The Saw movies are on Disney Plus – here's the 3 you shouldn't miss

Billy the Puppet stands over the camera with a rope in his hands in the Saw movie
(Image credit: Lionsgate)

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)

Saw – Unrated 4K (2004 Movie) Official Trailer – Cary Elwes, Leigh Whannell, Danny Glover - YouTube Saw – Unrated 4K (2004 Movie) Official Trailer – Cary Elwes, Leigh Whannell, Danny Glover - YouTube
Watch On

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)

SAW VI (2009) - Official Trailer #1 - YouTube SAW VI (2009) - Official Trailer #1 - YouTube
Watch On

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)

Saw II (2005) Official Trailer #1 - Horror Movie - YouTube Saw II (2005) Official Trailer #1 - Horror Movie - YouTube
Watch On

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.

You might also like

Lucy Buglass
Senior Entertainment Writer

Lucy is a long-time movie and television lover who is an approved critic on Rotten Tomatoes. She has written several reviews in her time, starting with a small self-ran blog called Lucy Goes to Hollywood before moving onto bigger websites such as What's on TV and What to Watch, with TechRadar being her most recent venture. Her interests primarily lie within horror and thriller, loving nothing more than a chilling story that keeps her thinking moments after the credits have rolled. Many of these creepy tales can be found on the streaming services she covers regularly.

When she’s not scaring herself half to death with the various shows and movies she watches, she likes to unwind by playing video games on Easy Mode and has no shame in admitting she’s terrible at them. She also quotes The Simpsons religiously and has a Blinky the Fish tattoo, solidifying her position as a complete nerd. 

Read more
Cillian Murphy as a zombie in 28 Years Later
The 6 biggest horror movies coming in 2025 that I can't wait to watch
A close up of Hugh Grant's Mister Reed in Heretic
7 new horror movies on Netflix, Shudder, Max and more in March 2025
Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy in The Gorge
5 new horror movies to stream on Netflix, Shudder, Max and more in February 2025
Jeremy Renner dressed as a police officer in The Town
5 new Hulu movies with over 90% on Rotten Tomatoes that I can't wait to watch in January 2025
Flynn and a white horse grumpily shake hands with each other as Rapunzel watches with a smile in Tangled.
The best Disney Plus movies: 40 great films to stream in March 2025
Several people clamber around a boat in the ocean while taking various measurements
The 48 best Disney Plus shows to stream in March 2025
Latest in Disney Plus
A collage image of Foggy Nelson sitting at a table and a close-up of Muse in Daredevil: Born Again
Daredevil: Born Again viewers have two wild fan theories about Foggy Nelson and Muse after the Marvel TV show's debut, but I think there's only one that might be right
An animated girl holds up a paddle with a whale behind her
3 new movies and shows on Disney+ and Hulu that I can't wait to stream
Princess Tiana holding a frog in her hand and smiling in The Princess and the Frog.
Disney+ reportedly cancels plans to make an offshoot series of The Princess and the Frog, and that’s not the only streaming project it’s abandoning
Ncuti Gatwa as The Fifteenth Doctor in Doctor Who
The trailer for Doctor Who's new season promises new mysteries, creepy cartoons and musical madness
A collage of Daredevil in Daredevil: Born Again and Tom Holland's Peter Parker in Spider-Man: Far From Home
Daredevil: Born Again episode 2 just gave me hope that the titular hero will join forces with Spider-Man in the MCU, but it won't happen on Disney+
Daredevil standing in somebody's underground lair in Daredevil: Born Again season 1
Daredevil: Born Again is a fearless Disney+ revival of the best Netflix Marvel TV show that slowly continues to restore my faith in the MCU
Latest in Features
Isla Gordon smiles with her arms on her hips as two basketball players stand behind her in Running Point.
Running Point is a Netflix slam dunk – here are 3 more sports comedy shows with over 80% on Rotten Tomatoes to enjoy next
Honor Earbuds open, in early testing
The top 3 ground-breaking earbuds innovations we saw at MWC 2025
Sony Bravia 9 backlight demo showing images on screen and on raw backlight
TCL overtaking LG's premium TV sales is the inevitable result of OLED's biggest problem and mini-LED's biggest strength
The XPANCEO Biosensing smart contact lens at MWC, displaying on a forked monolith
The three best health and fitness products unveiled at MWC 2025
An animated girl holds up a paddle with a whale behind her
3 new movies and shows on Disney+ and Hulu that I can't wait to stream
Divine G looking at his fellow theater group performers in Sing Sing
6 Max movies and shows I’m most excited to watch in March, from A24 horrors to an offbeat Adult Swim animation