Saw is by far the best horror franchise to come from the 2000s. It has much going for it. The music by Charlie Clouser is phenomenal, the twists are really good, and Jigsaw is one of thebest horror villains of all time.
What Saw is also famous for is the traps. While light in the first movie, fans wanted more, so they were a larger presence in each subsequent film. The best traps really boggle down to the best trap scenes, as the quality of the scene in question is what determines it.
Spoilers for different entries in the Saw franchise!
10Cyanide Box
From Saw 3D comes a simple trap, but one that’s actually pretty smart. Later in the movie, SWAT officers raid the location of Bobby Dagen’s Trial, which is the Clear Dawn Psychiatric Hospital. Eventually, they reach a point where they can’t progress further due to the Hangman’s Noose game, and so they travel a different path.
This is where their mistake lies, as they enter an inescapable room where cyanide capsules drop from the ceiling, leading to their death. What’s cool is that this isn’t meant for the officers but for Bobby. Revealed in thewriter’s commentary track, Bobby follows a red line on the ground throughout his trial, and this trap is meant to be punishment for not following the rules. It’s really cool that the trap actually works in both ways.
9Knife Chair
John Kramer’s very first trap was the Knife Chair appearing in Saw 4. The victim here is Cecil Adams, a person very important to the birth of Jigsaw, as he was the one responsible for Jill Tuck’s miscarriage. John Kramer is with the victim in person, which was rare for the early movies, adding weight to the scene, and the trap itself is pretty gnarly.
The ending is great. Cecil actually falls and breaks the chair, which would make sense, given this is John’s very first game. Cecil then lunges at Jigsaw, but he simply moves out of the way, and Cecil lands into a horde of barbed wire. This is very much in character for John to not make any physical contact with the victim.
8Pendulum Trap
While the Knife Chair was John Kramer’s first trap, the Pendulum is Mark Hoffman’s first. Appearing in Saw 5, the victim is Seth Baxter, the person responsible for killing Hoffman’s sister. This trap is important lore-wise, but the actual scene itself with the trap’s implementation is what makes it so good.
The pendulum swings back and forth, and continuing to go lower just makes the scene tense as hell. The Ten Pints of Sacrifice trap, also in Saw 5, is nailbiting as well, but the story significance of this just gives it a slight edge.
7Pig Vat
Saw 3 was the final instalment to be written by Leigh Whannell, and it shows. The main trial has much more emotional weight than most of the other Saw movies. The Pig Vat showcases this, as it’s one of the few Saw traps that doesn’t require any physical harm to pass.
Instead, for Jeff Denlon to save the judge, he must destroy all his son’s belongings, which he keeps so dear due to his death. This makes the trap incredibly unique, and the amazing score does a large amount of the grunt work in making this scene so effective. The music simply transforms this scene, and the whole soundtrack of Saw 3 is fantastic, beingone of the best in all of horror.
6Shotgun Carousel
The most memorable trap in Saw 6 has to be the Shotgun Carousel. Boasting the highest victim count yet in the series with six people, it truly is a ride. The rules are a bit complicated, but the carousel rides until it stops with the person in front of the shotgun taking a point-blank blast.
That is unless William uses a device to stab his hand, which will save up to two people. This scene is so great for a couple of reasons. One, each shotgun blast just lowers the odds for the remaining victims, like aMario Partyminigame, adding to the tension. Second, all the victims have to attempt to convince William to save them, which adds a unique dynamic here.
5Laser Collars
The final trap of Jigsaw is the Laser Collars, and it leaves one hell of an impression. The rules of the trap are a bit odd and confusing, but the death here more than makes up for it. Eight lasers will come down upon the head, making it look like a blossomed plant.
The kill does use CGI, which is not the norm, but regardless, it still looks awesome. Even in video games, you’re not likely to see a head split open quite like that. Jigsaw can be a forgettable Saw movie, but this is one moment you definitely won’t forget.
4The Rack
Jeff finally makes it to his son’s killer, and he must partake in the most brutal trap in the original Saw trilogy. Timothy’s arms, legs, and head will each be slowly twisted until they break. Jigsaw describes The Rack as his favorite, and it’s easy to see why.
Most people know the pain of twisting body parts and testing your flexibility, so this trap can be much more difficult to watch for people than the more gory traps. It also once again has that emotional weight with the characters that add a lot to the scene.
3Angel Trap
Allison Kerry is a notable character within the first three films, and in Saw 3, she finally gets tested. She is put into the Angel Trap, a device targeting her ribcage, and in order to escape, she must reach into a jar of acid to get the key. The kill here is executed in an elegant way.
It likely has to do with her being hung up in the air, literally like an angel. What’s also smart is that the removal of her ribcage wouldn’t actually kill her right away, but most of the audience watching this movie wouldn’t know that. It’s one of those scenarios where you can get away with an unrealistic aspect, as a lot of people just won’t know.
2Acid Room
Probably the most brutal final trap in a Saw movie is the Acid Room from Saw 6. Throughout the entire film, William is put through games consisting of him choosing who lives or dies to reach the end. However, William actually wanted to finish the trial to save his sister, not the son and mother you’ve seen thus far.
Those people are related to Harold, the person who was denied health coverage near the movie’s start. Now, it’s time for Tara and Brent to choose if William lives or dies. This role reversal feels very Tales From The Crypt. William, who is in this game due to picking who lives or dies, is now the victim of said choice by the very people he hurt. The outcome is what you’d expect, resulting in a mess of a clean-up.
1Reverse Bear Trap
The best Saw trap has to be the one with the most appearances. That is the Reverse Bear Trap used in Saw 1, 6, and 3D. Its trap scene in the first Saw was one of the best in the film, being nail-biting despite knowing the outcome. It returned in an updated form used to test Hoffman in Saw 6, and while not as iconic, it still looks really cool.
Then, the trap finally got a kill in Saw 3D. It looks truly amazing and is one of the heights of the series' practical effects work. Frankly, that kill was one of the few positives to Saw 3D because that’s one of the worst Saw instalments. Every scene with this trap is good, making it the king of Saw traps.
