In a surprising turn of events, the iconic Saw franchise, which initially stumbled as an unsuccessful film in 2001 but later resurrect-ed itself as one of the most successful horror movie series in 2004, has unleashed its latest installment, “Saw X.”
Directed by Kevin Greutert and written by Peter Goldfinger, the tone of this most recent installment is depressing and uninspired, with a very dull opening.
The movie kicks off with the protagonist confined to a hospital, grappling with his own illness, a somewhat tedious introduction for those well-acquainted with the franchise or horror enthusiasts in general.
Nevertheless, “Saw X” succeeds in escaping the constraints of repetition that have dogged its predecessors. The main character finds himself caught in his own web of torment as he rekindles the game of torture. Although many of the death scenes are somewhat predictable, they are undeniably gruesome.
But let’s not confuse gore with genuine horror. “Saw X” may be intense and bloody, but it lacks the spine-tingling fear that characterized the early installments.
The most horrifying prospect here is the notion that another sequel might be in the pipeline.
The “Saw” franchise appears to have aged and lost some of its appeal with time.
There’s no obvious direction for a sequel coming out of this film. I really wanted it to feel like a kind of final send-off for the Jigsaw character, but never say never.
“Saw X,” uses its excessive and genuinely disturbing gore serving as both a highlight and a detriment. In the end, the question lingers: will there ever be a final chapter in the “Saw” series, or are we left with an indefinite “Until next time?”
