The 'Saw' story began as a student short film by James Wan and Leigh Whannell. In 2003, they released a ten-minute film about a man recounting his escape from a maniac’s trap. They sent the video and script to various studios, and soon Lionsgate invited them to expand it into a feature film. This launched one of the most profitable and enduring horror franchises in history. Here’s an overview of all 10 films.
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Saw
IMDb: 7.6/10
2004, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
USA, R
Director: James Wan
Top cast: Cary Elwes, Leigh Whannell, Danny Glover
In an abandoned bathroom, two strangers, Dr. Lawrence Gordon and photographer Adam Stanheight, awaken to a nightmare. Each is chained by the foot to pipes in opposite corners of the room, with a bloodied body lying in the middle. They receive instructions from their captor while trying to remember how they ended up in this situation. It soon becomes clear that to save themselves, they will have to commit something brutal.
Saw 2
IMDb: 6.6/10
2005, Horror, Mystery
USA, Canada, R
Director: Darren Lynn Bousman
Top cast: Donnie Wahlberg, Beverley Mitchell, Franky G
At the scene of a police informant’s death, a message is found addressed to Detective Eric Matthews. Soon, the officer and a SWAT team track down the killer—John Kramer, known as the Jigsaw Killer. Kramer reveals that he is terminally ill but is still orchestrating brutal tests where people must prove their will to live. Detective Matthews' son is one of the participants in these games. However, Kramer insists that the detective should do nothing but wait, promising that he will then be reunited with his son.
Saw 3
IMDb: 6.2/10
2006, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
USA, R
Director: Darren Lynn Bousman
Top cast: Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith, Angus Macfadyen
John Kramer, also known as the Jigsaw Killer, is dying of cancer. He is bedridden, but his apprentice Amanda is determined to prolong his life. To do this, she kidnaps Dr. Lynn Denlon from a hospital and fits her with a collar loaded with shotgun shells. Dr. Denlon must keep Kramer alive until a man named Jeff completes a series of tests. Jeff, who lost his son in a car accident, faces people in each room who helped the person responsible for the accident avoid justice. Jeff must choose whether to help the victims or take the revenge he’s dreamed of for years.
Saw 4
IMDb: 5.9/10
2007, Drama, Horror, Mystery
USA, R
Director: Darren Lynn Bousman
Top cast: Tobin Bell, Scott Patterson, Louis Ferreira
Jigsaw is dead. Inside his stomach, an audiotape is discovered and played by Detective Mark Hoffman. Both Hoffman and Eric Matthews, who was presumed dead since the second film, have been kidnapped. To save them, SWAT officer Daniel Rigg undergoes a new set of Jigsaw’s tests. He must confront people who may deserve to die for their crimes. Meanwhile, FBI agent Peter Strahm suspects that Jigsaw had another accomplice besides Amanda. He begins his own investigation and meets the killer’s wife.
Saw 5
IMDb: 5.8/10
2008, Drama, Horror, Mystery
USA, R
Director: David Hackl
Top cast: Scott Patterson, Costas Mandylor, Tobin Bell
FBI agent Peter Strahm has survived. Despite audio recordings from the deceased Jigsaw urging him to stop his investigation, Strahm presses on and becomes entangled in a dangerous game. Meanwhile, John Kramer’s widow receives a mysterious box from his lawyer containing something important. Hoffman sets up another survival game for five people, but this time, the rules are a bit unusual.
Saw 6
IMDb: 6.0/10
2009, Drama, Horror, Mystery
USA, R
Director: Kevin Greutert
Top cast: Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Mark Rolston
After eliminating Agent Strahm, Mark Hoffman, Jigsaw’s successor, continues the deadly games based on scenarios left by his predecessor. The CEO of a health insurance company finds himself in an abandoned zoo, where he must repeatedly choose which of his employees to save. These tests are rooted in his past. However, Hoffman is unaware that one of the FBI agents he supposedly killed is still alive and is once again on his trail.
Saw 3D
IMDb: 5.5/10
2010, Horror, Mystery
USA, R
Director: Kevin Greutert
Top cast: Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Betsy Russell
Mark Hoffman disarmed the 'jaw ripper' trap set by John Kramer’s widow. Now, he targets his next victim, Bobby, a writer and self-proclaimed guru who falsely claimed to have survived Jigsaw’s traps and led a support group for traumatized individuals. Hoffman forces Bobby into a game, threatening his wife’s life. In each round, one of Bobby’s associates, who knew about his lies, dies.
Jigsaw
IMDb: 5.7/10
2017, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
USA, R
Director: Michael Spierig, Peter Spierig
Top cast: Matt Passmore, Tobin Bell, Callum Keith Rennie
Two detectives chase a criminal who claims he must start a 'game'. They soon find victims who seem to have died due to John Kramer’s traps, even though Kramer is long dead. The detectives try to uncover who is following in Jigsaw’s footsteps. Meanwhile, five people wake up chained with buckets on their heads. Four of them must face tests because they were responsible for an innocent person’s death. But it seems like Kramer is still manipulating them—how is that possible?
Spiral
IMDb: 5.2/10
2021, Drama, Horror, Mystery
USA, R
Director: Darren Lynn Bousman
Top cast: Chris Rock, Samuel L. Jackson, Max Minghella
Detective Zeke Banks, like his father, serves on the police force. He’s a great cop but struggles to get along with his colleagues, especially after exposing a corrupt officer. Now, Zeke and his new partner, William, are investigating a grim case: a criminal mimicking John Kramer’s style is kidnapping and killing detectives. Zeke must uncover how this is connected to the precinct, Jigsaw’s legacy, and possibly his own father.
Saw X
IMDb: 6.6/10
2023, Drama, Horror, Mystery
USA, R
Director: Kevin Greutert
Top cast: Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith, Synnøve Macody Lund
John Kramer knows he has about a month to live as his cancer progresses. Suddenly, he’s offered experimental treatment in Mexico, with claims of miraculous recoveries. Investing all his money, Kramer undergoes the procedure, only to find out he’s been scammed. Seeking revenge, he and his follower Amanda set up a brutal game for the fraudsters.
