9. Spiral: From the Book of Saw (2021)

After Jigsaw did poorly at the box office, Spiral: From the Book of Saw was a different attempt to re-launch the series. Spiral returns the Saw series to its mystery thriller roots, shifting from a straight-up gorefest to a more procedural drama. The return of director Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw II, Saw III, Saw IV) was also promising, but unfortunately Spiral left the audience spinning in a whirlwind of ambivalence and predictability. The lead performances from Chris Rock (who brings a refreshing levity to the series) and the brooding Max Minghella as detectives trying to solve who keeps killing crooked cops, are the film’s few highlights. The formidable Samuel L. Jackson as Chris Rock’s father is another fantastic addition, and their tense relationship gives Spiral a dramatic emotional core. The traps are quite creative, particularly the subway trap, which cleverly makes use of a public urban space. Then there’s the hot wax trap, a terrifying concept that forces a brutal choice between suffocating or severing your spinal cord.

But whatever strengths Spiral has going for it are immediately undone by a rushed, predictable, and far too silly ending. Even worse, the movie dances around the potentially meaningful commentary on racism and police brutality that may have made this entry in the series stand out. Spiral has no idea what tone it wants to strike: serious drama, gritty thriller, corny slasher, or comedy.