Hollywood movie franchises do not typically get better the longer they go, especially when they continue for as long as the Saw franchise. The original low-budget horror movie from James Wan and Leigh Whannell proved to be a massive hit nearly 20 years ago, as Saw was responsible for launching both of their careers as directors and writers, along with giving Lionsgate a bankable franchise. The studio went back to the well countless times in the past, convoluting the timeline and creating an increasingly complicated canon in the process of fleshing out characters all tied to John Kramer's original Jigsaw mission. While 2021's Spiral marked the first installment without Tobin Bell's Jigsaw, Saw X brings him back like never before. This could have resulted in the movie being a cheap cash grab, but Saw X delivers the most personal and bloodiest entry to date, easily making it the best Saw movie sequel and ultimately proving that there is still life in this franchise.

The premise of Saw X could sound relatively familiar for those who have remained tuned into the franchise's story. The basic summary could sound as simple as John Kramer tests the will and survival ability of individuals connected to his past with the help of Amanda Young (Shawnee Smith), only for the full extent of his plan to be revealed in the final moments. However, it would be unfair to describe Saw X in that fashion and lump it together with every other entry in the franchise. The movie occurs between Saw and Saw II as John Kramer is scammed trying to cure his cancer. Upon learning the truth of how Cecilia Pederson (Synnøve Macody Lund) and her team tricked him, he and Amanda devise a new set of games and traps to teach them a lesson and give them a new lease on life.

Thanks to this fresh narrative decision, Saw X lets its story and John Kramer's arc feel as crucial to the movie as the blood and guts that will eventually be spilled. Director Kevin Greutert, who returns to the franchise after directing Saw VI and Saw 3D, takes the script from writers Josh Stolberg and Pete Goldfinger, the duo behind Jigsaw and Spiral, and makes audiences wait for the typical Saw story to set in. Thanks to the franchise's longest runtime, Saw X spends nearly the first 30 minutes just focusing on John Kramer battling cancer and trying to get better. There is barely any talk about how he wants to "help" people through his games or any inkling of violence present. This allows the movie to make audiences care for John like never before and support the vengeful and twisted games that follow. The focus on John also allows Tobin Bell to deliver his best performance in the franchise.

By giving audiences a chance to connect to the characters and story that Saw X wants to explore, the movie feels completely different from anything else the franchise has done before. Long-time fans can rest assured, though, as the movie eventually brings in the violence and traps that audiences have come to expect. The games featured are quite violent at times, but they still manage to get creative, which is not easy after nearly 20 years of Jigsaw traps and deaths. It is through John and Amanda torturing Cecilia and her team that the Saw X supporting cast gets moments to shine, too. Amanda's connection to Gabriela (Renata Vaca) gives Shawnee Smith a chance to flesh out a character the franchise previously had trouble with at times. Synnøve Macody Lund also makes Cecilia a despicable villain thanks to her actions and attitude.

The highs that come with Saw X do not mean the movie is without its faults. The attempts to make Jigsaw's motive resonate with viewers is not always effective and seamless, especially when considering where John Kramer and Amanda go and what they do after this. The Saw X twist ending also leaves room for improvement, whether due to the pace at which the reveals come in the finale or because some surprises are telegraphed too heavily. The good news is that Greutert's experience as an editor, a role the director also assumed for this installment, allows the movie to move along at a comfortable pace that keeps tensions high.

After years of underwhelming sequels, Saw X is a return to form for the franchise that embraces the grit and grounded story of the original and has fun with violent traps and gore while elevating the story and characters. Just as John Kramer attempts to give people a fresh look at life and atone for past mistakes, Saw X is the type of movie that could reinvent the series by avoiding the pitfalls many previous movies made - including returning to a John and Amanda-centric story. It might not reach the heights of the original movie in terms of its inventiveness, but it could have a similar lasting impression on the Saw franchise if this is a sign of what can still be done. At the very least, Saw X is the perfect place for audiences to jump back into the story even if they dropped out as the quality spiraled with each sequel that will leave viewers excited to see Jigsaw back and, arguably, as best as ever before.

Saw X is now playing in theaters. The film is 118 minutes long and rated R for sequences of grisly bloody violence and torture, language, and some drug use.