‘Spiral’ Film Review: Chris Rock’s ‘Saw’ Revival Already Feels Dated
Tackling topical issues is nothing new for this gory franchise, and this film’s perspective on “good” cops plays very 2019
William Bibbiani | May 12, 2021 @ 6:00 AM
Brooke Palmer/Lionsgate
Let’s give credit where credit is due: Darren Lynn Bousman’s “Spiral: From the Book of Saw” avoids the obvious deathtrap of wallowing in nostalgia for the blockbuster “Saw” franchise, which produced seven hit movies in its first seven years but only one other sequel in the last decade.
Instead, “Spiral” wallows in nostalgia for the crime thrillers of the 1990s, stuffing itself to the gills with distracting references to “Pulp Fiction” and constantly evoking not-altogether-unpleasant memories of films like “Se7en,” “Copycat” and “The Bone Collector.”