Traps in Short Films

This category contains a list of all traps in Saw and The Scott Tibbs Documentary.

The Reverse Bear Trap[]

The reverse bear trap was a complex mechanical contraption built with multiple metallic components. The frontal section consisted of two movable, bent metal parts that lay on each other. Each of these parts could be equipped with up to five blades. Those blades were shoved into the victim's mouth, preventing them from speaking or removing the device.

The trap's midsection consisted of an arch-shaped brace that rested on the victim's head. Therefore, their abductor could put the device onto their head like a helmet. The rear section of the trap consisted of a large metallic brace. Due to a hinge, it could be moved and laid around the back of the victim's head, where it was then secured with a padlock. A timer was attached to the trap right next to the lock.

The bear trap's three individual sections ran together on both sides of the victim's head, where the contraption's primary mechanism was located. It consisted of cables, gears, coil springs, and a hydraulic pump. Once the timer on the back expired, the two frontal elements were divaricated in a vertical direction with enough pressure to break the victim's jaws and rip their face apart. The only way to survive was to find the key to the padlock and remove it before the timer went off.

The victim tested with this trap was David, a hospital orderly.

The Axe Trap[]

The axe trap was a primitive makeshift contraption. The victim's chest and legs were strapped to a chair with duct tape while their hands were taped up behind their back. Above them was a mechanism holding a metallic arm equipped with an axe blade. It could be lifted by using a nearby control panel. Upon activating it, a drill started spinning, and a rope connected to the metallic arm winded around the drill bit, raising the axe blade.

Once the game began, a timer started ticking down. The victim had to sever their fingers by shoving them into a circular saw blade positioned behind them. When the timer went off, the rope holding the arm would be cut by automatic knives. If the victim did not free themselves in time, the axe would swing down and impale their chest, killing them.

The victim tested with this trap was Scott Tibbs, a psychotic rock band leader who sought to test his own survival instincts.