Saw X

Saw X versucht, in einer zweistündigen Laufzeit zunächst ein Drama über einen sterbenden Krebspatienten zu sein und später das Publikum mit ausgefallenen Wendungen zu überraschen. Im Hinblick auf die allgegenwärtige Dummheit des Drehbuchs und der Regie ist es aber absolut nutzlos. Mit Dummheit meine ich die Stilisierung des sadistischen Massenmörders als Märtyrer und Richter, den wir bemitleiden sollen, wenn er nach einer Rettungsbehandlung sucht; und dem wir anschließend die Daumen drücken sollen, wenn er diejenigen abschlachtet, die ihn betrogen haben. Die Bestrafung der negativen Hauptfigur, auf die wir den ganzen Film über warten, ist am wenigsten „befriedigend“. Mit Dummheit meine ich auch die komisch übertriebene Szene mit den Gedärmen oder die Tatsache, dass die Figuren beim Blut-Waterboarding nicht den Kopf zur Seite drehen, damit ihnen das Blut nicht ins Gesicht fließt. Ganz zu schweigen von den Fähigkeiten eines der Opfer während der chirurgischen Operation, die diese Person an sich selbst durchführt. Als jemand, der HORRORFILME mehr als die meisten Zuschauer*innen mag, stört es mich umso mehr, wenn damit wie mit einem Genre für Idioten umgegangen wird. (05.10.2023)

Oh yeah!! Saw X is a pleasant surprise for me and the franchise is back in full force. I personally like this franchise a lot, it's a nice showcase of gore and torture with a high level of craftsmanship and we rarely see it in such quality, but here I have to appreciate that the film can once again work as a dense revenge psycho-thriller and the return of the iconic serial killer Jigsaw is the best thing that could have happened to the franchise. This is actually a very personal revenge and John Kramer is actually portrayed as a good guy who even the viewer is tempted to root for (because his victims are also pretty big bastards that you wish dead) and I loved that nice contrast. I enjoyed Jigsaw's background, even though the introduction is a bit slower, but, what the hell, Jigsaw is such a cool character that he is entertaining even if he doesn't set traps and torture. From the second half onwards it's the same old Saw we love with all that goes with it. The traps are once again well thought out and inventive (it's really crazy what they’ve been able to come up with in these 10 episodes), the gore is beautiful and very intense (I have to say that even I as a blood lover was a bit uncomfortable this time, and I've seen a lot), all that leg cutting and brain scratching will stick in my head for a long time. The return of Amanda was also a delight, adding a nice nostalgic spice to the film, and the closer the film got to the end (the iconic soundtrack started playing and the cool twists started rolling again), I couldn't be dissatisfied. I do have a minor complaint about the finale (the sneaky bitch definitely deserved something utterly morbid, but on the other hand there is room for another installment where they can once again go all out). I have to say that I had great fun for the first time in a while, I devoured every second of it and I'd happily watch it again in a heartbeat. Together with Evil Dead Rise the clear winners of this year's Gore section. 8.5/10. (23.10.2023)

Certainly better than I expected when the next Saw was announced (the best since the sixth installment), but at the same time not so good that I understand the surprisingly high ratings across film databases. It benefits from the fact that Jigsaw's main antagonist is an incredible bastard, and that the film thus breaks slightly from the existing template by making Kramer and his sidekicks the protagonists. It would have worked better, though, in my opinion, if this approach had come right after the first original episode. It's too late now, especially knowing all that's been (and will be) going on, and this is really an unplanned padding made out of necessity after the creators eliminated the villain too soon, driving the series into a dead end in which it has hopelessly sunk deeper and deeper over time. (23.10.2023)