Saw X Review: 5 Ups & 5 Downs

1. It Is Less Trap-Focused Than Ever

Overall, Saw X is considerably less concerned with the gut-wrenching traps the series is known for than its franchise companions. That doesn't mean the traps are gone, of course -- there are still plenty of sequences to lose your lunch to -- but in this outing they are counterbalanced by the motivating factors for creating them in the first place.

As in so many other ways, X deviates from the series' established formula, positioning plot, character and staging at higher priority than trap-centric splatter. In stark contrast to the other films, John is physically and personally present for all of the traps, setting them up with the participants conscious, explaining his reasons and standing watch with a stewardly yet not uncompassionate demeanour.

Gone are many of the theatrics that typify these films, offering a welcome change for new and old generations alike. Stylistically, the goriest sequences retain the sickly industrial yellow and green hues, canted camerawork and frenetic pacing that are hallmarks of the franchise, but for once the traps are presented less as pure titillation for the viewer and more with the kind of foreboding and disgust they duly deserve.