Saw X

Over the course of its two-hour runtime, Saw X first attempts to be a drama about dying of cancer and later wants to knock us out with sophisticated twists, but it’s all for nothing due to the pervasive imbecility of the screenwriting and directing. By imbecility, I mean the stylization of the sadistic serial killer into the role of martyr and judge, with whom we are supposed to sympathies when he seeks a life-saving treatment, and whom we are then supposed to root for in the slaughter of those who screwed him over. The punishment of the main antagonist is the least “satisfying”, even though we spend the whole film waiting for it. By imbecility, I also mean the comically overwrought scene with intestines and the fact that it doesn’t occur to the characters to turn their heads to the side so that the blood doesn’t run onto their faces as they are being “waterboarded” with the red stuff. And I’m not even going to get into the abilities of one of the victims in performing surgery on himself. I like HORROR more than most viewers, so it bothers me all the more when it’s handled like a genre for idiots. (05/10/2023)

Certainly better than I expected when the next Saw was announced (the best since the sixth installment), but at the same time not so good that I understand the surprisingly high ratings across film databases. It benefits from the fact that Jigsaw's main antagonist is an incredible bastard, and that the film thus breaks slightly from the existing template by making Kramer and his sidekicks the protagonists. It would have worked better, though, in my opinion, if this approach had come right after the first original episode. It's too late now, especially knowing all that's been (and will be) going on, and this is really an unplanned padding made out of necessity after the creators eliminated the villain too soon, driving the series into a dead end in which it has hopelessly sunk deeper and deeper over time. (23/10/2023)

Oh yeah!! Saw X is a pleasant surprise for me and the franchise is back in full force. I personally like this franchise a lot, it's a nice showcase of gore and torture with a high level of craftsmanship and we rarely see it in such quality, but here I have to appreciate that the film can once again work as a dense revenge psycho-thriller and the return of the iconic serial killer Jigsaw is the best thing that could have happened to the franchise. This is actually a very personal revenge and John Kramer is actually portrayed as a good guy who even the viewer is tempted to root for (because his victims are also pretty big bastards that you wish dead) and I loved that nice contrast. I enjoyed Jigsaw's background, even though the introduction is a bit slower, but, what the hell, Jigsaw is such a cool character that he is entertaining even if he doesn't set traps and torture. From the second half onwards it's the same old Saw we love with all that goes with it. The traps are once again well thought out and inventive (it's really crazy what they’ve been able to come up with in these 10 episodes), the gore is beautiful and very intense (I have to say that even I as a blood lover was a bit uncomfortable this time, and I've seen a lot), all that leg cutting and brain scratching will stick in my head for a long time. The return of Amanda was also a delight, adding a nice nostalgic spice to the film, and the closer the film got to the end (the iconic soundtrack started playing and the cool twists started rolling again), I couldn't be dissatisfied. I do have a minor complaint about the finale (the sneaky bitch definitely deserved something utterly morbid, but on the other hand there is room for another installment where they can once again go all out). I have to say that I had great fun for the first time in a while, I devoured every second of it and I'd happily watch it again in a heartbeat. Together with Evil Dead Rise the clear winners of this year's Gore section. 8.5/10. (23/10/2023)