2) Saw VI: The Carousel
I rather like the overall story arc of Saw VI, following a health insurance executive (William) who Jigsaw targets for obvious reasons. Mocking the way health insurance is approved and disapproved, William is forced to make life or death choices on behalf of each victim and then witness the horrific repercussions. There are interesting conundrums posed, like if a healthy twenty-something should live instead of a more aged, unhealthy housewife, but nothing captures the depravity of Jigsaw’s bureaucratic commentary like “The Carousel” trap.
In what becomes a sadistic carnival game, William stumbles upon a rotating carousel that six of his employes are chained to. After spinning for a short while, the carousel stops and a shotgun unloads a shot into whoever is sitting in front of it, with the ride ending after all the shots have been used up. William has the chance to save two of his colleagues though, pressing down on a button that drives a spike directly into his own hand instead. The bound characters all scream out why they should live instead of the others, and one by one William either watches them die or takes his punishment.
When it comes down to the final two shots, the trap stops on Shelby, and William has the choice to either let her die for Josh’s survival, or doom Josh (Shawn Mathieson) by saving Shelby. Much to Josh’s dismay, William saves Shelby, sealing the man’s fate as the carousel starts to spin one last time.
Infuriated, Josh starts slinging an endless stream of profanities William’s way, demanding that he look him directly in the eyes when the gun goes off. “YOU LOOK AT ME IN THE EYES WHEN YOU’RE KILLING ME,” he screams, making for one of my favorite Saw franchise moments. Josh doesn’t cry in the face of death, he just launches into a raging tirade littered with expletives, avoiding the typical rout of sobbing uncontrollably while coping with your immediate fate.
Yeah, if someone decided I should die, I’d probably be a little pissed too.
