I recently watched all ten movies in the Saw franchise over two days (before you inevitably ask, no, I’m not okay). As I watched all of these movies, it became apparent that some are better than others, even if I did embarrassingly enjoy all of them. So which one is the worst, and which one is the best?

10. Spiral (2021): This movie is a standalone in the Saw franchise, meaning you could watch it without any prior knowledge of the other installments. I wouldn’t recommend it though. This movie felt, especially in comparison to the rest of the infamously turbulent movies, extremely predictable and formulaic. The idea of exploring an unethical police force was interesting, but felt half-baked. The Saw movies are cheesy and feature ludicrous plotlines—that’s what makes them good in the first place! This more grounded approach Spiral takes in comparison to the rest of these movies just didn’t work. Shout-out to Chris Rock for branching out of comedy with this movie, though! He performed very well as the lead. 

9. Saw 3D (2010): This movie was the pinnacle of the convolution that had come to define the franchise at this point. It’s just so unnecessarily complicated, to the point where it began to hamper my enjoyment of it as a whole. Needless to say, if you’re watching this movie, you’ve probably seen all of the other Saw movies. That makes it feel even more tedious. Watch it only if your curiosity insists. 

8. Saw V (2008): Honestly, this is one of the most forgettable, if not the most, forgettable movie in this franchise. It’s just very mediocre.

7. Jigsaw (2018): Most critics bashed this movie into the stratosphere, but honestly, I kind of liked it. It definitely feels “cheaper” in a sense than the other movies, which did make it hit slightly less. Kudos to the sick person who thought of that “Funnel of Death” trap; it’s genuinely one of the most horrific in the franchise (it’s exactly what it sounds like and yet SO MUCH WORSE). 

6. Saw IV (2007): The story here isn’t nearly as compelling as some of the other movies, and it feels as though the violence is all that Saw IV has going for it. It’s marginally better than some of the other movies, but not by much.

5. Saw III (2006): This movie took a much more emotional approach than the previous Saw movies, and it honestly works. The plot twist at the end is also almost comical in how ridiculously convenient it is, but it was effective nonetheless. It’s not bad, it’s just that there are much better films on this list.

4. Saw X (2023): I was shocked at how much I enjoyed this film. This movie finally brings us back to the actual Jigsaw Killer himself, John Kramer, and follows him as he journeys to a “clinic” on the outskirts of Mexico City in a desperate measure to cure his rapidly advancing brain cancer. Once it becomes clear that the clinic is actually a scam exploiting the hopes of the terminally ill, Kramer exacts his revenge. Although this movie chronologically takes place in between Saw and Saw II, it acts essentially as a standalone (for the most part), similarly to Jigsaw and Spiral. The difference is that this movie is better than either of those, and by far. The traps were also insane! (The Gigli saw scene will haunt me). If you’re looking for an intro to the franchise without all the baggage, consider Saw X.

3. Saw II (2005): This movie is definitely a worthy sequel of its predecessor, but it’s beaten out by the next two movies. Again, if you enjoyed the first, definitely consider giving Saw II a watch.

2. Saw VI (2009): Definitely the best of the Mark Hoffman films; although some might argue that it suffers from that convolution that led to me disliking its sequel so much, I think it holds up pretty well. Of course, like Saw 3D, you’re probably a fanatic if you made it this far, so you’d most likely enjoy this film regardless.

1. Saw (2004): As cliché as this may seem, the original will forever be the best installment in this series. I went into this movie with preset expectations, just for them to be surprisingly met. I mean, I literally watched every other movie in this franchise after watching the original Saw. IT’S THAT GOOD. It’s the epitome of a guilty pleasure, the sort of movie where you know that you probably shouldn’t enjoy it nearly as much as you do. It’s honestly one of my favorite movies that I’ve watched so far this year, and I would definitely recommend it if you’re looking for a generic horror flick.