Spiral: From the Book of Saw is an immaculate comeback of the ‘Saw’ franchise. I loved and enjoyed Spiral. From the director, the plot, and the traps, Spiral is fresh while simultaneously tying in the spirit of the franchise and its history. Here’s why ‘Saw’ fans and new audiences need to watch it.
First, director Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw II, Saw III, and Saw IV) revives the signature ‘Saw’ visuals. Even if you haven’t seen his other films, know that Spiral will not disappoint. Bousman has a unique directorial style that makes horror-Esque films aesthetically alluring to the eye. Not to mention, incredible scene transitions.
Bousman demonstrates, dare I say, a ‘conundrum of carnage’ [but the carnage is yet to unravel as Spiral is just the beginning], which the plot carries through in an important message reflecting one of society’s horrors—corrupt cops. Spiral evolves the mantra of John Kramer, aka, Jigsaw [the deceased antagonist] where the plot crafts a new signature for the antagonist of Spiral.
The ‘Jigsaw’ copycat aims to clean up the police by kidnapping and testing crooked cops using their crimes against them. Ridding of bad cops? I rooted for this new ‘Jigsaw’ killer.
In this era of accountability, Spiral’s antagonist is applying Jigsaw’s method to a system rather than an individual. That is, instead of testing and healing individuals of their sins like Kramer would do, crooked cops are being cleansed from a corrupt legal system. If they pass their test, they would never be able to do wrong again.
How? By playing a game.
For insight into these new games, targeted cops are placed into deadly traps that they have to escape. The only way of getting out of the said trap is mimicked by their wrongdoings. For instance, this beginning scene that was posted by the official Spiral account before the official release in theaters.
In the scene, the cop in the trap has a history of lying in court. Therefore, he has to rip his tongue out in order to survive before a train hits him. Even though I used this scene as an example, I recommend watching Spiral without watching spoilers. It’s a fresher experience when you don’t know what to visualize.
While Spiral’s traps aren’t lengthy, the tension is there because of how shocking they are. The rules of each game to escape the traps are simple, but the consequences to win are extreme.
Along with Director Bousman, Chris Rock, being one of the screenwriters, worked with Josh Stolberg and Peter Goldfinger (writers of Jigsaw). The cast stars Chris Rock, Samuel L. Jackson, Max Minghella, and Marisol Nichols, and they all perform immaculately bringing life to this epic, unique ‘Saw’ film. Rock’s character, Zeke Banks, is centered in the ‘Jigsaw’ copycat’s games as he and his partner, William Schenk (Minghella), investigate.
Overall, with Bousman back directing, along with a strong plot, and gnarly traps, Spiral adds a freshness to the franchise. It balances well as a ‘Saw’ film while also being its own thing. You can watch it without needing to have watched the previous eight films. Spiral represents a great horror film as well as a great ‘Saw’ film, and it’s convenient to see a story on an ongoing societal issue.
Check out the trailer below, and get your tickets here.
With that said, I hope my insight has enlightened you and I’d love to talk about this in-depth! If you’d like to see more of my random content or would like to contact me, you can find me on Instagram, Twitter, or Tumblr. You may also email me at jrnw99@gmail.com if you prefer.
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