Saw X

I loved the first Saw movie but I liked each successive sequel less and less (I didn't even see the last two).  I decided to see the latest installment, Saw X, last night because I heard so many good things about it and I am glad I did because it is now my favorite from the franchise.  John Kramer (Tobin Bell) has just learned that he only has months to live due to his aggressive brain tumor when he hears of an experimental treatment offered by Dr. Cecilia Pederson (Synnøve Macody Lund).  In his desperation he undergoes the treatment in Mexico but soon realizes that it was all a con.  With help from his apprentice Amanda (Shawnee Smith), he kidnaps Dr. Pederson and her team, including Diego (Joshua Okomoto), Mateo (Octavio Hinojosa), Valentina (Paulette Hernandez), and Gabriela (Renata Vaca), in order to have them play one of his deadly games to learn a lesson about giving people false hope.  What I really liked about this sequel is that it returns to its roots with a straightforward story about the original Jigsaw that provides well defined motivations for his actions (the previous sequels got way too convoluted in my opinion) and much higher stakes.  The traps are even more gruesome than ever but they are also very clever and I loved the fantastic twist at the end.  However, there is a poignancy to the narrative that is incredibly affecting and I found myself feeling somewhat sympathetic towards Kramer who is front and center this time around instead of just a disembodied voice (Bell gives a powerful performance).  I also liked Amanda's character arc, especially when she feels conflicted about Gabriela.  This installment is a direct sequel to the original and feels very self-contained, although there are some fun call-backs that die hard fans will enjoy (my audience cheered when Billy the puppet appeared for the first time).  This is so much better than I was expecting and, while fans of the franchise are sure to love it, I recommend it to anyone who can handle the gore.