Which of the Saw movies does franchise co-creator James Wan love the most? Saw was a collaboration between Wan and screenwriter Leigh Whannell, who designed it as a calling card that could be shot on a tiny budget. After shipping it around, they managed to secure names like Danny Glover to the project, but few could have predicted Saw's impact on the genre. The film was a surprise hit that popularised a more extreme form of horror seen in films like Hostel. It also led to a long-running Saw movie franchise, which received a 2021 spinoff called Spiral starring Chris Rock.
Beyond the first film, Wan had little involvement with the Saw series. He declined the chance to helm Saw 2, instead moving on to Dead Silence. He still established himself as a modern master of horror thanks to both the Insidious and Conjuring movies, in addition to the occasional blockbuster like 2018's Aquaman. While he made a conscious choice to break away from the Saw movies, the filmmaker is still deeply appreciative of the opportunities the first film gave him. In a Vulture interview, Wan also revealed his favorite entries, stating "I say the first one’s the best one [laughs]. I’m also a big fan of six and two."
Saw (2004)
Saw would every fan's franchise ranking, and for good reason. James Wan's Saw was shot in 18 days on a tight budget, and suffers from numerous technical flaws as a result, including some poor line readings and continuity flubs. The sheer intensity of the original makes up for that, with Saw being a lean, dread-filled thriller that features some killer twists. Wan has since stated it wasn't quite the film he intended thanks to the low budget, stating to Yahoo! that "I think I probably got 30% of what I wanted.” Considering how it changed the horror genre, the mind boggles over what 100% of Wan's original Saw vision was.
Saw II (2005)
Whannell co-wrote Saw II, while he and Wan served as co-producers on the film. The sequel transformed an unrelated script involving a group of strangers trapped in a booby trap-filled house and added a subplot involving an interrogation between Jigsaw/John Kramer (Tobin Bell) and corrupt cop Matthews (Donnie Wahlberg). The latter story is the most compelling, greatly fleshing out Kramer and his motives, and building to (another) killer twist. It also features some of the saga's most famous traps, including the dreaded needle pit. Of all the follow-ups, Saw II had the most creative input from Wan, who also provided a commentary on its DVD release.
Saw VI (2009)
Almost universally regarded as one of the best Saw sequels, the sixth entry rounded out Wan's franchise favorites. The trademark wince-inducing gore is correct and present, but Saw VI also offers some of the most compelling plotlines of the series. The skewering of health insurance in America is surprisingly well handled, while it features some of the later outings' most inventive sequences. Saw VI is arguably the last really solid entry, but hopefully, the forthcoming Saw 10 - which is bringing John Kramer back - can restore some dignity to the property.