Saw X, the tenth movie in the Saw franchise, is almost here. Spiral and Jigsaw werenāt numbered entries, but they still count, even if neither spawned a whole new series. But with nine Saw movies already out in the wild, just which is the best? And which should have been left chained to a pipe? If thatās what youāre wondering, my ranked list of all Saw movies has the answer.
Here Are All Saw Movies From Worst to Best
Itās tempting to organize the Saw movies in order of gore. Iām sure some people fire up the films and just fast forward to the nasty bits. I know that I certainly have my own favorite traps. But, instead, Iām assuming youāll be watching the Saw movies from beginning to end and have ranked them from worst (9) to best (1).
9. Jigsaw
The last Saw movie to see the light of day, Jigsaw isnāt awful. There are some cool traps, including the concluding laser collar trap. But it tries too hard to shoehorn itself into the existing Saw timeline, adding yet another apprentice to John Kramerās comically large murder workforce.
8. Saw VII/Saw 3D
Game over! Well, until Spiral… and Jigsaw…Ā and Saw X, but as a temporary ending to the series, Saw VII is a bit of a disappointment. It does feature two amazing traps and itās fun to see a cameo from that character.Ā
However, in a rush to tie up as many loose threads as it can, it just feels messy. That didnāt stop the movie from making nearly ten times its production budget, which is probably why Lionsgate continues to revisit the franchise.Ā Ā
7. Saw V
Saw V is that awkward fifth movie, with the franchise trying to pass the torch to its new Jigsaw. It doesnāt help that, in all the scenes where the two are together, John Kramer outshines his would-be apprentice. There was a method to Kramerās madness but the new guy? It feels like the franchise deserves better.Ā
6. Saw VI
This entry is the Saw/Office Space crossover I didnāt know I needed. Unlike Saw III, the character drama and the trap action are intertwined.Ā The problem is the other characters who are fighting for Jigsawās legacy. Between the two of them thereās not really anyone to root for.Ā
5. Spiral
Spiral avoids Jigsawās mistake, going instead with an all-new copycat. Chris Rock gives a near-Fargo excellent performance here as a police officer suffering for the sins of his father. The father, in turn is played by Samuel L. Jackson. No, I never thought I’d see him in a Saw movie either. Itās a lot of fun, even if it doesnāt innovate quite as much as it should.Ā
4. Saw III
Saw III is another character-driven entry in the franchise but itās not about Jeff, whoās frantically running around solving traps. Instead, the movieās tension comes from the interplay between Dr Lynn Denlon, John Kramer, and Amanda, whoās in serious need of anger management classes. Denlon has been tasked with saving Kramer aka Jigsawās life or, at least, delaying his demise. Thatās not a job I’d wish on my worst enemy.Ā
3. Saw IVĀ
Saw IVās double twist is almost worth the price of admission, with Lyriq Bentās Rigg finally…Ā I wonāt spoil it. But it takes Saw IIIās closing āchoiceā and runs with it, letting Rigg decide who lives and who dies again and again. The traps are, again, horrifying, but itās his frantic quest that drives the movie.
2. Saw II
Saw IIās budget was four times the original, which allowed writer Leigh Whannel to go wild, giving us some truly memorable scenes. Saw director James Wan only served as executive producer, but new director Darren Lynn Bousman still managed to knock it out of the park.Ā
The traps are, as always, gruesomely creative but itās the needle pit scene that truly had me squirming. And the interplay between Tobin Bellās John Kramer and Donnie Wahlbergās furious cop (itās his son Jigsaw has taken) is a joy to watch.
1. Saw
The original and still the best, Sawās production budget was a measly one million dollars but, thanks to some smart scripting and direction, it rarely shows. Cary Elwes and Leigh Whannell (who also wrote the film) steal the show as the two primary captives, so much so that I was able to resist yelling āAs you wish!ā at the screen.
Those are all the Saw movies ranked, from worst to best. And if youāre wondering when in the timeline Saw X takes place, hereās your answer.Ā
Published: Aug 4, 2023 07:23 pm