10 Recent Movies NOBODY Expected To Be Good

9. Saw X

No Hard Feelings Jennifer Lawrence
Twisted Pictures

Considering that the number of good movies with the letter "X" in the title can basically be counted on one hand - especially when they're the tenth movie in a franchise, no less - it was reasonable to have basement-level expectations for the tenth Saw movie.

Plus, accepting that the series' last remotely decent entry was 2009's Saw VI, and the two previous Saw movies marked woefully desperate attempts to jolt the franchise back to life, it would've been outright naive to expect much from a prequel set between the first two Saws.

Yet props to director Kevin Greutert - who, tellingly, also helmed Saw VI - for finally giving fans another worthy entry, one with an unexpectedly well-developed dramatic core, in turn providing Tobin Bell with a ripe opportunity to flex his mighty acting chops.

The traps certainly aren't among the series' most imaginative, but Greutert lets loose with the gnarly gore fans expect, while focusing on telling a solid story rather than tying himself in knots in the pursuit of a jaw-dropping plot twist.

That the tenth Saw movie ended up being the best-reviewed to date - the only one to receive a "Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes, even - is an outcome nobody could've ever seen coming.

Contributor
Contributor

Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.