Beyond the blood and guts (a glut of guts!) seen in SAW X, the latest installment of the SAW franchise offers a chance to get to know John Kramer aka Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) on a more intimate level, returning to the period between the original film and its sequel, when Kramer discovers he has terminal brain cancer.
In a group therapy session, the protagonist comes to grips with his mortality (a theme that runs through all SAW movies) even as he looks for medical treatments that might reverse his condition. Later, he happens upon a man from the group who seems to have found a cure via an experimental treatment in Mexico. This sets up a journey of hope that’s surprisingly touching for a SAW movie, especially for anyone who’s seen the previous ones and knows how merciless Kramer can be.
His reasons for taking the lives of others was always based on something beyond violence and vengeance: accountability, appreciation for life, and the consequences of choice. This newly expanded story line about Kramer’s illness and the people who, it’s ultimately revealed, are out to take advantage of him and people like him, not only works really well, but elevates the story beyond another “torture porn” party. After the last film, Spiral, got mixed reviews, SAW X is getting raves from critics and fans alike.
LA Weekly spoke with the film’s producers Mark Burg and Oren Koules, director Kevin Greutert and production designer Anthony Stabley, just before the film’s release, covering topics such as the role sound plays in horror and the goal of appealing to both new and old SAW fans.
Movie junkets are usually tedious affairs in which reporters wait around all day for a 10 minute opportunity to ask actors and producers questions about a particular project, but Lionsgate made this one special with an overnight trip to Las Vegas to check out the SAW-themed escape room/immersive maze there, as seen at the end of the interview clips below.
X
Read the full article here
