This is a Saw that finally carves its own identity that isn’t the griminess of III-V and matches 1’s scrappy thriller and 2’s campy slasher-thriller hybrid. And it does that by being the most political one yet, finally turning John’s scathing and condescending eye onto deserving targets: health insurance agents and the healthcare system. The disdain that runs through this franchise hits so much better here- even if it gets slightly tripped up in the usual hypocritical judgement with the janitor who smoked- and Outerbridge is just what the film needed. He makes William human and surprisingly multi-faceted- charming and sympathetic on the personal scale, even self sacrificing. But able to detach himself from the decisions he makes in the macro. It makes the ending tragic yet arguably deserving- while he pleads for the family he ruined to forgive him, he doesn’t say sorry. There is the palpable threat he’d still use the power of this corrupt system and absolve himself of responsibility, claim that he and it are nothing like Jigsaw and these games as he does in the hanging scene. And the traps are not only fun and visceral, but all serve as a reflection of these themes and as a metaphor for the damage and logic William and the system he’s a part of have.

On top of that, Hoffman continues to win me over. He has that dog in him. He has none of the philosophy or tragedy John and Amanda did, no pretensions. He is what he is and he’ll survive by any means necessary; it is in his nature. He, like Xavier in II, is just a straight up horror villain of the 80s slasher or thriller variety. And the catty family drama of him, Amanda, and John is a treat even for the one scene it has.

The best thing about this one is it finds the fun in Saw again, while saying something more. It results in a film that stands right beside the first two, and has a fair claim to being the best. A grand achievement for a sixth film in a franchise.