Around this time last year, the world was shutting movie theaters down, meaning that the audiences hyped to see Spiral: From the Book of Saw were going to have a longer wait ahead of them. Through various release date shuffles, and faceless nightmare teaser posters, the film eventually landed on a May 14th date, just a day short of a year since it was supposed to debut. Between Chris Rock being deadly serious and Samuel L. Jackson in deadly trouble, Spiral looks like it’s winding up to be one hell of a time.
The Jigsaw Killer is dead, and yet John Kramer’s legacy lives on in a copycat who seems to be targeting cops. This leaves Detective Zeke Banks (Chris Rock) more motivated than ever to figure out who’s pulling the strings in Spiral: From the Book of Saw’s master plan. And it also drives him to do something he hasn’t done in some time: reunite with his father, Marcus (Samuel L. Jackson). Judging by where Jackson’s character ends up by time this trailer wraps, we’d say he would have settled for a phone call instead of a murder investigation.
Have there been rougher traps in the history of the Saw franchise? Indeed there have been and, in that respect, Samuel L. Jackson’s Marcus should feel lucky not to have a reverse bear trap or forceful chest spreader attached to his person. But hanging by those harnesses looks like it’s killer on the blood flow to limbs, and those shotguns attached to his arms would definitely do some massive damage at close range.
Even in the more dramatic pieces of the trailer for Spiral: From the Book of Saw, director Darren Lynn Bousman’s return to the franchise is coming to play. Anyone who thought of Chris Rock as an unlikely lead to reboot the Saw legacy has a lot to think about at this point, as the work we’ve seen from him so far is very solid. Which is exactly what this Seven-inspired riff on Lionsgate’s classic moneymaker needs, because as seen in some of Saw’s more inferior entries, you kind of need to like your flawed protagonist to really get into the horror.
For as many answers as Spiral: From the Book of Saw gives its audience, there are even more questions that spring up in their wake. Who knows what else this trailer could be hiding in plain sight, as a new voice and some new toys are bringing Jigsaw’s work back to the masses this time around. Let the games begin again!
All of this excitement in the air makes the fact that Spiral: From the Book of Saw terrorizes theaters on May 14th even more welcome to read. With the puzzle sitting in front of Chris Rock and Samuel L. Jackson unveiling itself to the world a week earlier, there’s just that much more time to talk about whatever this film’s twist ending may be. And if you don’t think there’s going to be a twist, then that’s perfectly valid. But you might want to watch the previous Saw films before you commit to that bit.
