Title – Saw X (2023) 

Director – Kevin Greutert (Saw 3D) 

Cast – Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith, Synnøve Macody Lund, Steven Brand

Plot – Following on closely from the events of the first Saw film, Saw X follows John Kramer (Bell) across the border into Mexico where he discovers a nefarious organisation hellbent on taking advantage of the desperate and needy. Games ensue. 

“This is not retribution. It’s a reawakening”

Review by Eddie on 13/10/2023

The 10th entry into the Saw film franchise since a little James Wan directed horror burst onto the scene in 2004, it’s incredible to think that for coming on close to two decades on we have been averaging a Saw film every two years, meaning across that time quality has not always been a strong point but thankfully the Kevin Greutert directed Saw X is a decently successful return to form for a property that felt as though it was well and truly out of ideas when the Chris Rock starring Spiral released in 2021. 

Returning to the directors chair after helming both Saw VI and Saw 3D in the past, as well as handling the editing duties on the original 2004 classic, Greutert knows his way around a Saw feature and his experience shows with Saw X both a much more polished and unnerving entry than the most recent of efforts, as his direct follow on from the original, set in between Saw and Saw II delivers on all the goods that fans will be waiting for with bated breath. 

Key to the success of Saw X is giving the film an actual plot worth building everything else around and for long-term fans they’re going to get a huge kick out of getting more Tobin Bell than they could’ve ever hoped for, as the 81 year old actor here returns as the infamous engineer/trap master John Kramer (no relation to Cosmo) who after the events of the first film sets off to Mexico in hope of being cured of his terminal cancer, an adventure that leads him down a dark path that eventuates in some of the series most memorable traps yet. 

Perhaps more slowly paced early on that many would be expecting as we take a nice little sojourn with Kramer to the sunny locales of Mexico (Hollywood Mexican filter absolutely included), Saw X doesn’t rush into things here and gives Bell the most material he’s had to work with yet in the 10 film series and while not everything in this long-winded early section makes a mark, it at least allows us to enjoy some calm before the storm when the more stereotypical Saw goodness begins to hit, whether you’re eyeballs are ready for it or not. 

Without sounding too macabre it’s likely many audience members signed up for Saw X to see some dastardly and terrifying traps/games hog the spotlight and on that front Greutert and his creative team deliver in spades with a collection of scenes and scenarios that are likely to get audiences squirming in their seats and while not quite up to the level of devilishly memorable moments from the first two Saw entries, Saw X can be ranked in the upper echelon of the Saw carnage hall of fame. 

There’s a lot of aspects of Saw X that leave a lot to be desired, including the slightly on the nose script work of screenwriters Pete Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg and the performances of the films supporting cast, including an out of her depth Shawnee Smith as returning fan favourite Amanda Young but overall to consider where we are now from the lows of Spiral and Jigsaw, Saw X is a welcome return to form showing that against all the odds, Saw still has a pulse. 

Final Say – 

There’s nothing groundbreaking about this 10th Saw instalment but its back to basics approach and lead turn from series stalwart Tobin Bell ensures Saw X is going to be a hit with fans who have been long-suffering over recent times. 

3 surgery DVDs out of 5