After that stimulating Saw X trailer, it seems high-time for a Saw rewatch (excluding Jigsaw and Spiral, because no… just no). It seems hard to believe that this all spawned from James Wan’s twisted mind almost 20 years ago, and now Tobin Bell is 80 years old, John Kramer has been dead since Saw III, yet the gorehounds out there are still getting everything they want.
Although the franchise started to go downhill since Saw V, every single Saw movie (not you, Jigsaw and Spiral) serves a purpose as far as fleshing out the backstories and motivations behind the characters of John Kramer, Amanda Young, and Mark Hoffman. From the looks of Saw X, the franchise is going back to its roots, which is precisely what the fans have been crying out for since Saw 3D. We still have two months before Saw X arrives in theaters, but there’s a whole host of like-minded movies out there to satisfy your savage desires.
The Collector (2009)
Five years after Saw came out, The Collector arrived. Originally, the movie was slated as The Midnight Man, and was pitched as a spin-off origin story for John Kramer/Jigsaw but the producers opposed the idea and it fell through. The script was reworked and crafted into an original story, which follows a man drowning in debt who makes the poor life choice to rob a house, only to find that a far more sinister threat has already broken in.
Marcus Dunstan, who wrote the screenplay for Feast, serves as director. Juan Fernández stars as The Collector, a mask man revealed to be a ‘collector’ of people, whose modus operandi is to ‘collect’ one person from a household and kill everyone else. Other cast members include Josh Stewart as Arkin, the movie’s protagonist; Michael Reilly Burke and Andrea Roth as Michael and Victoria Chase, the homeowners targeted by Arkin and The Collector; and Alex Feldman and Madeline Zime as Chad and Jill, a boyfriend and girlfriend. There’s no doubt that The Collector puts Saw V — the latest in the franchise at the time of release — to utter shame.
Hostel (2005)
We’ll go ahead and address the elephant in the room; Hostel is a total rip-off of Saw in every way. Released the following year, in 2005, Hostel was directed by Eli Roth, a famous name to fans of the splatter sub-genre of horror, who also worked on Cabin Fever. If you need some convincing, Hostel boasts Quentin Tarantino as an executive producer, so that’s a pretty big deal.
The movie follows a handful of American tourists who find themselves in Slovakia, where they are eventually picked off one-by-one by an organization that encourages people to torture and kill others. The fact that Hostel spawned two sequels speaks for itself, but it’s the performances of Jay Hernandez, Derek Richardson, and Barbara Nedeljáková that truly stand out. If you can’t get enough of gore, Hostel is a fitting substitute to curb your cravings.
House of Wax (2005)
If Hostel is a Saw copycat, then House of Wax walked so Saw could run. The 2005 version is a remake of the 1953 movie of the same name, which follows the horrific misdeeds of a disfigured sculptor who rebuilds his destroyed wax museum by murdering people and using their wax-coated remains as replacement displays. The remake was directed by Jaume Collet-Serra in his feature directorial debut, and stars Elisha Cuthbert, Chad Michael Murray, Brian Van Holt in a dual role, Paris Hilton, Jared Padalecki, Jon Abrahams, and Robert Ri’chard.
Ironically, Paris Hilton won a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actress, but then went on to win Best Scream Scene Of The Year at the Teen Choice Awards, so we’re not too sure what to make of that. As far as box office performance, House of Wax was considered a flop, but although it didn’t land with critics, it has reached cult-classic status over time. There’s plenty of vomit-inducing kills, so if that’s your thing, you’ll love this.
Cube (1997)
Ah, Cube. An oldie but goodie. Don’t be fooled by the fact that this movie came out in the ’90s. In fact, it’s common knowledge that some of the horror’s greatest masterpieces came straight from the ’80s and ’90s. This Canadian sci-fi horror was directed and co-written by Vincenzo Natali and stars Nicole de Boer, Nicky Guadagni, David Hewlett, Andrew Miller, Julian Richings, Wayne Robson, and Maurice Dean Wint star as individuals trapped in a deadly labyrinth of cube-shaped rooms. These actors were relatively unknown by Americans at the time of the movie’s release.
The movie’s poster looks a little Nosferatu, but don’t let that put you off. Cube‘s gripping pace will have you glued to the screen, so although it feels more Escape Room than Saw, the various twists and turns along the way are difficult to predict and even harder to ignore. It’s a real thrill ride from start to finish.
Escape Room (2019)
The most recent movie on the list, Escape Room certainly recycles a tried-and-true formula, but it does so with such finesse. There’s plenty of cast members that act as a big draw for the movie, including Logan Miller and Deborah Ann Woll, but Taylor Russell steals the spotlight as Zoey, a physics student who’s invited to participate in a seemingly innocent escape room to win $10,000. She is joined by five other participants, all from different walks of life, who are forced to work together when they discover the escape room to be a deadly free-for-all.
Escape Room can definitely be considered a critical and commercial success, so while we can’t say the same about its sequel, Escape Room: Tournament of Champions, there’s no denying that director Adam Robitel goes above and beyond for the original. You’ll recognize Robitel for The Taking of Deborah Logan and Insidious: The Last Key. This is a must-see for suspense fans, even if the concept isn’t fully realized, it still packs a powerful punch.
Nine Dead (2010)
Nine Dead‘s poster looks like a rip-off of Final Destination, but the concepts are far removed from one another. This movie is the equivalent of a hole-in-the-wall venue. Not many people know about it, but those that do keep coming back for more and have nothing but good things to say. The premise revolves around nine characters from varied backgrounds who are victims of a string of kidnappings. They find themselves locked inside a room and forced to figure out how they’re all connected, otherwise they all die.
The masked man that gives them this information is certainly reminiscent of Jigsaw, so there’s a loose tie-in. It’s fairly low-budget, all things considered, so it does a commendable job of lowering everyone’s expectations, only to shatter them at every possible turn. Fun fact, the first stills for the movie were released on MySpace before they made the rounds online. Does that make you feel old?
Would You Rather (2012)
It’s mind-blowing to think that Would You Rather is over 10 years old, but 2012 seems so long ago now. Not only does this movie have some of the most famous faces of the 21st century (who weren’t as well-known at the time), but it boasts one of the competent and well-executed storylines ever seen in a horror/thriller. Theres no word for Brittany Snow’s compelling performance, but her supporting cast makes it ever-easier for her to shine. Jeffrey Combs, Sasha Grey, Robin Lord Taylor, Eddie Steeples, and Enver Gjokaj are each sensational, working together like parts of a well-oiled machine.
It might be another hole-in-the-wall horror, but Would You Rather never skips a beat. There’s not a single scene that feels forced, any amount of gore that looks fake, and no slip-ups in the acting department. It’s a thoroughly entertaining movie without all the clunkiness of a typical gorefest. It manages to boast the same magic as Saw without repeating it scene-for-scene.
Se7en (1995)
We’re going back to the ’90s again for Se7en, one of the most famous thrillers ever made. On par with the likes of The Silence of the Lambs, David Fincher’s Se7en managed to become the seventh (ironically) highest-grossing movie of 1995 and the movie’s twist ending has been named as one of the best in cinematic history. When the cats includes Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, and Gwyneth Paltrow, you can’t really go wrong. We’ll admit that this is probably the least akin to Saw out of all the movies on this list, but Se7en mimics the same worldbuilding and storytelling style that Wan reinvented nine years later.
Se7en follows a near-retirement detective and his new partner who attempt to hunt down a serial killer before he can perform murderous acts based on the seven deadly sins. Writer Andrew Kevin Walker Walker based Se7en on his experiences of moving to New York City during a period of rising crime and drug addiction in the late 1980s. The movie has always been influential in filmmaking, inspiring many like it, but none have ever been able to replicate the best that the crime/thriller genre has to offer.
Inhuman Resources (2012)
Another 2012 hidden gem, Inhuman Resources is perhaps the most obscure mention on this list, but no less deserving of its association with Saw. It didn’t gain as much international success as Saw did, but Inhuman resources stands out in the horror genre. The movie follows six office workers who are held captive by a serial killer. Their captor gives them the impossible task of proving his innocence, but he has a grisly fate in store for them if they don’t succeed.
Inhuman Resources acts an excellent tension builder and handles its characters extremely well, which are both no small feat. Sam Reid, Kelly Paterniti, Nicholas Hope, Alan Dukes, and James Mackay all deliver convincing performances, so there’s plenty of consistency to how the story unfolds. Not to mention, the practical effects are commendable and don’t feel stodgy at all. It might be a concept that’s been done to death, but Inhuman Resources manages to keep things fresh, and isn’t that what horror filmmaking is all about?
Final Destination (2000)
How could we ever leave out Final Destination? It might be more of a thriller than a horror by trade, but don’t let that sub-genre label feel you. It most certainly classifies as a horror, even if it isn’t as in-your-face as some others (we’re looking at you, Saw). It was the first installment in an ongoing franchise, perhaps one of the most iconic in all of thriller history, and sees its main character Alex have a premonition of a plane crash right before his school trip takes off. He encourages all those onboard to leave, but only a few follow his example. All those who are left aboard are killed when the plane implodes, and Death comes for the survivors.
Devon Sawa is an absolute powerhouse in Final Destination and its many sequels. He’s been one key constant in the franchise ever since the beginning, but that’s not to give his co-stars Ali Larter, Kerr Smith, and Tony Todd any less credit. Every plays their part in making Final Destination believable. We’ll admit that the special effects are cringe-worthy at times, but the artistry behind the storytelling distracts from that minor oversight. Throughout the franchise, the kills get more and more creative, so there’s no shortage of spontaneous deaths that’ll leave you wincing.
