Warning: This article contains spoilers about the 2017Jigsawmovie and the Saw franchise.The franchiseSawhas it all to please horror fans everywhere: a creepy puppet mascot, a twisted genius pulling the strings, and, of course, some of the most grizzly andinventive character deathsin the genre. But what makes it truly unique and successful is its indefinitely repeatable plot formula: one or several people stuck in a room must do something horrible to make it out alive or suffer a graphic death. And since Jigsaw, the mastermind, does not choose his victims by chance, they must also reflect on their lives and their faults to figure out why they are there in the first place.
AsSawcelebrates its 20th birthday this year, fans have been looking back at the 10 installments and spin-offs that make it up. While some remain favorites, such as the firstSaw,Saw II,andSaw X, others are not remembered so fondly.Jigsaw, also known asSaw 8, is one of those. With a divided Rotten Tomatoes score, the 2017 installment has been critiqued for a laughable plot that leads tothe most obvious not-so-twist endingimaginable.
Jigsaw Has an Interesting Premise
ToJigsaw’s credit, its plot stands out from therest of the franchiseby introducing an interesting mechanic for the viewer: it is revealed that the same Jigsaw setup is used twice, in the past and the present. Investigative forces, often dismissed from the films in the franchise due to the intelligence of the Jigsaw Killer, are also included;this could make for an exciting chase between Jigsaw and the law. However, the deep dives into some of the characters seem to be a cheap shot at writing semi-multidimensional characters whose background story really has no effect on the plot.
In the film, five people are attached by their necks to a chain. At first, they also have a bucket-shaped helmet that only lets the viewer see their eyes. Once they are freed from that, the chain still pulls them to certain deaths by sawing blades and then hanging. Overall,Jigsawhas somepretty interesting contraptions, from a quicksand silo with blades falling from above, to a leg slicer, to a tornado blade. However,Sawis already known for its inventive deaths;the plot must move beyond them to remain interesting.
Jigsaw Is Riddled With Plotholes
Once it is revealed who the real killer is, everything that the viewer could not have possibly expected rolls within five minutes. The killer apparently planted DNA evidence (from 10-year-old blood conveniently available inside the morgue?) and, most importantly, mixed up Kramer’s cancer X-ray test results back in the day with someone else.
There is also the useless side questof the other forensics expert, Eleanore, who isobsessed with Jigsawand collects his contraptions and conveniently disappears once the real identity of the killer is revealed and is never brought up again. Her presence seems to have only been a convenient plot through which Logan obtains easy access to some old Jigsaw devices by befriending or potentially sleeping with his colleague.
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There is also Edgar, who was killed for his bad choices only to pull Detective Halloran into the case. However, it is then revealed that Halloran had been investigating the Jigsaw killings for years anyway. So… There was no real point in making Edgar nearly die and escape the way he did, especially since Logan wanted to take revenge on innocent victims.
Jigsaw Has a Twist That Audiences Have Seen Before
Throughout the movie, the plot hints at Kramer being either still alive or someone copying him. It is hinted that the first, unbelievable option will be the truth… But, of course, that’s not the case. Just like AmandainSaw IIbefore him, Logan, a former player and winner of a Jigsaw game, took on his idol’s modus operandi and orchestrated a new game. What the viewer was shown was actually a real Kramer game that took place 10 years before, and the victims that appeared in the present were from a game orchestrated by Logan.
His motivation was to take revenge on Detective Halloran, the corrupt police detective whose victims ended up on Logan’s forensics table. As a recording of Halloran’s gross malpractice is replayed, the audience understands that Logan’s entire goal is to make Halloran confess on tape. However, after that is done, he kills him with a contraption. That makes Logan’s motives quite unclear. Did he want to take revenge and kill Halloran for those who died because of him? Did he want to discredit his career and make him lose his job? Clearly, it was both, but there is little use beating a dead man…
Additionally, it is revealed that Logan was the unknown first victim of the copycat game, a man who woke up too late to save himself. Of course,he did not die. But that grants the question… Why did he put himself in that position in the first place? This is obviously a nod toSaw, where it is revealed that the body on the ground was Kramer just observing the whole situation for his sadistic desires. But Ryan had no reason to put himself into the game, since he was left in another room after his “death”. Really,this part of the plot twist ends up surprisingly unimpressive.
Why the Saw Franchise Should’ve Made a Big Change After the Third Film
Saw III, changed the franchise, and the next few installments just weren’t the same.
To sum up, the eighth installment ofSawwas nothing short of laughable when thinking beyond the simple gruesome deaths. Its twist ending relied on a variety of plot holes and reused mechanics that had already appeared in at least two installments. However, its interesting premise made it far from thelowest-grossingSawmovie, and fans flocked to theaters to see it. Here’s to hoping that the upcomingSaw 11and the sequel to the spin-offSpiraldo not fall into the easy traps thatJigsawdid.Jigsawis streaming onNetflix.
