Hi all!

Last week, I ranked the entire Saw franchise (click here). Today, I’m going 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. Some will leave you feeling nauseated and slightly out of breath. Others will downright horrify you. Nevertheless, viewers are always eager to see what’s next. My personal list is based on creativity and enjoyment level. I wanted to share YouTube clips of each one, but as expected, they were too graphic. Also, the stickers in this post are from Redbubble. Without further ado, let’s get into it! Spoilers ahead!

1.) Pound of Flesh – Saw VI

In my ranking, I mentioned my absolute favourite trap was 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, with a tray of sharp implements nearby. There is also a weighing scale in the room. They are in a trap, due to the nature of their job. The pair recklessly hand out loans to people 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. Only one can survive. Whoever gives the most from their own body, will be free. The loser will have nails driven into their brain. What makes this the best trap, is the 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, placing it on the scales. This ultimate sacrifice ensures her survival. Fun fact: the actress (played by Tanedra Howard), won reality competition, Scream Queens; her prize being this role. She definitely earned it. YouTube this scene. It’s brutal, but so good.

2.) Shotgun Carousel – Saw VI 

My second favourite trap is also from Saw VI. Can you see why I ranked the movie so highly? I’m talking about the infamous Shotgun Carousel, which has the most amount of people involved in a singular trap. Protagonist, William Easton, must 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 to be rescued over the others. It soon turns nasty, as they defame one another, trying to sway his decision. One of them even lies, saying she is pregnant. The psychological manipulation is what makes it such an effective trap. You don’t know who to believe and who is worthy of making it out. William is so tormented 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 will be activated by her rise in decibels, piercing her throat. Seems simple enough right? Just keep your mouth shut. Wrong! Bobby only has one minute to pull a key from 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. Despite Bobby trying to keep her silent, she ends up being a little too loud. Ouch! It’s such a great concept and scene.

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, which 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 – 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. Here is where it gets downright unfair. The key to the mask is located within his eyeball. He is given a scalpel, which he needs to use, in order to retrieve it. In 60 seconds! That is harsh! Despite the unfairness, it’s still worthy of being on my list. For one, it’s a great opening scene. One of the best I daresay. Secondly, it links to the seventh film (i.e. one of the best twists in the franchise). When Jigsaw is explaining the trap, he shows a figure on screen, inserting the key into Michael’s eye, whilst unconscious. We can’t see the person’s face, but they are evidently limping. That clue proves 1.) Dr Lawrence Gordon survived 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 the Glass Grinder from Spiral. It’s probably a controversial choice, but I think it’s highly effective and inventive. Zeke Banks wakes up in a room, to find 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, into Peter’s body. Peter does what anybody would do – turns around so the glass cuts into his back, not his front. Zeke moves across the room to retrieve the key, trying to rescue Peter. He gets glass fragments stuck in his hand but that’s nothing compared to Peter. Unfortunately, Zeke takes a bit too long. Peter is already dead by the time he opens the lock. It’s a mesmerising scene. It’s also an ethical dilemma. When bound by a moral code, would you do whatever it took to free a corrupt policeman?

What are your favourite traps from the Saw franchise? Thanks so much for reading! 

Peace & Love xoxo