James Wan, director of the very firstSawfilm and longtime producer of the franchise, has revealed his favorite Jigsaw trap. Wan developed the story of the firstSawmovie alongside Leigh Whannell, andthe film ended up spawning one of the most iconic horror franchises of all time. Since the original was released in 2004, there have been a total oftenSawmovies. Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the very first installment, Wan reflected on the franchise’s iconic traps and revealed which one is his favorite.
Perhaps it shouldn’t be a surprise that Wan chose a trap from the firstSawmovie, the only entry in the franchise he has directed. In an interview withPEOPLE, Wan admitted thatthe reverse bear trap remains his favorite Jigsaw trap. Read his full quote below:
It’s really the jaw trap. I mean, that one has become so iconic. Obviously, it ended up being on the poster, so that one is the most … that one would probably mean the most to me.
Why Saw’s Reverse Bear Trap Is So Iconic
Saw’s Reverse Bear Trap Helped Get The Movie Made
InSaw, the reverse bear trap was built by franchise villain John Kramer/Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) and is first seen on Amanda Young (Shawnee Smith). In a chilling scene that sets the tone for the rest of the series,Amanda wakes up with her jaw attached to the trapand is forced to retrieve a key from a man’s stomach before the trap goes off. As Wan noted, the reverse bear trap ended up being featured on the poster for the originalSaw, and ever since has been one of the most memorable and iconic traps from the franchise.
Thereverse bear trap fromSawalso holds a special place in Wan’s heart because it is the trap that was featured in the originalSawshort film, which he and Whannel made before receiving funding for the feature film. In the same interview, Wan claimed thatHollywood producers loved the idea of the reverse bear trap in theSawshort film. “They’re like, ‘We don’t know what the hell we’re looking at, but this is fascinating.’ And so for me, that will always be my baby,” Wan said.
Our Thoughts On Saw’s Reverse Bear Trap
It Solidified John Kramer As A Horror Icon.
Compared to manytraps in theSawfranchise,the reverse bear trap is very simple, but that is what makes it so special. CertainSawtraps are so complicated that it appears to be impossible for the victim to escape. Since the point of every Jigsaw trap is that the victims are meant to at least have a chance to escape, making them too complicated lessens the tension. In the firstSawmovie, Amanda actually survives the reverse bear trap, and true to his word, John Kramer lets her go. This made John Kramer such a unique and iconic horror movie villain.
Saw XI, the next film in the franchise, currently has a release date of July 06, 2025.
Source:PEOPLE
Saw
The Saw film franchise is an anthology of horror films centered around the Jigsaw Killer, a mastermind who crafts elaborate traps to test his victims' will to live. Victims, often morally flawed, are forced into gruesome games where they must inflict severe pain on themselves or others to survive.
