Saw X (2023) spoiler free review

“This is not retribution. It’s a reawakening.” Saw X is a 2023 American horror film directed and edited by Kevin Greutert and written by Peter Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg. It’s the tenth installment in the Saw film series, being a direct sequel to Saw (2004) and a prequel to Saw II (2005). It was theatrically released by Lionsgate on September 29, 2023.

Hoping for a miraculous cure, John Kramer travels to Mexico for a risky and experimental medical procedure, only to discover the entire operation is a scam to defraud the most vulnerable. Armed with a newfound purpose, the infamous serial killer uses deranged and ingenious traps to turn the tables on the con artists.

Film synopsis

The cast includes Tobin Bell as John Kramer / Jigsaw, Shawnee Smith as Amanda Young, Synnøve Macody Lund as Cecilia Pederson, Steven Brand as Parker Sears, Renata Vaca as Gabriela, Joshua Okamoto as Diego, Octavio Hinojosa as Mateo, Paulette Hernández as Valentina, Jorge Briseño as Carlos, Costas Mandylor as Mark Hoffman, Michael Beach as Henry Kessler, Isan Beomhyun Lee as a custodian, David Alfano as a doctor, Katie Barberi as cancer support group leader, and Donagh Gordon as Finn Pederson.

My opinion

Opening with John Kramer being diagnosed with terminal cancer the first half of Saw X (2023) focuses on John‘s journey to acceptance of his disease and the chance of being cure. Once he realizes that it was a scam is when the action begins. Tobin Bell as John Kramer is exceptional, feeling like it hasn’t been years since the last time we saw him portraying this iconic character turning it into his best performance of the whole franchise. He’s able to bring the emotional, deeper, and human side of a villain that has an actual purpose for what he does and can’t be hated. That elements were the missing pieces of a franchise that has focused more on the blood than the soul.

Of all of his apprentices, the best choice was to bring Amanda Young back. She’s not only the first apprentice to ever been introduced in the franchise, but is the connection and the relationship that these characters haves what make them even better. Throughout the film, we see them talking about the inevitable: that he has only months to live and that she is the one that will continue his work. Since the film takes place between the first one and the second one, we know what is actually going to happen in the upcoming months. The pace is perfect with the right amount of time to truly connect with John’s story and then to enjoy what we came to see: the traps and gore. 

The trailer and marketing materials where misleading taking out of context the scenes in order to surprise the audience into which direction the film is moving through. The traps are exceptional, brutal and creative, but they also show the earlier stage of the group traps that will be later presented on the rest of the franchise. The score, composed by Charlie Clouser, never misses to give chills, and marks not only the ending, but when the plot twist will be revealed. The plot can turn predictable, but is creative and a smart enough to create an actual good film in a franchise has been in decadence for the last years.

The practical effects are exquisite, nasty, and graphic just the way that they are supposed to be. This is a horror film that didn’t disappoint and, is indeed not only one of the best of the franchise, but also one of the best off this year. It was highly anticipated, and it fulfilled the expectations of every single one of the fans that have been waiting for years. Saw X (2023) is the prove that you can do a horror film that is both emotional and gory.

[Editor’s note: This piece was written during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn’t exist.]