Hi all!
Last week, I ranked the entire Saw franchise from worst to best movie. You can check that out here. Today I’m back to share my five favourite traps from the series. This includes Spiral. Saw is known for its inventive and sickening torture devices, designed to test its victims willingness to live and ultimately rehabilitate themselves. They will leave you feeling nauseated and slightly out of breath, but also eager to see what’s next. My personal list is based on creativity and viewer enjoyment level. I wanted to share the YouTube clips of each one, but as expected, they were too graphic. Without further ado, let’s get into it! Also, the stickers in this post are from Redbubble. Spoilers ahead!
1.) Pound of Flesh – Saw VI
In last week’s post, I mentioned that my absolute favourite trap ever is from Saw VI. If you guessed Pound of Flesh, you were correct! Two money lenders wake up on opposite sides of a chain-link fence. They are both wearing devices attached to their skulls and there is a tray of sharp implements available to them nearby. There is also a weighing scale in the room. Billy explains through a television screen that the pair recklessly hand out loans to people that are unable to pay them back, in order to repossess their possessions. As predators, they will now become the prey. Their sick, symbolic test requires them to provide their own pound of flesh in a limited amount of time and only one can survive. Whoever gives the most from their own body, will be set free. The loser will have nails driven into their brain. What makes this the best trap, in my opinion, is the fact that the two victims are very different physically. Eddie is quite large and Simone is small. She realises quite quickly that Eddie will have a lot more to offer on the scale due to his size, so she will have to overcompensate. As he slices strips off his belly, she hacks her entire arm off and places it on the scales, thus becoming one of the very few game survivors. Also, as a fun fact, the actress (played by Tanedra Howard) won a reality competition named Scream Queens and her prize was getting this role in the Saw franchise. She definitely earned it and returns in Saw VII. YouTube this scene. It’s brutal but oh so good…
2.) Shotgun Carousel – Saw VI
My second favourite trap is also from Saw VI. Can you see why I ranked this movie so highly? It is the infamous Shotgun Carousel, which has the most amount of people involved in a singular trap. The protagonist, William Easton, has to decide which of his employees from the insurance agency will live or die. Six of his colleagues are bound to a rotating carousel with rigged shotguns pointed at their faces. He is only allowed to save two of them. Furthermore, whenever William presses the button to select a surviving player, he also has to give a blood sacrifice of his own. The victims begin shouting at him, begging for them to be rescued over the others. It soon turns nasty, as they defame one another and try to sway his decision. One of them even lies and says she is pregnant. The psychological manipulation is what makes this such an effective trap. You don’t know who to believe and who is worthy of making it out. William is so tormented and beside himself in this scene. He doesn’t even understand his own choices. It’s perfection.
3.) The Silence Circle – Saw VII
In Saw VII, we have The Silence Circle. Bobby Dagen comes face to face with his publicist, Nina, who is stuck in a very interesting device. As his employee, she helped promote his book, despite knowing it was all lies. Now, she has to keep quiet or she will die. If she screams, four spikes are activated by the rise in decibels and pierce her throat. Seems simple enough right? Just keep your mouth shut. Wrong! Bobby only has one minute to pull a key inside her stomach, through her esophagus and out her mouth, in order to free her from the trap. Sounds painful! Nina screams and screams as he does this and despite him trying to keep her silent, she ends up being a little too loud. Ouch! It’s such a great concept and scene, that it easily made my list.
4.) Venus Flytrap – Saw II
In Saw II, we have the Venus Flytrap. I feel really sorry for this victim. He’s only given 60 seconds to free himself and that is not nearly enough time for the excruciatingly painful task ahead. Michael is hooked up to a death mask (reminiscent of an Iron Maiden), filled with spikes that are spring loaded and set to close on his face after one minute. His profession as an informant landed him in this scenario. Jigsaw calls him a rat and a snitch. He wants him to look inward for once instead of always looking outward. Now, here is where it gets downright unfair. The key to the mask is located within his eyeball. He is given a scalpel and needs to cut his own eye out in order to retrieve it. In 60 seconds? I’m sorry, but that is harsh! You’re probably wondering why it’s on my list if I take such issue with it. For one, it’s a great opening scene to a Saw movie. One of the best I daresay. Secondly, it links to the seventh film and one of the best twists in the franchise. When Billy is explaining the trap, he shows a figure on screen inserting the key into Michael’s eye, whilst he was unconscious. We can’t see the person but they are hobbling and appear to be a doctor. That is the one clue we are given that 1.) Dr Lawrence Gordon survived in the first film and 2.) that he is Jigsaw’s ultimate apprentice. How did we miss that one?
5.) The Glass Grinder – Spiral
Last but certainly not least, I have a trap from Spiral. This is probably highly controversial, given the amount of other amazing devices I could have included in my list, but I absolutely love the Glass Grinder. I think it’s highly effective and inventive. Zeke Banks wakes up in a room to find a former corrupt cop, Peter, tied up. This is the man Zeke ratted out for killing a witness. He is given the chance to save him, but if does, he too will get caught in the crossfire. As the glass bottles move across the conveyor belt, it becomes apparent what is about to happen. The moment they fall off the edge and hit the turbine, the shards are thrown clear across the room and into Peter’s body. Peter does what anybody would do and turns around so the glass cuts into his back, not his front. As Zeke is a good person, he moves across the room to retrieve the key and rescue Peter. He also gets fragments stuck in his hand but nowhere near as badly as the victim. Unfortunately, he takes a bit too long and Peter is already dead by the time he opens the lock. It’s not just a mesmerising scene, it’s an ethical dilemma. When you’re bound by a moral code, would you do whatever it took to free a man who spat in the face of what it means to protect and serve? Something to think about!
Let me know if you agree or disagree with this list. What are your favourite traps from the Saw franchise. Thanks so much for reading!
Peace & Love xoxo