There’s no question that Spiral (From the Book of Saw) adds a fresh coat of blood red paint to an otherwise tired premise. I’m not sure I’d go so far as to say this instalment reinvigorates the franchise, but it does a solid job of keeping things interesting. You see, this time around, they’ve taken the “you've been bad - let’s play a game” concept and applied it to one particular group – the police. Naturally, there are plenty of interesting “wrongs to be righted” story elements to be leveraged. It’s a bit of a shame that the plot doesn’t measure up to its potential then. The more things unravel, the more predictable it all becomes – leading to a rather underwhelming finale. But, on the flip side, there’s really something to be said for our lead (not to mention co-writer) Chris Rock. Here, Rock shows his range by bringing a real sense of gravitas to the role. Given his comedic nature, it really could have fallen into farcical territory. Trust me, it doesn’t. I mean, Chris Rock is not an acting virtuoso by any stretch, but he gets the job done in a particularly engrossing manner. As for the blood and guts contraptions the series is known for, well, they are effective – if not a bit forgettable. Much like the movie as a whole, it’s been done better before, but there’s enough going on to make you sit up and take notice.