Saw 9 [extra — Quality]

The question on every fan’s mind was simple: Could the franchise survive without its two core pillars, Tobin Bell’s John Kramer and the grimy, green-tinted aesthetic of the original films? The answer, as it turned out, was a bloody, ambitious, but ultimately uneven "yes."

Instead of Spiral 2 , the creative team went back to the original timeline. was released in 2023, and it became a massive hit with critics and fans alike. Saw X is a direct sequel to Saw I and Saw II , ignoring Spiral entirely. It features Tobin Bell as the lead for the first time.

The traps are designed to expose police perjury, racial profiling, evidence tampering, and brutality. The killer leaves behind wax cylinders containing puppets—a "Piggy" puppet rather than Billy the Doll—taunting the department with the phrase: "The truth will set you free." The question on every fan’s mind was simple:

Enter Detective Ezekiel "Zeke" Banks (Chris Rock), a cynical, loud-mouthed cop ostracized by his peers for turning in a corrupt partner. Rock, who also produced the film, brings a surprising dramatic weight to the role, though his signature comedic cadence occasionally clashes with the grim subject matter. Paired with a rookie (Max Minghella) and hunted by a Jigsaw copycat, Zeke must navigate a city where cops are the criminals and the traps are designed as punishment for police brutality and systemic corruption.

Saw 9 ( Spiral ) is an ambitious, flawed, but ultimately entertaining detour for the franchise. It swings for the fences by criticizing the police, which is rare for a horror movie, but it fails to capture the nihilistic magic of the original series. It remains the "lost" chapter of the Saw saga—a bold experiment that answered a question nobody asked: What if Jigsaw fought racism in the police department? Saw X is a direct sequel to Saw

While staying in the same universe, Spiral introduced several major departures from the traditional formula:

: A subway-based trap that forces a victim to choose between their tongue and their life. While staying in the same universe

A series of brutal murders begins plaguing the city. The killer uses Jigsaw’s M.O.—engineering elaborate "tests" or "games" that force victims to mutilate themselves to survive. However, the target is specific: This new Jigsaw isn't punishing drug addicts or criminals. He is targeting .