Best Saw Movies (October 2025)

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Ever since the first *Saw* movie came out in 2004, people have been both fascinated and horrified by it. If you’re a horror fan looking for a *Saw* marathon – or just want to know which movies are best – here are our recommendations.

What are the best Saw movies as of 2025?

These movies are definitely not for everyone. While some are more graphic than others, even the ideas themselves can be disturbing and unsettling for many viewers.

Naturally, this list is just one person’s opinion. If you ask different fans of the *Saw* movies to rank them, you’ll likely get a wide variety of answers.

Saw (2004)

The movie *Saw* begins with Adam and Dr. Lawrence Gordon waking up chained in a grimy bathroom. They’re on opposite sides of a dead body and a tape recorder, with no idea how they arrived. It quickly becomes clear they’ve been trapped as part of a cruel game created by a killer known as Jigsaw.

What started as a low-budget horror film, *Saw* became a sensation after premiering at Sundance. This led Lionsgate to acquire the rights to distribute it.

Despite being made with a small budget of just $1.2 million, the film earned an incredible $104 million around the world. Due to the fast pace of production and limited funds, most scenes were filmed with only a few takes. Director James Wan and writer Leigh Whannell cleverly used security camera-style footage and photos during editing to fill in gaps, which unexpectedly made the film feel even more realistic and fit the story perfectly.

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Saw II (2005)

I was really intrigued by Saw II, especially after how surprisingly successful the first one was. They had a little more money to work with – though it wasn’t a huge leap, around $4 million – and that meant a bigger cast and even more elaborate traps. What I appreciated most was that they really tried to build on the story and characters, pushing beyond just shocking visuals, which some critics unfairly labeled it as. While it’s still a very disturbing film, and definitely not easy to watch, Saw II actually delves deeper into Jigsaw’s twisted way of thinking. It’s unsettling, for sure, but fascinating if you’re interested in the psychology behind it all.

In Saw II, directed by Darren Lynn Bousman, Detective Eric Matthews (Donnie Wahlberg) investigates a new case involving Jigsaw (Tobin Bell). He discovers Jigsaw has kidnapped several people and trapped them in a house rigged with deadly traps and poisonous gas. To make matters worse, Matthews realizes his own son is among those held captive.

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Saw X (2023)

Despite a relatively modest $13 million budget for the series, Saw X is a strong sequel. Director Kevin Greutert, a veteran of the franchise, focuses on the moral complexities of John Kramer. While the film’s exploration of these ideas can get lost in the series’ signature traps, it adds an interesting layer that makes it worth seeing.

Look, I’ve been following the *Saw* franchise for a long time, and honestly, it’s been a bit of a rollercoaster. After so many sequels and reboots, the movies started to feel more about gore than actual story. But *Saw X*? It’s a real return to form. It actually reminded me what I loved about the original films. It’s set between the first two movies and shows us John Kramer – Jigsaw – right after he gets his cancer diagnosis. He travels to Mexico for a risky treatment, only to find out it’s a total scam. So, naturally, he decides to deliver his own brand of justice. It’s not everyone’s favorite, but critics and I both agree, it’s one of the strongest entries in the whole series.

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Spiral: From the Book of Saw (2021)

Believe it or not, the movie started at a wedding! Chris Rock shared that he met a Lionsgate executive at a wedding and convinced them to let him make his own take on the *Saw* series, resulting in *Spiral: From the Book of Saw*. While it’s not flawless, the film offers a new spin on the franchise, incorporating more social and political themes alongside the expected writing, violence, and surprising twists that fans love.

Darren Lynn Bousman’s *Spiral* follows Detective Ezekiel “Zeke” Banks (Chris Rock) and his new partner as they investigate a series of gruesome murders that copy the style of the Jigsaw killer. The detectives soon realize the killer is specifically targeting members of the police force. With a budget of about $20 million, *Spiral* – directed by a veteran of the *Saw* franchise – attempts to refresh the series, though it doesn’t quite reach the iconic status of the original films. It’s more focused on police procedure and often feels inspired by the work of David Fincher.

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Jigsaw (2017)

While Jigsaw didn’t have a huge budget of $10 million, and it might not be the best film in the Saw series, it’s a noteworthy effort to bring the franchise back after a seven-year hiatus following Saw 3D. The Spierig Brothers, known for directing Daybreakers, aimed to update the classic Saw formula with a more contemporary style for a 2010s audience.

A fresh group of people find themselves trapped in a barn rigged with deadly mechanical traps, each designed to punish a past wrongdoing. While investigators try to solve the case, they notice unsettling similarities to Jigsaw’s original killings, even though John Kramer is supposedly dead. Expect a surprising reveal, as with the other movies in the series.

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How we picked the best Saw movies

We revisited the *Saw* movies, focusing on the ones that offer more than just thrills. Beyond the gore, we selected the films that really make you think – about the weight of choices, the difference between justice and revenge, the psychology of the traps, and what that says about human nature. These installments feel like modern Greek tragedies, unlike some of the others which seem to prioritize shocking violence. Perhaps it’s overthinking a horror series, but that’s always been what’s kept me interested in *Saw*.

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2025-10-15 00:18