Rating: B-
What can you say about the ninth entry into a franchise that you haven’t already said about the previous eight?
To begin, I suppose we can start with an expression of bafflement that we’ve made it this far. Did we really need a ninth installment of Saw? For that matter, did we really need a second? This question becomes especially pertinent when you consider that the franchise’s killer, Jigsaw, has been dead since the third installment.
But when has death ever been final in a horror series? As with every horror villain, the series found ways to keep Jigsaw alive, at least in spirit, through all the subsequent films in order to keep the blood flowing and gore….uh, goring? In this case, that includes establishing pre-chosen victims as well as Jigsaw acolytes who continue his great work of making people care about their lives by forcing them to confront death in the most gruesome and dramatic of fashions.
But now comes Spiral, a film in which Jigsaw is firmly dead and his official acolytes something of a non-issue. Existing somewhere between the blurred lines of sequel, reboot, and spin-off, Spiral attempts take to the old and familiar routines of the franchise and turn them into something new and different. Surprisingly, it kinda works.
Spiral introduces us to Detective Zeke Banks (Chris Rock) who is something of a pariah on the force for his arrest of a dirty cop 12 years ago. With no friends on the force, he’s become a Loose Cannon Who Doesn’t Work Well With Others, much to the chagrin of his new partner, William Schenk (Max Minghella). Despite their tension, the two come together when a series of murders reminiscent of Jigsaw comes to life. This time, however, the killer appears to be targeting dirty cops with something to hide.
It’s this angle that injects the most freshness into the series, which frankly speaking has been stale since the first movie. Okay, maybe it’s not exactly fresh. They haven’t exactly changed anything of the formula here. I guess it’s more like taking your rotting bananas and turning them into banana bread. Which is to say that they’ve found a new way of looking at the old standbys in the hopes of getting more use out of it.
Rock, who not only produced the movie but also developed the story, carries the film with his portrayal of Detective Banks. His perspective no doubt lends to the social commentary of the film. Though originally scheduled for release in May of last year, it’s hard to separate the film’s subject with the move towards police reform that we’ve seen happen in this country over the last twelve months.
And, yes, it is an interesting take. Jigsaw, as a killer, had an oddly respectable goal of making people appreciate their lives by earning the right to live. Similarly, the new killer has an oddly respectable goal of seeking justice against those who have avoided it while also bringing to light issues of police harassment and abuse. The cause is noble, even if the route taken is not.
That said, the script from writers Josh Stolberg and Pete Goldfinger, who previously wrote Jigsaw, the eighth entry into the franchise, doesn’t always seem to know what to do with the new angle. The film’s final act leaves something to be desired and doesn’t quite manage to go through with the ideas explored by the film. Their involvement, as with director Darren Lynn Bousman, who previously directed Saw II, Saw III, and Saw IV, does lend some credibility and continuity to the project, however, and lays an entirely workable new foundation from which to build.
And I’m sure they’ll keep building. You don’t get to the ninth installment by caring much about the film’s direction so long as it’s solid enough to keep asses in seats and kill counts high. It would be interesting if we could see the stories and characters if Spiral continue into new installments, perhaps serving as a needed break for the series proper. Either way, the end result is a film that, for the most part manages to be engaging enough and creepy enough to live up to its namesake and history.
Spiral: From the Book of Saw is now slaying in theaters everywhere.
