Saw X Review: 5 Ups & 5 Downs

2. It Is The Longest One Yet

Combining its focus on the Jigsaw killer's personal side with a two-hour runtime, Saw X winds up being a more substantial piece of cinema than its predecessors.

While, in a run-of-the-mill Saw movie, the extended runtime may not be such a welcome addition, X uses the extra half hour to establish more of a balance between drama and gore, leaving plenty of space for a bit of emotional backbone and even a classic character cameo at the end. Although the pace is occasionally leisurely (as far as Saw movies go), it packs more character moments and higher stakes into the plot via a considered build-up.

The extra time could have been coincidental -- a result of all the beats it needed to hit for the story being told -- or it could be a conscious response to the lukewarm reception of the film's predecessor, Spiral, which was criticised for trying to cram too much into a 90-minute runtime. Either way, it feels worthwhile.