Spiral: From the Book of Saw - Review by @Kush_Hayes
When the discussion of best trilogies is happening, some constants in that discussion are for the Original Star Wars Trilogy, Back to the Future, The Godfather, even the newest Planet of the Apes from the 2010s. One trilogy that gets over looked is The Original SAW Trilogy. Maybe thats because it would have four more films plus now a Spin Off in the 93 min feature: Spiral: From the Book of SAW. Those first three films, alone, have a solid beginning, middle and ending that encapsulate the style as well as the message within the series. Then after that, things just were unbelievable as our main villain would pass away from stage 4 cancer. The idea of anyone picking up after that felt forced, muddled, even exploitive and pornographic.
Josh Stolberg and Pete Goldfinch, were tasked with reopening The Book of SAW and seeing if there was anything they possible didnt try in the previous two editions. Then its discovered that Chris Rock is going to Executive Produce as well as star in this new edition. And while we’re making good decisions, lets get Darren Lynn Bousman, the guy who directed the best of the SAW films, SAW II and lets see if we can get this car back into position.
While we dont know how long its been since the horrors of the disciples of Jigsaw affected the citizens of AnyTown Canada, theres a new serial killer on the loose, and he or she is going after crooked cops all while performing very dramatic traps and devices. The victims, active and former police, all have corruption in common, but what is it exactly that ties them all together? This is mystery thriller that has been missing from SAW for awhile now. At the center of it is Chris Rocks character Det. Zeke Banks, who over a decade ago, turned in a dirty cop for murdering a witness to another crime by a cop.
This detail puts Chris Rock in a police thriller from the 90s with all the fun cliche’s like going undercover without the boss knowing and dialog that includes “I dont trust anybody” and “ I work alone”. And of course that leads to him being linked with a rookie partner and we get Chris Rock doing his best version of Training Day. Its pretty amazing that he didnt make the new rookie smoke pcp. But thats just it, in a department where even a good cop has some dirt on them, Banks is immaculate. It even annoys his Retired Police Captain father played by Samuel L Jackson. And SLJ gives that performance where you wish he was in more of the movie.
Lies, betrayal, mistrust, cynicism and a general negative disposition in life all bleed into this film. Messages about police corruption and where the blue line begins and ends are present throughout the entire film.
Theres a lot of awesome in this film, that felt like it was originally something else and then had a SAW Spinoff inserted into it. But no matter how early or late it happens in the film, we eventually get another SAW film out of it. Once we get to the reveal of who the killer is, its kind of predictable and then over exposition. It somehow makes 93 minutes feel like a long block of time. I felt the direction was fantastic, I loved the lighting and tone of the film. Maybe one too many Jump Scare Screams. It does use the gore in a more partiled out doses. Ive seen much worse gore in this series. Theres excellent tension but then theres times where Chris Rock is ad libbing too much. Hes always funny, but I dont know if need a tension breaker in here. However I do want to see Chris Rock in more serious dramatic roles.
If youre a fan of these films, I think this is an interesting direction to take with the series.
If youre just a casual or not familiar, I might wait for this to come to one of the many streaming services in the next 120 days.
Three out of Five Blueberries
Rated R for sequences of grisly bloody violence and torture, pervasive language, some sexual references and brief drug use
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