John ‘Jigsaw’ Kramer is seemingly back from the dead in the latest installment of the Saw series, but how? Simply, this film is a prequel set between Saw and Saw II, which also allows the return of Shawnee Smith’s Amanda as his deadly apprentice.
In Saw X, we learn even more about John as he undergoes treatment for terminal cancer. Hearing of a miracle cure in Mexico, John heads there with a renewed hope of survival. However, he finds out it’s a scam to make money from desperate people. Of course, this is one person you don’t want to con, and so the games begin. Again.
Saw X is one of the strongest films in the franchise, giving us more of an insight into the man behind Jigsaw and his renewed purpose. Amidst the horror are a few self-referential laughs; most notably Jigsaw getting inspiration from some hospital machinery for his traps and a candid discussion about his career.
It does have its flaws too, mostly in the final third of the movie where there’s a bit too much fan-service muddying the plot. For those who want gore, innovative traps, and creepy puppets on tricycles, you won’t be disappointed. For Jigsaw, the end is the beginning, and his inevitable death is his rebirth. Maybe we’ll see a few more standalone adventures soon – Saw XI anybody?
SAW X is in cinemas now
