Saw X gets Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a first for the franchise

As successful as the Saw franchise has been, it’s safe to say that the horror series hasn’t been favoured by mainstream critics, but Saw X is proving to be the exception. As reviews for Saw X begin to pour in, you may be surprised to learn that the movie has a Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the first of the franchise to do so.

As I write this, Saw X currently stands at 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, with 46 reviews counted. More reviews will be added in the coming days, so that score will almost certainly fluctuate, but it’s pretty damn impressive for the tenth installment of a horror series. The previous high score of the Saw franchise was the original film, which stands at 50%. The lowest-rated Saw sequel is Saw: The Final Chapter with 9%.

Our own Tyler Nichols caught Saw X in Las Vegas last week and called it a “return to form” for the franchise. “As a massive Saw fan I can’t say how excited I was when they said we’d finally be getting our John Kramer story,” Nichols wrote in his review. “And being set between the events of the first two films gives limitless possibility. And the filmmakers make sure to fully take advantage of that here. Because Saw X isn’t just a love letter to fans of the franchise, it’s a great entry point for those who have never even watched a Saw before.” You can check out the rest of Nichols’ review right here.

Will Saw X lead to more sequels? That’s up to fans (and the box office), but director Kevin Greutert believes there will be. “There’s no obvious new direction to go after this film,” he said. “But I think there probably will be more Saw movies, particularly if this one’s successful.“

“John Kramer (Tobin Bell) is back. The most chilling installment of the SAW franchise yet explores the untold chapter of Jigsaw’s most personal game,” reads the official Saw X synopsis. “Set between the events of SAW I and II, a sick and desperate John travels to Mexico for a risky and experimental medical procedure in hopes of a miracle cure for his cancer – only to discover the entire operation is a scam to defraud the most vulnerable. Armed with a newfound purpose, John returns to his work, turning the tables on the con artists in his signature visceral way through a series of ingenious and terrifying traps.“

Saw X will hit theaters on September 29th.