It was the third part of William Easton's trial at … The flashbacks are constant, filling in the ever-retconned backstory of John Kramer and his minions. Already a subscriber? This one is pretty damn horrible for all involved, yet is still only #37 on the list. Even knowing all of the twists and turns and secrets of Adam (Leigh Whannell) and Dr. Laurence Gordon (Cary Elwes), it's still horrible to watch them be tortured by Jigsaw, all while the man himself is lying right there unconscious on the floor. Remember when you saw Johnâs wife once in a flashback? When she does, a circle of spikes move closer and closer to her throat... until they do finally puncture. It just starts to feel like cheap tricks. Walking into a room, she thinks she has found a free suspended box filled with antidote, but it literally becomes her trap. We've discussed some absolutely horrific examples of self-mutilation in the name of survival, but Troy (J. Larose) is one of the most nauseating. You can practically feel the sharp stinging she does when the hoses spray her down with cold water, and while it's an entirely bloodless death it still feels like one of the most painful in the franchise. And boy, do we hear a lot about the rules in Saw II. Unfortunately, these holes are lined with Chinese finger-trap-esque blades, and before long Addison is trapped with both hands in the box bleeding to death. The seventh sequel is not an unwelcome entry, but it does hang around the low-middle of the pack. With Erinâs story as the central remaining question, the penultimate episode purposefully lays down clues that point in disparate directions. Basically, all they have to do is wait around in a room with a big jar of acid until William Easton (Peter Outerbridge) completes his test, and then they decide whether or not he lives or dies. There are apparently other things in the box as well. From a puzzle perspective, no mystery in the Saw franchise has been as complex and psychologically disturbing as the test that made up the main narrative in James Wan's original film. The first sequel trades the novelty of the premise for extra gore, but thatâs what sequels do, and itâs the first to introduce the gauntlet format that will become common in the franchise: A bunch of people in a huge torture maze have to find their way out by following all of the sacred rules. All of the deaths here are absolutely disgusting, from the guy who gets pulled apart, to the girl whose face gets smashed by the tire, to the guy who gets rammed by the car, to the driver who gets launched through the windshield (even though his entire back was glued to the seat). The return rate on cast members in Saw is one of the franchiseâs strengths, but Dr. Gordon â down one foot because he had to hacksaw one off to survive his death game â resurfacing as a top Jigsaw disciple just makes everyone in this universe seem far too willing to join forces with a man who mutilated them in the name of tough love. But itâs also the only âtortureâ franchise that aims to embed a morality tale into its core. Circular saw blades come in a wide range of sizes from just 6.5 inches in diameter to 12 inches. The last thing to turn is the neck, which ultimately results in decapitation. That is a lot of narrative stacking, and further emphasizes the serial-TV nature of the franchise, which is both a pro and a con. Signature device: The laser-cutter collarAfter a seven-year absence, the gangâs all here: the creepy doll on its tricycle, a torture gauntlet filled with blame-shifting sinners, the signature theme song, the ominous recorded voice of Tobin Bell, excised skin cut in the shape of puzzle pieces, and even a kind of museum filled with a greatest hits of Jigsawâs death devices. His personized game asks that he either stab both of his own eyes out, or get all of his limbs ripped off by pulley systems. The pressure cooker of the competition mixed with the terror of the explosive outcome make this one a real horror show. Jigsaw has, by now, been unmasked as John Kramer, and spends most of the movie in a sit-down with Wahlbergâs detective, which gives him a lot of time to proselytize about the value of life and speak in riddles. Thereâs heartwarming cooperation and redemption, but also vicious backstabbing, and it makes for the best murder-house dynamic in the franchise. Amanda is now fully part of the story as his lieutenant, working to become his successor after his terminal cancer finally claims him. Shawnee Smith reprises her role as the rare Jigsaw trap survivor, Amanda, and catalyzes the franchiseâs best âOh, shit!â moment, which also serves as the tip-off for how vast and interconnected the Saw mythology will eventually become. There are extra points for emotional nuance, and that keeps III from drowning in an ocean of sameness. Things have gotten quieter lately on the graphic suffering front, but the eighth entry in the Saw franchise arrives this weekend after a seven-year dormant period for the franchise, hoping to rekindle your interest in torture tourism. This is a super gross one, and definitely the stuff of nightmares. Log in or link your magazine subscription, This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. This is top-tier fucked up stuff. 5. Funny is sexy! If the victims trapped in the nerve gas-filled house just took a second to cooperate and figure out their first clue -- finding the numbers on their necks and putting them in the color of the rainbow -- they could have gotten a dose of the antidote without any violence. It's definitely one of the most ghastly Jigsaw constructions. Not only is this one a violent affair, but the dirty laundry between friends Ryan (Jon Cor) and Brad (Sebastian Pigott) is exposed as they fight over their shared girlfriend, Dina (Anne Greene), who is dangled between them hovering over a giant saw blade. The contents are not fully disclosed at the beginning, but she does produce SIX envelopes, numbered 1-6, and a yellow envelope without a number. Signature device: The brazen bull oven Despite the fact that the franchise had accumulated more than Dr. Lynn Denlon (Bahar Soomekh) kind of gets screwed over by her own set of special skills. Saw still has the power to shock, but itâs also a little less self-serious. Also, even though the movie begins with the body of John Kramer being autopsied, the movie whiplashes you in the climax, revealing that IV actually took place in a concurrent timeline with III, with the characters and narratives colliding in the triage operating theater featured in that third movie. It's scary because there is no opportunity for escape, but it's a very quick death. The question is: Were the Saw movies actually good enough to merit bringing this beast back out of retirement? Low prices across earth's biggest selection of books, music, DVDs, electronics, computers, software, apparel & accessories, shoes, jewelry, tools & hardware, housewares, furniture, sporting goods, beauty & personal care, groceries & just about anything else. Because she doesn't see the latch in the back that already has a key in the lock, she thinks the best way in is to stick her hands into the holes at the bottom. The idea is that you're stuck on an ordinary chair with your hands and feet bound. The Needle Pit. The victim of this trap was Troy. Unlike the slasher movies of the 1980s or the exploitation horror films of the 1970s, the modern wave of torture films (or, as New Yorkâs David Edelstein dubbed it, âtorture pornâ) has been marked by highly stylized violence with landscapes designed for and devoted to pure punishment. Heâs back! It's a revolting end, and was one hell of a way to open Saw II. Poor Addison (Emmanuelle Vaugier). A poison is making its way through his veins, his skin is covered in a flammable jelly, and his task is to use a candle to find the combination to the safe on the floor, which contains an antidote. The way things shake out with the Electric Bathtub in Saw V is rather horrific. It's understandable: if you woke up with a collar and a leash around your neck attached to a giant blade, and were warned that you only had a few seconds to free yourself, you'd understandably freak out too. This one stars Donnie Wahlberg as a no-ethics cop who has to play Jigsawâs game if he wants to rescue his son from a dingy house thatâs basically one big Rube Goldberg death trap. Those that feel this way can probably relate to Michael Marks (Noam Jenkins), who fails to cut a key out of his own eye before giant spikes in a two-sided metal mask come together to completely crush his skull. What still makes it extra disturbing, however, is that it's ultimately betting on the good or evil nature of the people playing the game. So, IV both starts and ends with Johnâs autopsy, which means the autopsy doesnât set the stage for IV so much as transform into a ham-fisted trick play at the end of the movie. However, this one isn't really one of Jigsaw's most creative or terrifying efforts. 7½ Hours. The Steam Maze. The specially-designed device makes some kind of an appearance in almost every chapter in the series, and is as identifiable with the brand as the idea of cutting off your own foot. Sheâs now integral to the plot! That trigger is not super easy to reach, however, as you first have to force your face through a bunch of sharp knives. A bit. Free delivery on millions of items with Prime. At the end of Saw V, it's revealed that one shared key would have allowed everyone to free themselves from the Neck Tie Trap, but panic got the best of everybody. Meanwhile, the top face suffers tear-out so bad it cannot be used in a visible area on a project. It's a disgusting, bloody affair. In Saw 3D Bobby Dagan, an author who lied about being tested by Jigsaw, must go through a series of traps to save his wife. Being stabbed and cut at every moment, Amanda has to search the pile for a key -- and even though she actually does find it, they still don't get it into the door in time. The victim of this trap was Obi Tate. The victim was completely Pop Smokeâs Mother Remembers Her âYoung Warriorâ In Billboard Acceptance Speech, âI thank you to the fans, for honoring the life and spirit of my son, so much that he continues to manifest as if he were still here in flesh.â, Drakeâs Son Adonis Wins Toddler of the Decade Award at Billboard Music Awards. The victim had to find a way through the wire in order get to a hole in the fence leading to the exit door. The majority of Jigsaw's traps are private affairs, but the big 3D opening of Saw: The Final Chapter brought what would ultimately a bloody love triangle to the public -- hence the name. Jigsaw challenges an overweight, suicidal man to climb through blades in order to free himself, and in the process he gets cut so bad that his stomach acid is found on the floor.
