This new version of the SAW franchise is more a cop drama than a string of horrible encounters that end in extreme bodily harm. Sure, there are still victims subjected to grisly fates, but this time they are all cops being dispatched because of some wrong in their past. Until this movie, I never considered Chris Rock to be the obvious choice for son of Samuel L. Jackson, but it works. They’re both known for their brash, humorous style and expletive laden language. Rock plays the officer assigned to the case, while Jackson (as his father) has a few moments. The real reason people come to this series is to squirm at the awful predicaments where people find themselves. This time the gruesome situations don’t have the same horrifying effect of earlier versions, making this more a murder mystery with some grisly killings. 
(2.5 / 5)
