9 Horror Movies That Reward You For Paying Attention
2. Saw Shows John Kramer's Twisted Plans Earlier Than We Thought
James Wan and Leigh Whannell's Saw is one of the most impressive and unique horrors of the past 20 years. Sure, the overarching formula of the property may have diminished in the years since that first Saw hit the silver screen in 2004, but that first film and its two follow-ups worked so, so well in bringing something utterly fresh to horror.
We all know that the person playing puppet master over so much of what plays out across the Saw franchise is Tobin Bell's John Kramer, aka the Jigsaw Killer. What only the most perceptive of viewers will have picked up on though, is that the more sinister side of Kramer was on display way, way before Saw pulled the curtain back on its first major twist.
In the early stages of that 2004 effort, Cary Elwes' Dr Gordon finds himself with a cancer patient called John Kramer. Now, neither he nor us would have any indication here that the terminally ill Kramer is actually a twisted mastermind obsessed with pushing others to their absolute limits in order to see just how precious life is.
The thing is, when Gordon later checks in on Kramer, those paying real attention will see all that they need to see about John. Here, on Kramer's bedside table, there's a drawing pad with a sketch of the torturous 'reverse bear trap' that would be used on drug addict Amanda elsewhere in the movie.