'Spiral' review: 'Saw' without Jigsaw

Courtesy of Lionsgate

The gory kills of the popular “Saw” series have been reimagined in a new chapter of bloodshed, “Spiral.” Set in the same universe but taking place after the events of the original franchise, “Spiral” doesn’t skimp on the gore but also amps up the comedy and drama, a very interesting choice that could’ve easily backfired but instead makes this installment the best “Saw” since the 2004 original.

The new film immediately commits to keeping its core idea from the “Saw” franchise intact, taking elaborate and gory life or death situations and building a plot around them (some of the sequels even opting for no plot at all). That’s what the series is known for and its opening scene doesn’t disappoint, in which a corrupt cop has been abducted and strapped to a sharp rig locking his bleeding tongue in place.

The voice next to him, channeling the Jigsaw killer from the original franchise, tells him to either remain still and be crushed by an oncoming train or set himself free. But by doing so the device will rip his lying tongue clean off. The choice, for better or worse, is his. That’s the kind of blood and guts action fans of the “Saw” series are used to and will definitely get in “Spiral,” but what they may not be expecting and this applies to new converts too, is a more enhanced budget and story. Part of that upgrade is no doubt due to star and producer Chris Rock, whose idea it was to revive “Saw” in the first place after the franchise had been milked to death and forgotten about.

Here he gets to try something different, playing a dubious police detective whose past skeletons are revealed when a Jigsaw copycat killer starts targeting cops. His rookie partner (Max Minghella) and ex-cop father (Samuel L. Jackson) assist in the manhunt to varying degrees of success, and Rock’s brief scenes with Jackson immediately become among the film’s best. “Spiral” even manages to seem timely in its depiction of police corruption and cover-ups in a way its filmmakers may not have anticipated (“Spiral” was filmed in 2019 but delayed due to the pandemic).

But while the story beats in “Spiral” are stronger than most of the “Saw” sequels, they’re still adequate at best. The gory traps and how they tie together to the larger picture are what we’re here to see and that payoff, while silly and far-fetched, still manages to entertain.

Darren Lynn Bousman directed “Spiral” and his work on “Saw” 2, 3 and 4 no doubt helped him update the franchise while keeping its core pieces intact. Chris Rock is obviously one of the funniest talents alive and his performance brings comic levity when needed but sometimes struggles in more dramatic scenes. It’s never off-putting or distracting but noticeable enough to make you see the flaws and be optimistic about him growing as an actor if he chooses to continue in that direction. His career as an actor, much like the “Saw” franchise, has gotten a decent boost with “Spiral.” It may not be a homerun but it’s a good at bat.

Rating: B

“Spiral” is now playing in theaters.