Written by Sam Niles
Spiral’s ending doesn’t have the goriest trap in the series, but it does have the most shocking. Its politics may not be tastefully handled, nor are they the most revolutionary the horror genre has to offer. But, one way or another, you’ll leave the movie saying “they went there.”
That’s also true of Chris Rock’s performance as Zeke. As the only (supposedly) good cop in his precinct, Zeke is a desperate man. He wants to bring corrupt cops to justice, while bringing the person killing corrupt cops to justice, all while making his former chief papa (Samuel L. Jackson) proud. Whether or not we’re supposed to laugh at the performance, my admission of laughter is not an insult. How else can someone respond to the passionate insanity of his performance? Rock relishes in the furious lone-good-cop role, shouting at every opportunity and picking fights at every insult. When declaring that he must lead the investigation of his friend’s death, he says, with his eye twitching, bulging, or both, “you gotta let me get this motherf*****.”
Rock’s passion in his performance is reflected behind the scenes. A fan of the series, he pitched the story (earning him a story and executive producer credit), and the core concept both celebrates and revitalizes the series. It should be said that, in terms of the story, Spiral is not a Saw film per se. It’s in the same universe, but it isn’t Saw 9 anymore than Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was Star Wars: Episode VIII. The killer in the film is not Jigsaw, a Jigsaw protege, or even someone who met Jigsaw. Jigsaw doesn’t appear beyond photographs on an evidence board. Instead, the new killer is bringing corrupt cops to justice, and just wants to do it the Jigsaw way.
With this new focus, the lead being Zeke’s lone-good-cop creates unique tension. He has no problem going after his friend’s killer, but what about other dirty cops that are targeted? What about a cop who killed an unarmed teen? What about the cops proudly enforcing corrupt policies?
What about his dad?
These questions do their part to motivate the narrative, and it’s “the Jigsaw way” that will keep fans of the franchise entertained. As fresh as the new focus is, Spiral isn’t ashamed to embrace its predecessors’ gruesome, morality tale puzzles. Darren Lynn Bousman, having directed the most entries in the franchise, returns for the first time since Saw IV (Jigsaw writers Josh Stolberg and Pete Goldfinger also pen the script), and the franchise’s signature style with him. The direction of the traps annoyed me in the past. The wide shots with erratic camera movements seemed lazy, as if to say “okay, show the stuff but make it crazy.” But with Spiral, I developed an appreciation for it.
The trapped characters know what’s happening to them with perfect clarity, and what is happening to them is like a jagged nightmare. One shot in the opening stands out: the camera erratically pulls out from a close-up to show a man standing on a ladder with a trapped tongue, with one more erratic pull out to show a TV in front of him. Once the new killer shows up on TV and asks if the trapped man wants to play a game, the violent circular shots and stylishly nasty close-ups of his trapped mouth ensue.
It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but there’s something about the camera’s madness that makes it feel eternal. Every moment feels the same, and little time passes, but this is the point. The characters are stuck with this horrible clarity, and the simple, repetitive style makes 10 seconds last an eternity.
This is all well and good for fans of the franchise. They get a fresh take on a series that’s been on the outs for a while. Those who aren’t fans are the more difficult sell.
As a whole, Spiral can’t be recommended outright. But the ending, which is so shocking that I wondered if I could review the film, make it recommendable with caution. It’s not a shock that only works when watching the movie, where you can shake it off when it’s over. It’s a shock that reverberates, that sticks, long after the movie ends. Whether the movie that precedes it is worth sticking out is up to you. But even if you’re not a fan of the franchise, the ending makes a viewing well worth considering.
