Saw X (2023)★ 6.7/10

Not as good as expected. It’s better than the last two movies in the series, but that's all. The worst thing about the script is to place the story development in a nearly closed factory for no reason, even though similar stories have been written far too many times and thus already lost their tension. The loss of scene changes has deprived the core "game" of its gameplay - the sense of the unknown with its thriller vibes, the expectations of a new setting in a closed environment, and the appreciation of the complex architectural structures are all completely impossible. In terms of filters, the signature dark green palette of the Saw series has disappeared, replaced by mediocre, cheesy yellow and red tones. The beginning of the game clearly lays out the complexity of Jigsaw's situation, and could have made Jigsaw's psyche clearer and more fan-oriented, but it's disappointing to see how greedy the film is to make the doctor the "bad guy" and thus start Jigsaw's friendship with Amanda, selling the character's popularity, and almost turning Jigsaw into a good guy with flat characterization, which is really disappointing. Also, the novelty of the gameplay is far below that of the first seven movies, with only the first two games barely passable.

(Slight spoilers) The best Saw since Saw 3D! A living and less than perfect John, a femme fatale, and a seed planted for later. Now that's a proper sequel to the Saw series. I've been waiting for a movie like this for 13 years, since 2010! Seeing John being cheated by such a bunch of assholes and angrily dropping the gifts he had prepared when he realized he was cheated really broke my heart… Not to mention that cruel bitch who doesn't hesitate to let innocents suffer, it really makes me upset. Saw X is really great, and I, as a longtime fan, am finally in tears.

I love it! It’s really well done, bringing the series back to its peak; look at that dirty and rusty mechanical beauty... The screenwriters are so creative and impressive, and the two games that stick in my mind are the ones where you have to break five of your own fingers in 60 seconds or have your eyeballs sucked out by a vacuum tube, and the other one where you have to give yourself a craniotomy and remove some of your brain tissue in 3 minutes. Saw has always been breaking the mold as an age-restricted gore movie, and this one has received the best feedback from critics and audiences alike for the entire series. Btw, the story is complete and easy to follow so it can be understood without having seen any of the other prior films.

This is the only franchise brave enough to feature a montage flashing back to events that occurred five minutes ago. Never change! Doesn’t justify why it needs nearly an hour of laborious set-up before the SAW movie begins, but I still had a good time. Plenty for the Jiggalos (what I call Jigsaw fans) to enjoy: nasty traps even if they mostly feel redundant here, both among themselves and from previous ones. Can’t stress enough how a 2-hour runtime isn’t an asset. But the truly inspired, gnarly, and practical FX delivers; the series has become self-aware and possesses a sense of humor. Don’t miss the mid-credits scene, which is exactly the ludicrous MCU-style beat I was yearning for. It’s funny that this series has become such a comfort watch, given the content, but it’s true! I like the idea that’s teased early on here, that Kramer lays traps for every bad person he meets, but only in his head. Too bad that’s dropped so fast!

The moment Jigsaw is cheated, what shatters is not his confidence as a master of sadistic games, but his last fantasy and hope for life. Not only that, the movie expands "Jigsaw" into a group or even a class of people, whose suffering is the plunder of their dignity by the upper class. The return of this horror series, which has been popular among the ordinary citizens for nearly two decades, brings back not only a sense of familiarity, but also the protest against elitistism. There's no doubt that "Jigsaw" will gain wider acceptance both on and off screen. Instead of being a sadistic cult believer, Jigsaw has become a fighter for the underdogs and upholds justice for the people in a world that's becoming worse and more divided, and in a way, the series has morphed into a “hero movie”.