B Movies Blog

Hello, Movie Mavens! Welcome back to the B Movies Blog. Today, we’re popping the Saw franchise into the ol’ VCR. 

Friends, the Saw franchise is a not so guilty pleasure of mine. I’ve seen every single installment thus far (through Saw X, thank you), and I own all of them as well. Saw also holds the coveted award of being one of the only horror franchises with a scene that makes me queasy. 

Now, I know Saw is considered by many to be torture porn (and the scene with a naked woman in a meat locker doesn’t really help the case), but I think Saw deserves a bit more credit. 

Who wore it better? Leigh Whannel or the woman in the Poise commercial who sneezes and becomes a mermaid?

Saw isn’t the pinnacle of cinema by any means, but I still enjoy them. Are the logistics questionable? Yes. Is the timeline shaky? Definitely. Do I still watch them? You betcha. 

I’m also fascinated by John Kramer’s mentality. I understand wanting to teach people a lesson, but there are better ways, my dude. Take Mr. Feeny, for example (unless I missed the episode where Mr. Feeny put a bear trap on Eric’s head). 

Additionally, the Saw franchise laid the groundwork for some great pop culture satires, including one of my favorites, the Robot Chicken Sawed by the Bell sketch. 

Like it or not, the Saw franchise isn’t going anywhere. It might not be perfect, and definitely supports the belief of alternate timelines (seriously, John Kramer did a LOT in a matter of years). 

But, for me, it’s a way to just shut my brain off for a few hours and enjoy Donnie Wahlberg and Scott Patterson flying off the handle every few seconds for no apparent reason (as well as Donnie Wahlberg making it through multiple movies, only to have his head squashed like a grape between two giant ice cubes). 

There’s also no arguing that the first Saw is incredible. Cary Elwes? Like c’mon. 

I respect Billy because I don’t know how to ride a bike. 

While the wraparound narrative with Saw continues to be replaced with loose connections and more complicated deathtraps, and it doesn’t make my top five franchises, it’s still fun. 

It’s like I said last year with X. In a world of elevated horror movies, we’re allowed to enjoy horror movies without allegories. It’s okay to watch movies where people have to stick their hands in acid to get keys within 15 seconds or have their faces grated off by a cheese grater (guess which half of this sentence is true). It’s okay to just go to the movies and get popcorn and not write a review (how meta). I fully give you permission. 

Game over.