scammed into paying $250k (apparently torturing people pays quite well) for a fake cancer treatment and he's not too happy about it. The setup is slow and the movie is almost an hour in when the killing starts to take off. It's definitely not bad though. The treatment story is done quite well and especially the scenes where Jigsaw and his little sidekick gather the victims are really quite good and make great use of silence and sound to build tension.

Once the traps get going, they get really intense. The first trap, the eye one shown in all the promo material, is just a little daydream John has. It's a bit of a letdown, but it's still quite brutal. The bomb-arms for the taxi driver felt lackluster, but that's forgiven when the real villains start their traps. There's some unmatched brutality in here, and it's all shown in intense, gory detail. It's what we're here for and Saw X delivers. For a little while I almost started to get my hopes up.

The issue with this movie starts in the last thirty minutes. Up until this point, the movie has been building up the main villain, Cecilia, as a pure evil being, almost laughably so. She likes killing kids, she wants to murder all her friends and she lives only for money. She's rotten to the core and you expect her to get her comeuppance in a fittingly brutal way. That would have been a fine ending to this movie. Just a brutal kill for Cecilia. It would've been cathartic and well deserved. But the writers had other plans, and they're pretty hard to grasp.

The last 30 minutes of Saw X are spent on ridiculous plot twists and double crossings that make no sense at all. As soon as Parker Sears barges in, the movie goes completely off the rails. Senseless monologues, deus ex machina kids, terrible acting by Steven Brand and worst of all: no karma for Cecilia. The villain that this movie has spent 90 minutes building up eventually gets off Scott-free by sticking her head through a gloryhole. That's it. No disembowelments, no amputations, no lobotomies. John pays off the kid he scarred for life with a bag of illegally obtained cash and they walk off into the sunset, leaving Cecilia to continue scamming and/or killing kids if she wants to. That's John's moral compass for you.

This complete lack of repercussions for Cecilia is just a kick in the balls and is the worst part about an already terrible ending. It ruins what could have been at least somewhat of a revival of the series and turns Saw X into nothing more than some decent gore scenes that leave a bad aftertaste because they happen to the wrong characters.

The return of jigsaw

[Arka11 · 8/10 · 28 September 2023]

'Saw X' returns with fervor to the franchise's unsettling realms, aligning its haunting narrative to explore the exploitation inherent in the current anti-big pharma rhetoric. Despite its stance, the anti-big pharma movement is just as profit-driven as big pharma; but as depicted here, its unregulated nature can lead to highly destructive actions severely impacting individuals' lives.

At 81, Tobin Bell reprises his iconic role as John Kramer with remarkable vitality, maintaining the character's haunting grip on the audience with his enduring portrayal. It was also a nostalgic and incredibly rewarding experience to see the return of Shawnee Smith as Amanda Young.

The narrative is seamless and compelling, guiding the audience through its labyrinth of moral quandaries with an impactful flow.

The victims in this installment are framed as some of the most deserving in the series, heightening the film's moral ambiguity and intensifying the notions of retribution among viewers.

Despite the climactic twist being predictable, it retains its satisfying essence.

'Saw X' is a compelling blend of socially pertinent themes, stellar performances, and satisfying narrative, providing a lingering experience. All in all, it's my second favourite film in the saw franchise.

The premise is good but it lacks elsewhere

[JohnCinema2022 · 6/10 · 29 September 2023]

The Good Story wise, the movie did a great job developing John Kramer character.

The Bad First of all, you can probably tell what's gonna happen after 20 minutes in the movie. The setup with the fake treatment screams scam and you know that the rest of the movie will be about revenge. Of course, it is reveal that the treatment is a money grab and nothing was done to John.

Then, when all the "participants" are setup, there's 2 majors clues that let you know where this is heading. The first one is the fact that Amanda puts the confiscated phone on a cart that is very within reach of the participants, almost like she wants them to be able to get it (which is the case).

The second clue is that you can clearly see that the trap made for the main scammer needs 2 persons but she's the only one tied. Later in the movie, she's able to make a quick call saying "I was kidnapped" before Amanda throw the cellphone away. Not long after, one of the previous patient arrive, screaming that he's here because he got scammed and that he want's his money back. In the middle of the night..... yeah right.

Of course, the patient is the husband of the scammer and proceeds to free her. They then ask to John and the little kid to tied themselves on the game originally intended for her. What's bogging me the most about this twist is that even if it was planned by John, he or the kid could have died if the couple just had a little more patience. But no, they decide to go BOTH searching for the money, hence triggering the "real" final trap and releasing John and the kid.

Finally, let us not fool ourselves. We go to these movies mainly for the traps.

The first one, apart from being just imaginary, was too easy. Getting your fingers broken (on only one hand) is nothing compared to what we know of Jigsaw.

The brain operation trap was creative but there's absolutely no way someone can pull it without doing brain damage to himself, preventing him to finish the job.

Other traps were basically "cut yourself" or "break some bone", I was expecting more elaborated machinery.

Strong Start Disappointing Finish

[jerrywright15 · 4/10 · 10 December 2023]

Saw X is one of the strongest starts since the opening of Saw 2. Slower, emotional and well acted by Tobin Bell. You feel genuine sympathy for the jigsaw killer, a sense of apprehension knowing this will go wrong for him, and a crazy sense of excitement as you think of the revenge journey Jigsaw is about to embark on. Seriously, it's like watching people drop blood on Carrie, piss off John Wick, or tease Jason; these people have no idea the monster they are about to unleash on themselves.

Decently cool traps, okay acting, strong performance from Tobin, and a comeuppance story that has you rooting for the villain this movie begins like a treat.

And then...our true villain reveals just how evil she really is. Everything after the convenient releasing of the fake doctor is crisscross in the most boring, ridiculous and readable of ways. Amanda, who has been a joy to have back, although the hair choice is ...distracting, goes from in control badass to hammy whiner. Our evil doctor delivers a comically long monologue on how evil she is, our "hero" in jigsaw does his best to pretend he's not in control but...come on, we literally just watched a scene where he basically winks at the audience and says "don't worry people, EVERYTHING is part of the plan." But literally nothing makes sense as to how he could have planned it ahead without having Spider-Man level sense of foresight bordering on reading the future.

The real crime is that the movie spenT all this time building hatred for our villain. To the boiling point of I can't wait till a trap rips her face apart or a pulley stretches her limbs off...seriously hats off to the actress, this lady is EVIL, but instead, after watching everyone else suffer incredibly painful deaths...the doctor is basically left to starve to death with a few burns. She may even live to return in future installments because it would be too easy to say someone found her in the warehouse. The same warehouse people were already planning to go visit to find her for all the evil she's done. How does the master of revenge fail to get revenge on the MAIN person who wronged him?

The woman who just says hi to Kramer gets a worse death than the woman who actually stole his money and faked a life saving procedure.

Great start but uninspired twists, too convenient reveals, and a lackluster resolution leaves one begging for one more brilliantly gruesome trap.

Also...am I the only who thought Valentina got screwed? She cuts off her leg. Her whole dang leg (reminder the first Saw only asked for a foot and gave them basically all day to do it) only to die because she didn't drain enough marrow after the traumatic leg removal? You were wrong for that one Kramer.

Was good but not what I expected

[A1Lune · 6/10 · 5 October 2023]

I'm a saw fan since I was a kid and this is my first review .. For all those years i really wanted to give a 10 out of 10 like a gave Saw 1 but unfortunately I'm not.

I don't understand why they wasting time and talking while the game is happing? This is first time I've seen John doing this and explaining his game without a small monitor, i didn't liked it so much And how did he create all this in Mexico ? In a short period of time ? I'm not being focused enough? Because it's really weird and confusing, and the most ridiculous thing is putting a kid in this kind of Games and when she passed it she get killed.

6/10 for me.

Not at all in line with the others.

[Jesse193845 · 3 October 2023]

Saw X is an uninspired side story with no relevance to the main plot of the saga. The games are still impressive to watch, creative and with realistic gore, but the way in which they are played is completely different from the typical Saw style. Whereas the gamemaker and his accomplice usually play a backseat role which creates the eerie and unnerving mystique of the game, the director decided to make this a cheesy soap opera with John and Amanda coming in and out of the game room constantly to make hoaky remarks and drag out the drama. A different villain is offered up by the end who puts on their own soap opera with several events that don't make any believable sense and ends in a ridiculous scene in which John and Amanda walk away arm in arm with a young boy as if they were heroes, the villain seemingly surviving and free to go with no clue as to what becomes of that. The Saw movies had been dragging down for years and this culminated in something almost as pitiful as the two previous installments.

GREAT AND REFRESHING BUT DIFFERENT

[nkcdghayes · 7/10 · 29 September 2023]

Great to see Saw franchise back in theaters and not another spinoff. It's been 13 years since I got to enjoy an actual Saw movie in theaters and I got to say I was not disappointed! Without spoiling anything, make sure to hang around after the credits roll. I remember getting hooked on this franchise in October of 2004 as a college kid, expecting something like the movie Seven going in, but leaving not fully knowing that would become my favorite movie of all time. 19 years later I'm still a Saw junkie! This entry, while still very much a Saw movie, was different, but in a good way. The pacing felt like Saw 3 as did the tone. It had good length and did not feel rushed like some of the unfortunate sequels that between Saw 5-3D. This blew Jigsaw and Spiral out of the water!! It's also a movie that would mostly make sense for a new viewer never having seen a Saw movie but also is still going to please most hardcore fans. There weren't as many rabbit holes as I had hoped for but still some surprises. The twist certainly wasn't the best and was not jaw dropping at all, partly because I saw part of it coming a ways off, but this movie didn't need a twist to be great. Saw X is truly a tribute and story for John Kramer, just as we heard it would be. Violence level is right at the top of what we've seen, but more realistic like the early entries and not over the top cheesy violence like in later sequels. That's about all I can say, so enjoy it!

It's Another Saw Movie

[mitchell5954 · 6/10 · 5 October 2023]

Saw X is, as the title suggests, the tenth entry in the Saw franchise. It feels like this movie was made for no other reason than to have that cool title. The best way to describe this film is that it's another Saw movie. I'm a fan of this franchise. I've seen (and own) all of the movies thus far. I'm a huge fan of horror. Saw is my favorite horror franchise ever. There are certainly horror films I like better, and Michael Myers is my favorite horror icon, the Saw films are my favorite horror franchise in that there hasn't been a single film in the series thus far (including this one) that I've outright hated.

The original Saw I would put in my list of favorite horror films. It has cemented itself as a horror classic like Halloween, Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, and so on. I would recommend it to any fan of horror or thrillers. Saw II & III are also fairly good. While the sequels that followed don't measure up to those three, I can still enjoy them as fun entries. Parts 7 & 8 are definitely the low points in the franchise, but even those I don't hate. What's cool about the Saw movies (at least parts 1-7) is that they all connect with each other. When binged it feels like you're watching a season of television.

But even I can say that this franchise is beyond played out by now. This movie, while certainly not awful, proved me right on that. The reason I saw (pun intended) this in the theater is both because I am a fan and because I had never watched one of these films in theaters before. I always knew about the franchise but had never gotten into it until a few years ago.

The film also has a high score on Rotten Tomatoes, which really surprised me as critics have never been kind to the Saw movies, not even the first one. Some even say it's the best in the series. I definitely would not go that far. I would say Saw X is better than the Final Chapter (or Saw 3D) and Jigsaw, but certainly not better than the original. I would also put Saw II & III above this. I would say this is on par with Saw IV-VI.

I would put it on-par with Saw VI especially, as the two films have a similar plot. They're even directed by the same person I believe. That's one of the minor issues I have with Saw X is that it has a bit of "we've been here before" feeling. This film deals with corrupt doctors who take advantage of terminal cancer patients with a fake cure for money. Throughout the film you see them all get their comeuppance. It's similar to part 6 where you have corrupt health insurance agents that take advantage of their customers to save money.

However, this film takes a bit of a different approach to its storytelling. Aside from one token trap at the beginning there are no gore/death scenes in the first half. It's all build-up. It's one of the better-looking Saw movies with some nice location shots. It also focuses primarily on John Krammer for once. Tobin Bell as John Krammer has always been the best thing about this franchise, so it's cool to see him as the protagonist for once. It's also one of the longest Saw movies to date. I imagine all of this is why critics seemed to like this film more than previous entries. It doesn't feel as gratuitous and all about the violence like other films. But when the trap scenes happen, they're inventive and gory, like one would expect from these movies by now.

However, since this is a prequel, these things can make the film feel slow and boring in places for diehard fans like me, who have seen all the movies, since you know how it's ultimately going to play out. Also, the main cast looking quite a bit older here does take me out at times. They didn't even try to make Amanda look younger with makeup for this.

This film also falls into the trap (pun intended) many of the Saw sequels have, where the traps get a bit convoluted. It's hard to believe that Jigsaw could plan things so thoroughly, and nothing goes awry for him. This film isn't as bad as some of the others at this, but it's there.

Overall, if you're a diehard Saw fan there's no reason not to see this if you haven't already. I'm going to buy it on Blu-ray when it comes out for the collection. But if you've never been a fan of the franchise this probably won't change your mind. If you only like the first movie, but not any of the sequels for how gratuitous they become then don't bother with this either. It was nice to see Tobin Bell take the lead role once in these. This can work as a decent swan song for this franchise, assuming there will be no more.

But we all know there will be. Even though there is nowhere left to go for this series there will always be more as long as there is money to be made, as Hollywood has shown us over the last couple decades. This goes double for horror movies like this, as they don't cost much to make.

Tobin Bell and back to basics

[danielcereto · 7/10 · 20 October 2023]

First, what makes the difference between a good Saw movie and a great one? Tobin Bell. What a great comeback. The man is 81 and what a great interpretation. Great talented actor. I mean, it is the movie where you see the most accurate picture of John Kramer. Definitely, not " The monster" some people thinks he is.

Second, Saw X it is probably the best Saw since the second one and probably the third. I should rewatch all of them again, but I think it could be easily battling for top 3. Great Job done here.

Third, don't forget that a good Saw movie needs a great script. Saw X has everything you need to enjoy if you're a fan of the franchise. The movie is original, yes original, and mix all the ingredients pretty well. Not the usual torture movie.

Last: what made my day watching this too, was Amanda and Costas Mandylor back to business. I mean, back to basics. Excellent.

So, overall an acting class from Tobin Bell, underated actor, and great interpretation from the old cast. It is a new and original addition to Jigsaw universe. Probably the most touching one. Hope not the last one, I want more continuing from here.

A bloody good time

[rcgjnbhnt · 8/10 · 27 September 2023]

Not going to lie, my expectations were low, based off the fact that the previous saw instalments haven't been very up to standards. This movie takes place in between saw 1 & 2, following the life of John Kramer, a cancer patient. I won't get into the story here but there are some pros and cons to this movie. The traps are immaculate and absolutely disgusting (In a good way), and it's a more "horror" styled movie. Horrible things happen to horrible people, and you can't help yourself from sitting there and thinking, "please don't be over, please don't be over." Overall I would give this movie a 7.5/10, it exceeded expectations, the gore was great, and the story is pretty good. Would recommend to see in Theatres.

Okay-movie, fantastic deaths.

[AfricanBro · 6/10 · 30 September 2023]

I wasn't exactly happy getting into this, partly due to unrelated theater mishaps before the screening. Right before "Saw X," I'd just come out of watching "The Creator," where the theater staff had mistakenly played the wrong movie at the start; ended up watching the opening scene of "Barbie" before they finally corrected the mistake. People were pretty mad. And then during the previews and cinema ads for "Saw X," I spotted a rat in the theater, which unnerved me to say the least. So, I wasn't in the best frame of mind to begin with. Startled me and left me feeling a bit annoyed. Throughout "Saw X," especially during the slower scenes, I couldn't help but glance around and even lift my feet off the ground, wondering if the rat was still lurking nearby.

Regarding the movie itself, I wasn't particularly excited about it, especially since I found the previous Saw movie "Spiral" so boring that I couldn't even finish it-a rare occurrence for me as I usually try to sit through any movie, whether I like it or not. But, I went to watch "Saw X" mainly for nostalgic reasons. I remembered how we used to spend hours discussing the various deaths in the series during my school days.

As expected, "Saw X" delivers on the gruesome and gory front; anything less would have been a letdown. It's uncomfortable to watch, and that's all you need to know because has there ever been another reason to watch a "Saw" movie? Lol.

John Kramer's back, albeit looking a bit older despite the movie's timeline. His morals are questionable but somewhat pure, though I wasn't as emotionally invested in his character. He designs these diabolical contraptions, so by no standard is he a good person. Instead, the movie introduces even worse characters so that we find ourselves rooting for John with a slightly clearer conscience. He's less of a hero and more of an antihero or judge.

The movie does feel a bit drawn out, and I found myself impatiently waiting for it to get to the games. It felt like unnecessary filler. We know what we came to see, the director and writers know what we came to see, so let's get to business already!! Once the gruesome and bloody deaths kick in, it's all good. The in-between moments don't hold up as well, but the gruesome scenes compensate for that, a little. I did wish there were more victims than just the 4 the movie mainly focuses on; so other than Valentina it felt like the deaths were somewhat stretched out.

So yeah, I don't think it's contending for best movie of the year, but definitely best deaths of the year. I didn't enjoy it as much as I remember doing when I was a kid. Definitely wished it was paced quicker. It's a mediocre movie with fantastic deaths that might be worth the watch if you're a fan of the franchise.

Good start, horrible ending.

[TheTexasChainstoreManager · 4/10 · 21 October 2023]

I have never said this about a horror movie, but i enjoyed the non horror part more than the horror. The backstory of John Kramer was good just as Tobin Bells acting, but the rest is a typical, even sub-par, Saw sequel.

A huge pet peeve of mine is when writers are dependent on coincidence and luck instead of logic. When they steer characters and actions in the right direction with dumb or illogical decisions and dumb timing, just to force the script together. Or if they just don't understand themselves how dumb things are.

One of the most glaring ones in Saw X was when it's "revealed" that Parker Pears was in on the scam. He were just as suspicious as everybody else on the site as a fake patient to make everything look more believable and therefor not very revealing.

Another one is the setup of Johns final trap. Firstly, the coincidence of the kid playing soccer late at night, at the right time, and them noticing him, which fantastically goes GREAT with the rest of the setup. What luck.

And John's plan was to cross his fingers that if they got overpowered, they would be chained up in that trap. Both would go get the money before he/they died in the trap and stop the trap by grabbing the money bag, setting off a new trap. And the door to the room didn't even close at once. It took 20 seconds until it did and they stayed in the room to look in the bag instead of leaving or securing the door, like normal people would - especially when the situation involves a person who's fond of traps. So John's plan involved another lucky coincidence that they wouldn't exit the room at once and possibly kill them all anyways.

All in all, besides one really good trap (the lady sawing her leg off) and the first part of the movie, this was not a good watch.

Different take and surprisingly better sequel.

[cruise01 · 8/10 · 29 September 2023]

4 out of 5 stars.

Saw X is a good horror film that takes the franchise into a whole new level which has more of a story than letting blood and gore take over. Yes it does have blood and gore but focuses more on John Kramer perspective as he goes after a group of scammers.

The film starts out a little slow with John going to Mexico. Discovering a group that saves people from there terminal illness. Only to find out they scam people for money while they don't perform the miracle surgeries. He grabs each one and places them into bloody traps for there redemption.

Good plot. The traps are brutal and gory. But the film does not let the gore take over while letting the story be the focus group. Great cast ensemble lead by Tobin Bell. The films plot twist was good but the fate on one character in a trap is left with a little disappointment. There is a mid credit scene that will leave the fans surprised. Overall, it may be a fresh new direction for the franchise and it was really needed.

I've seen more...and thought more

[jabmac-03559 · 6/10 · 4 October 2023]

I don't mean to bash on this franchise but this one didn't make me feel how others who have rated this film a 10/10. I'm in the 6's. The kills were.... well kinda weak. I feel like I've seen greater! Now I will add this. Towards the end (SPOILER) when she has her head poking out of the trap for air.... they should have ended it with a pair of two blades that cross motion, chopping her head off and having the blades be as a X then end scene. But they didn't. Can't tell me it isn't a bad idea. Kinda shocked as this director has worked on cobweb which had much more of a twist IMO. Felt like it needed more! I'm sorry...I just think it does.

Extremely unrealistic

[rsr-14 · 3/10 · 30 September 2023]

The movie starts off interestingly, but ends being more unrealistic that I remember most other Saw movies being.

On John's primary location in the movie, it would probably take John months setting up all his equipment and traps, but it happens in a few days. Also, everything just works with the traps and victims - kinda contrary to chaos theory where you know something unforeseen usually will happen. People were made to suffer in horrifying ways without fainting - and to do things to themselves during a few minutes that even skilled surgeons can't in such a short time.

Maybe if John had months to prepare his location and to set things up - and maybe if persons had at least 15 or 30 minutes to "play the game" instead of 3, just maybe this movie could have been slightly realistic - or possible.

Many things happening felt totally impossible within the movie's time frame - and totally unrealistic knowing how normal persons respond to severe pain and blood loss.

I did not enjoy the acting either, it all felt fake. I'm a great fan of especially the first Saw movie, Saw X was to me a waste of time and money.

Enjoyable,but flawed

[pbnpmgw · 7/10 · 8 November 2023]

Let's get the good stuff out of the way first,John Kramer was played excellently by Tobin Bell,the gore was everything you would hope for from a saw movie,and the slower pacing helps the movie build up. You've read it all in the other reviews already.

Now for the flaws. The main criticism I have is that the traps are unreasonable,even by saw standards. One player has perform a craniotomy,and remove part of his gray matter,in 3 minutes. Another has to amputate her entire leg,and give 3.5 ounces of marrow in the same time frame. This simply breaks the immersion a little too much for,since these are tasks that would take even a skilled surgeon much longer to do by comparison. The final game was also quite underwhelming,and convoluted,revealing that getting captured by the boyfriend was always a part of jigsaw's plan. And simply having a gas chamber with only one breathing hole be final trap,whereas the other players had to inflict extreme bodily harm on themselves to win,felt like he was letting Pederson off easy.