Every Saw Trap Ranked From Worst To Best
31. Spiral - Marcus Banks' Test
Trap: Marcus Banks (Samuel L. Jackson), a corrupt police captain and the father of protagonist Ezekiel (Chris Rock), was in a device that was draining his blood and Ezekiel was given a choice by the film's killer, William (Max Minghella). Ezekiel could use the one bullet in the gun William had given him to either kill William or free his father.
At first, this trap is unimaginative and it's not clear what Ezekiel's choice was meant to represent, but... that ending though.
Ezekiel shooting a target that supposedly frees Marcus and the SWAT team opening the door to the room causes the trap to hoist Marcus up like a puppet (much like the puppet William uses as his calling card) and one of the cables raises his arm... which holds a gun. The SWAT team mistake him for a shooter and kill him, while Ezekiel screams and William escapes. Brutal.
As a tragic, viscous shock and as an unsettling piece of commentary on police corruption, this ending hits really hard even if this was a forgettable trap prior to the big twist.