Saw-- Horror Short Film Movie Review

 PLOT SUMMARY: A hospital orderly is kidnapped. He wakes up to find himself facing a difficult choice, one he has to make if he wants to get out alive. 

Before the Saw franchise became a huge hit and generated a vast cult following, there was a time when filmmakers James Wan and Leigh Whannell had trouble finding studios.

Eventually the duo shot a short movie, travelled to Los Angeles and pitched the movie to studios. The pitch proved to be successful and the movie picked up.

The story begins with David speaking to a Detective about the incident. He was an orderly at a hospital who has just finished his shift. David is smoking when the nurse warns him of the dangers of the vice but he shrugs it off and proceeds to listen to loud music.

He is then knocked out before he can get into the elevator.

When David wakes up, he finds himself strapped on a chair and a contraption on his head. A TV comes on and a puppet face tells him of the puzzle he must solve. What David is wearing is a reverse bear trap which is on a timer. The key to the bear trap can be found inside his dead cell mate.

As soon as the TV turns off, David manages to free himself from the straps but as soon as he stands, the timer to the trap begins. Time is running out...

David rushes to the body and finds a scalpel. But just as he nears, the man opens his eyes  and David realizes to his horror that the man is paralyzed.

The scenes are intercut with the Detective who is questioning David and he confirms that the man was indeed paralyzed.

Between his life and the man's, David of course chooses himself. We are spared the gore as David retrieves the key and manages to free himself at the last minute.

The puppet enters on a cycle. He tells David that he must now understand the value of life and be grateful.

The Detective then asks David who is clearly going to live with the trauma of killing someone to save himself.

The movie is as captivating as it is terrifying. The tension is palpable as is the desperation of making a choice, and that too such a difficult one.

It is no wonder that this short was picked up by studios and birthed the Saw franchise.

Definitely, a must-watch.

Scare Scale: 4/5

Check out the short movie: