By Jackson Cooperman
If you have been following the latest trailers for upcoming movies (the horror genre, in particular) you know there is a new film on its way that is a continuation to the long-running gore franchise, “Saw.” Currently titled, “Spiral”, and previously, “The Organ Donor,” the new film set to release in May 2020, stars Chris Rock and Samuel L. Jackson. Yes, that’s right; take that in for a minute if you haven’t already.
For those new to this information, Chris Rock has been a fan of this franchise and offered a new vision to Lionsgate executives a while ago. They agreed to collaborate with him to bring his idea to the big screen and even though he wrote the story solo, Josh Stolberg and Pete Goldfinger adapted it into a screenplay. The last crucial element is that Darren Lynn Bousman is returning to direct. After seeing the first trailer that released recently, I must say, I am quite intrigued.
The “Saw” franchise has gone further and further downhill since it began in 2004; even the original was not that great of a film. I remember seeing it for the first time: it had a terrific opening scene and I had no idea what was going to next. However, it became a little convoluted as the film went on, which made me question the plausibility of the plot. It wasn’t a memorable movie but had memorable moments, especially the ending, which was completely unexpected and disturbing.
I remember how hyped I was after the first film and could not wait to watch the second one. Finally, it was a series with an original premise and consistent story and I was going to go through each installment one by one. However, the second one amped up the gore and turned down the character development. It was at moments so brutal that it began to depress me. I remember at one point in the movie, I said to myself, “What am I doing? Why am I watching this?” It is okay for horror movies to be disturbing, but when they are just downright depressing with no redeeming qualities of hope, life or energy, what’s the point?
After the appalling “Saw 2”, I attempted watching bits and pieces of all the other installments. I could not get through more than 10 minutes without feeling as if I was going to hurl and that is not a desirable feeling when seeing a movie. Gory movies can be enjoyable, but they must have wit and substance. There’s an incredibly gory Japanese movie called “Ichi the Killer” and while extremely violent, it is also fun and exciting to watch. This franchise of movies, however, just makes you want to walk out of the theatre.
I remember I was interested when I heard about “Saw: Legacy” in 2017, which became “Jigsaw”, but it was as disappointing as expected and a carbon copy of all the other gory installments. Then, last year, I heard about “The Organ Donor” and watched the trailer for “Spiral: From the book of Saw”.
My current thoughts are, “Can they do it? Can they surpass their grotesque ways and make a good movie?” If the series had replaced it’s obsession of blood and guts with story and character, it probably would’ve been a great series. Maybe they will have a different approach this time around and I will say, the cinematography looks quite beautiful. The opening shot of the trailer is a gorgeous aerial shot of the city and most other shots look meticulously put together, however, that might not mean anything. What is important is the quality of the story and the screenplay, or maybe this is going to be a comedic installment. I feel that comedic release has always been missing from these movies.
I am debating whether to go see this when it comes to theatres in May, as it will either be a great decision or a terrible one. Whatever the verdict, I think this is their last chance. It’s been 16 years since the original, and if Chris Rock writing and starring in a new “fresh” spinoff is not enough to bring this series out of the gory pit it has put itself into, then what is?
