Saw X is a 2023 American horror prequel film in which John Kramer (Tobin Bell) travels to Mexico to seek a cure for his cancer.
Directed and edited by Kevin Greutert (director of Saw VI and Saw: The Final Chapter; editor of Saw through to Saw V and Jigsaw) from a screenplay co-written by Josh Stolberg and Pete Goldfinger (Spiral; Jigsaw; Crawlspace; Piranha 3DD; Piranha 3D; Sorority Row).
The Lionsgate-Twisted Pictures co-production stars Tobin Bell, Renata Vaca (Midnight Family), Paulette Hernandez (Crown of Tears), Joshua Okamoto (Control-Z), Octavio Hinojosa (Come Play With Me), Synnøve Macody Lund (Ragnarok), Steven Brand (The Sandman) and Michael Beach (Dahmer).
Blurb:
“The return of Tobin Bell to the franchise furthers Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures’ goal of a film that captures everything Saw fans love about the franchise, while also keeping them guessing with all-new traps and a new mystery to solve.”
Plot:
John Kramer (Tobin Bell) is back, and it’s the untold chapter of Jigsaw’s final games. Set between the events of Saw and Saw II, 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. The infamous killer returns to his work, turning the tables on the con artists in his signature visceral way through devious, deranged, and ingenious traps…
Release date:
In the US and UK, Saw X was released by Lionsgate theatrically on September 29, 2023.
Reviews:
“A complete rejuvenation of the franchise as we dive deep into John Kramer’s character. We feel his pain, we relate to his emotions and we join him and Amanda as a whole new game has been set out before us. The missing pieces of the puzzle that have been lost on the franchise are now complete resulting in one of the best films of the entire franchise.” ★★★★★ Back to the Movies
“Saw X delivers a franchise high, and that’s no small feat ten installments deep. There’s a comfortable sense of awareness and humor found in a sequel that utilizes its pared-back simplicity to showcase the characters and gore. Whether you’re new to the franchise or a diehard fanatic, Saw X is an easy recommendation this Halloween season. Welcome back, Jigsaw.” ★★★★ Bloody Disgusting
“Saw X returns to the franchise roots, but its sepia-tone Mexican setting, fast-paced torture devices, and a scattered view on morality make it a perfectly fine Saw entry, but not a great SAW film. Getting lost in the weeds of trying to turn the franchise again, driven by fan complaints for the last two films, Saw X feels like it’s chained by the past, instead of keeping the franchise moving forward.” 5.5 out of 10, But Why Tho?
“Fans have long wanted to somehow see John Kramer and Amanda together again, and the twisted sort-of father-daughter relationship between the two is another element that lifts the new Saw movie above other sequels. Saw X might still deliver the gore you’d expect from a Saw outing, yet in attempting to do something new and not just the same-old, it’s potentially injected the series with fresh blood.” ★★★ Digital Spy
” …the humanity of these dark and flawed characters is what keeps Saw X engaging despite its relentlessly graphic dismemberment and shock violence. It’s also less concerned with fooling the audience, content with dropping smaller revelations along the way. Saw X is a solid, grotesquely fun installation renewing life in a presumed-dead series…” ★★★ Flickering Myth
“The practical effects are gnarly and realistic, while the sound design amps up the gross-out factor. It certainly isn’t for the squeamish. Saw X is a nauseating crowd-pleaser that goes grislier than its predecessors. It’s certainly an improvement over the franchise’s weaker installments, but it doesn’t capture the tension of the earliest chapters.” ★★★ Guy at the Movies
“Ten films in and it’s a routine we’re so intimately familiar with that it’d be hard to call any element of Saw X original but returning director Kevin Greutert knows what’ll satisfy his audience: a few buckets of blood and the gag-inducing sound of crunching bone. Here, they’ll get exactly what they want. And so will John.” ★★★ The Independent UK
” …Saw X stands out as one of the best additions to the franchise. It brings back the original essence of the Saw series with its gritty, dirty feel while also allowing the audience to gain deeper insight into Kramer. While some might want more complex and bloodier traps, they’ll likely find the film’s horrors surprisingly chilling. Unlike its predecessors, Saw X elicits empathy for Kramer, leaving it to the audience to decide whether that’s a positive or negative outcome.” Nightmarish Conjurings
“Saw X is one of the more interesting Saw movies and one of the best in the franchise, perhaps second only to Saw III. And after a departure for the series in the form of Jigsaw and a near-complete reboot in Spiral: From the Book of Saw, fans will find a lot to like here: Jigsaw gets more screentime here than in any previous film, and Bell makes the most of it.” ★★★ The Prague Reporter
” …sets up the expectation that Saw X might end up being more of a character study. The film is unable to deliver on that promise, as well as the one where Amanda gets to do anything interesting other than occasionally serve as a spark of a conscience. But it’s difficult to hold those unmet expectations against Saw X, even as it twists and turns in its attempt to make the reason for Jigsaw’s actions have more pathos or feel more justified.” ★★½ Slant
” …this one lacks a key component that made the earlier films so successful: a brisk pace. This is entirely too long, and though the traps are kind of neat, there’s far too much downtime between them. Often gross, but rarely tense.” 2 out of 4, Splatter Critic
“It’s undeniably effective. And stripped back to basics, Saw’s appeal (if that’s the word) is certainly clearer than it’s been for a while; the series isn’t really horror at all, but a revenge thriller taken to deliberately appalling test-your-nerve extremes. Those minded to put themselves through it are unlikely to leave disappointed, though giving deli counters a wide berth for a week or two is advised.” ★★★ The Telegraph UK
“The torture set pieces in the Saw films are lavish gifts of baroque horror presented to the audience. They are, quite simply, the reason we came. Tobin Bell, with his stare of pitiless wisdom, is also a draw, but Saw X raises the issue of how much of John Kramer’s hand-wringing is too much.” Variety
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