Saw X was released in theaters on September 29th, chronologically in between the second and third movies of the horror series Saw. If you’ve seen any of the previous movies, you can tell what makes a Saw movie distinctive. From the recurring characters to the classic twist endings, it has marked itself as a beloved franchise amongst horror fans. As a longstanding fan of the series, I have to say my expectations for this new release were low. Saw has always been hit-or-miss with each new movie, and my outlook on future films was grim. However, I was proven wrong from the first minute.
Saw X was unique while sticking with the same jigsaw we all love or hate. The plot was unpredictable as well as satisfying, as were the characters. I was afraid of it sticking with a cliche horror approach, but the twists certainly lived up to my expectations. Each trap was equally unique and gorey, with impressive visual effects. They warranted reactions of repulsion from the audience. While John Kramer has always been a morally gray character, I believe this film helped foster a sense of empathy for him by strengthening his moral compass and showing more of his experience with cancer. The people he entraps are undoubtedly deserving of it.
On top of this, the soundtrack and cinematography perfectly craft a tense mood. I physically felt myself clench my entire body at the particularly intense scenes. While this isn’t a typical jump-scare movie, as expected, the mixture of emotional distress and shocking gore makes it a solid horror movie experience.
My main criticism of this film is its relatively lackluster ending. It left more to be desired, and I don’t believe it was on the same level as the rest of the film. Also, if you’re planning to watch it, you should probably watch a few previous Saw films first. If you are a pre-existing fan, this film is more rewarding for you.
All in all, I found this a highly entertaining horror movie. With returning characters, a well-constructed plot, and impressive visual effects, it marked itself as another definitively successful Saw film.
