Saw has an unlikely new home on Disney Plus as part of the streamer’s Hulu bundles, with the first seven movies now available to watch whenever the usual wholesome Disney content just isn’t what you’re looking for.
There’s actually ten Saw movies in total, with an eleventh releasing in September 2024. If you want to finish the franchise then you can watch the eighth movie Jigsaw on Prime Video and the most recent one Saw X on Starz. I will reluctantly acknowledge that the spinoff movie Spiral: From The Book of Saw exists for the sake of accuracy, and you can also stream it on Hulu but I wouldn’t recommend starting with it.
With Disney Plus getting most of them, you might be wondering which ones are worth your time. The horror genre is notorious for disappointing sequels and reboots, but Saw has delivered some surprising hits over the years. While I would advise you do watch all of them so you can understand the lore – here's our list of every Saw movie, ranked from worst to best – there are three that have consistently stood out to me. So, if you don't have time to watch the Saw movies in order, then here are my three favorite Saw movies.
Saw (2004)
You can’t beat the original. Even if you watch this one and then call it a day, I wouldn’t blame you, because Saw works just as well as a standalone piece. It’s simple in its execution (no pun intended), but it’s brilliant and shows you don’t need many locations, a rundown industrial bathroom will do fine.
Two strangers Adam (Leigh Whannell) and Lawrence (Cary Elwes) wake up at opposite sides of a room, both with a shackle around their foot, chained to a pipe. In the middle of the room is a dead body and a cassette tape. Neither of these men know why they’re there, and it’s a race against time to find out, with an ominous clock ticking away above their heads.
The original features a lot less gore than its successors, but it is very effective and sometimes less is more. Equal parts psychological thriller and horror, this was a breakout movie for director James Wan who has since gone on to direct horror hits such as The Conjuring and Insidious.
Saw VI (2009)
After a lull in quality (looking at you Saw V), Saw VI really did knock it out of the park and it’s one I frequently rewatch. This is mostly due to the strength of the storyline and the way it, uncomfortably, encourages us to sympathize with John Kramer (Tobin Bell) AKA Jigsaw. It’s not the first time, we’ve known he’s a dying cancer patient ever since the first movie, but Saw VI really shines a light on predatory health insurance companies.
Here, Jigsaw sets his sights on William Easton (Peter Outerbridge), an executive whose company engages in shady business practices. He turned down Kramer’s request for coverage and has done the same thing to many other clients, which makes the serial killer decide enough is enough. This one really explores ethical questions in society as well as having some gross traps which, let’s face it, is why most people watch Saw.
If you want a spectacle you’ll certainly get it here, as there’s some great traps and set pieces throughout, including the Shotgun Carousel trap, which is highly rated among fans.
Saw II (2005)
Hooray for an actually good horror sequel! Considering this came out just a year after the original, Saw was still fresh in everyone’s minds and the follow-up allowed us to delve deeper into Kramer’s psyche. It’s also the first time we get to properly see his face, having mostly been hidden behind Billy the Puppet in Saw, save for a brief look at him in hospital.
It’s John’s first proper appearance on camera that really elevates this movie, seeing him facing off against a hot-tempered detective named Eric Matthews (Donnie Wahlberg). It’s a deadly game of cat and mouse, especially as he’s got a fresh set of victims trapped in a building that is filling up with a deadly nerve agent. Among these new victims is Eric’s own son Daniel, so it’s got very personal indeed.
Jigsaw, magnanimous as he is (that’s a joke), has hidden a bunch of antidotes around the place, and by hidden I mean placed them inside some truly horrifying traps. The man doesn’t make this easy does he? They’re a step up from the first movie, including another great one, the Venus Fly Trap where Jigsaw says the key to escape is right before your eyes… Unfortunately, he does mean that literally.
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