History YMMV / Spiral2021

* MemeticMutation: When the movie's title logo was first shown, many people noticed that it bore an uncanny resemblance to the UsefulNotes/SegaDreamcast logo and made jokes about it being the villain.

* WTHCastingAgency: Many viewers were surprised to see Creator/ChrisRock -- who is widely known for his comedy -- starring for the first time in a serious horror film. It should be noted that ''he's'' the one who came up with the story, and this is not [[Film/NewJackCity the first time he's been in a non-comedic role]] (said film being even referenced by his character at one point).

* ImprovedSecondAttempt: Josh Stolberg and Pete Goldfinger's previous proposed film to revive the franchise after the original finale ''Film/Saw3D'', ''Film/{{Jigsaw}}'', had a rather negative critical reception for having a poorly-structured plot featuring many {{Plot Hole}}s and timeline issues in regards to the seven previous films, as well as a number of drastic differences in the aesthetic to the one that most viewers were used to for ''Saw''. ''Spiral'', meanwhile, was better-received for not trying to tamper with what was established in past installments and being more visually polished (while at the same time not being the same as before), even if the plot still had plenty of criticism alongside the acting (particularly that of Chris Rock).

* SurprisinglyImprovedSequel: Although ''Spiral'' still didn't perform particularly well critically or commercially (even then, the latter can hardly be helped due to US cinemas having only recently been reopened, not to mention many foreign movie theaters still being closed by then), it was still by most metrics a pretty significant improvement over the last few ''Saw'' movies; in particular, the acting (aside from Chris Rock in his role of Zeke, which was rather divisive) was seen as a step up, [[spoiler:Schenk's]] traps weren't nearly as fantastical/expensive and requiring of suspension of disbelief as John's, and his motivations of taking down dirty cops who had actually killed people, lied under oath and signed draconian articles giving police more unchecked powers actually made a bit of sense (even if extreme), unlike John who, by the end, was murdering people for cheating on their partners, using drugs and smoking. Its story is also set outside the overly convoluted plot of the previous films, managing to lift the franchise out of TheChrisCarterEffect.

* SurprisinglyImprovedSequel: Although ''Spiral'' still didn't perform particularly well critically or commercially (although the latter can hardly be helped due to US cinemas having only recently been reopened, not to mention many foreign movie theaters still being closed by then), it was still by most metrics a pretty significant improvement over the last few ''Saw'' movies; in particular, the acting (aside from Chris Rock in his role of Zeke, which was rather divisive) was seen as a step up, [[spoiler:Schenk's]] traps weren't nearly as fantastical/expensive and requiring of suspension of disbelief as John's, and his motivations of taking down dirty cops who had actually killed people, lied under oath and signed draconian articles giving police more unchecked powers actually made a bit of sense (even if extreme), unlike John who, by the end, was murdering people for cheating on their partners, using drugs and smoking. Its story is also set outside the overly convoluted plot of the previous films, managing to lift the franchise out of TheChrisCarterEffect.

-->'''''Film/SawIII'' tagline (Ezekiel 21:33:37):''' "This Halloween... I will judge you... Your blood shall flow... throughout the land... for I have spoken."

* GeniusBonus: Zeke shares a name with the prophet Ezekiel, well-known for the two quotes from the Bible below, which is very similar to the Spiral Killer's motives. Better yet, a variation of the first quote was previously used as a tagline for ''Film/SawIII'', and the second one also showed up in [[Film/PulpFiction another film starring]] Creator/SamuelLJackson.

* GeniusBonus: Zeke shares a name with the prophet Ezekiel, well-known for the quote from the Bible below, which is very similar to the Spiral Killer's motives. Better yet, it previously showed up in [[Film/PulpFiction another film starring]] Creator/SamuelLJackson.

** The killer, [[spoiler:Schenk]], reveals that [[spoiler:he got into the force by using a fake name/identity]] as part of his greater scheme to take down corrupt police officers. Since he's not shown to be nearly as CrazyPrepared as the original Jigsaw or have quite the same financial means/resources as him, it should have theoretically been easy for a major metropolitan police force to do a background check and find out that [[spoiler:the guy wasn't who he said he was]]. Kind of goes to show the ineffectiveness of this police force, or prove the point that just about anyone can become a cop in this universe.
** Although the film was actually written, shot and slated to be released prior to the killings of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd becoming public knowledge and the ensuing protests against police brutality, it hits on several of the themes that became part of mainstream discourse. For example, although two of the corrupt officers seen in the film (Pete and Fitch, who both killed people for no real reason) were white men, their actions were enabled by a black chief (Marcus) and then a Latina captain (Angie). The film makes a commentary, even if accidental, that adding more diversity to a corrupt system doesn't necessarily make it any less corrupt, and that identity politics can't solve major systemic issues.