Chris Rock had a unique idea for the reboot of the “Saw” series. He wanted to blend his comedic sensibility with the universe of twisted traps and conflicting morality. Samuel L. Jackson joined the cast, and one of the original franchise directors, Darren Lynn Bousman, took the helm. But even with these promising elements, “Spiral: From the Book of Saw” falls short of expectations.
The Film opens with a trap, setting the tone for what is to come. A cop sees a man snatch a woman’s purse and chases him into a tunnel, where he’s quickly chloroformed. He wakes up in a contraption clearly inspired by the deceased Jigsaw Killer, a man who claimed to never murder anyone and always gave his victims a way out of their predicament. This time, the man is hanging by his tongue on a subway track. A figure in a pig costume informs him that the train will be there in two minutes and will turn him into mush. He can pull himself free from the device, severing his tongue, but saving his life. The trap is uninspired, lacking the creativity and suspense that made the original franchise so popular.
Detective Zeke Banks (Rock) and his new partner (Max Minghella) investigate the case, discovering that there is a Jigsaw copycat on the loose. Banks isn’t particularly well-liked in his department due to some past internal affairs issues, and the killer decides to work his way through Zeke’s corrupt fellow officers, knocking them off in underwhelming ways. The traps lack the ingenuity that made the original franchise so captivating, feeling more like contractual requirements than creative devices to reboot the series. For instance, a machine that rips off a man’s fingers feels like something a drunken screenwriter might come up with at a bar after binge-watching the “Saw” movies on HBO Max.
“Spiral” also suffers from severe tonal problems. Rock’s ’80s cop drama dialogue seems like a parody of cop-on-the-edge movies, and his comedic exchanges with his partner hint at a different film than what “Spiral” becomes when Bousman takes over with his bland, intense style. Bousman fails to build tension, and the film remains at a consistently low level throughout. There’s no rising action, and the movie never reaches the same level of intensity as the original franchise. In fact, the final reveals are predictable and dull, failing to leave a lasting impression on the audience.
The film attempts to raise interesting ideas about morality and corrupt cops, but they are never fully explored. The concept of delving into the morality of the “Saw” universe by examining corrupt cops seems like a timely idea, but nothing is done with it. The film fails to build tension and never finds a way to raise the stakes, leaving the audience feeling unsatisfied and unfulfilled. The constant flashbacks with hysterical facial hair fail to add to the story, and the film gets stuck repeating the same patterns as the worst entries in the franchise.
What makes “Spiral” so frustrating is how much potential it had. With the talented cast and crew, the film had the ingredients to be a fresh, inventive take on the franchise. A father/son ’80s buddy cop movie with Samuel L. Jackson and Chris Rock would have been an absolute blast to watch. Unfortunately, “Spiral” fails to live up to expectations, becoming yet another forgettable entry in a once-promising franchise.
In conclusion, it’s a shame that “Spiral” couldn’t deliver on its promising premise. With talented actors like Chris Rock and Samuel L. Jackson involved, and a unique take on the “Saw” universe, it had all the ingredients for a successful reboot. But ultimately, the filmmakers played it safe and relied too heavily on the formula of the previous films, resulting in a lackluster and forgettable movie. Hopefully, if the franchise continues, future installments will take more risks and push the boundaries of what the series can be. Until then, “Spiral: From the Book of Saw” will remain a disappointing missed opportunity.
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