At this point these movies weren't even entertaining anymore, let alone entertainment: They were endurance tests. In fact I didn't even see the first 10-20 minutes because the way the trailer spoiled it for me (concerning the grizzly keyhole scene) was disconcerting enough for my good will. That's how borderline unwatchable these movies were becoming, even as I was still with a crowd of friends as we all did our best. But much like Seed of Chucky made the first film look like high art by comparison, Saw II made both Wan's first installment AND short film a daring yet professional work of grotesque grit. Plus the only thing more shocking is that the director of this installment would go on to make the more aesthetically soothing (and even creative) albeit still consistently dark Devil's Carnival series that redeemed him somehow. But hey, we all had juvenilia which we knew we'd forget how valuable it was should it ever be "gone".

Not that being haunted by its memory alone gave it any proper value anyway.