History Film / Jigsaw

* BackwardsFiringGun: The final trap in the Barn [[spoiler: the first time around]] is a shotgun rigged to fire backwards, [[spoiler:with keys hidden inside the shotgun round. Ryan and Anna are the sole survivors by the time John introduces it, [[ExactWords hinting at its true nature]] with his statements that the shotgun round is their "key to freedom" and that the two must realize that they've "been doing it backwards". By the time Ryan dawns upon the realization, it's a split second before Anna pulls the trigger, sealing both of their fates.]]

** Ryan trying to break open a door with a shovel is similar to a scene in ''Saw II'', where Xavier does the same with a studded baseball bat. The Leg Wires booby trap that he subsequently ends up being trapped has a likeness to the Horsepower Trap from ''Film/Saw3D'', in that [[spoiler:both involve a victim having to sacrifice a body part in order to be able to pull a lever that will save themselves and other victims]].

** The Bucket Room Trap bears a strong resemblance to the Neck Tie Trap from ''Film/SawV'', since both involve a group of five people threatened with being pulled into deadly blades on the wall. Unlike the Neck Tie Trap, the blades are in front of the players and they must go up to them and cut themselves to be freed, rather than the blades being behind them and purely being a penalty for failing to free themselves.
** The Chain Hangers are a lot like the Mausoleum Trap from ''Film/SawIV'', as well as the Acid Room from ''Film/SawVI'', with hints, perhaps, of the antidote drama in the game of ''Saw II''.
** Ryan trying to break open a door with a shovel is similar to a scene in ''Film/SawII'', where Xavier does the same with a studded baseball bat.
** Similarly to ''Saw II'', [[spoiler:the game and investigation plots aren't taking place at the same time or a close time gap]].

* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: Jigsaw's trap for Mitch was because [[spoiler:he willingly sold a faulty motorcycle to his nephew, who John describes as "someone who would never hurt anyone"]].

* ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'': Used as a subtle {{Foreshadowing}} with a painted "X" that Edgar stands in front of. [[spoiler:It gives away the aiming range of the shot Edgar had received.]]

* WolfInSheepsClothing: [[spoiler:Logan Nelson is a well-intentioned forensic pathologist. He is also the new Jigsaw.]]

* SeriesContinuityError: The franchise's timeline was already very complex, so much that even dedicated fans can get frustrated getting a grasp on the sequence of events, especially since some movies happen out of chronological order or even during another; however, the timeline was still carefully constructed, and could be understood clearly when put in order. Then along came this film, which dropped a bomb on everyone by revealing that [[spoiler:Logan was the first Jigsaw apprentice, not Hoffman]]. Fans were baffled at this reveal, since it disrupted the timeline the previous films had, and when the issue was brought up to the film's writers, they admitted that knowing the complete timeline didn't make any sense for such a reveal (since the film was released and is set years after the previous ones), and were hoping that nobody would notice it.

* AndIMustScream: Keeping with the ''Saw'' tradition of a character being left to die in an abandoned room (preferably with a dead body), [[spoiler:Ryan ends up trapped in a room with Anna's corpse, with her having destroyed their only means of escape, and eventually dies of either dehydration or blood loss]]. This instance is unique in that [[spoiler:Ryan's]] fate isn't sealed by a villainous (or [[Film/Saw3D heroic]], relatively speaking) character; it's sealed by the genuine incompetence and impulsiveness of his fellow group member.

* DecoyProtagonist: The protagonist of the Barn storyline appears to be [[FinalGirl Anna]], but it turns out that she's one of the biggest {{Hate Sink}}s in the franchise. [[spoiler:The real protagonist is [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Ryan.]]]]

* DisneyDeath: To the other players, [[spoiler: Logan dies in the room with the saws, even though John saved him from the fate]].

* LiteralMetaphor: During the final game, Jigsaw holds up a shotgun shell and says, "Here's your key to freedom," before loading it into a gun. Anna takes this to mean that [[spoiler:she needs to shoot Ryan with it, which [[IncrediblyLamePun backfires]] on her]]. Turns out, the keys to their shackles were [[spoiler:literally hidden inside the shell, and firing it destroyed them]].

* DeadpanSnarker: Ryan has a couple of good sarcastic quips early on. For example...

---> '''Ryan''': No, that's not creepy at all.

--->'''Ryan''': No, no. A confession is "I killed a hooker in Tulsa," or "I ate my fucking neighbors," not "I need marriage counseling."

* FanDisservice: A naked woman's breasts are seen... but she's already dead, part of her face is melted off, and her chest has been cut open by a mortician.

* HateSink: Anna seems like an empathetic FinalGirl figure throughout the movie, trying to help others caught in one of Jigsaw's games, but is soon to be revealed one of his most deserving victims. It's revealed she was [[spoiler:neighbors with John, who witnessed how she smothered her baby to death because the crying annoyed her, and framed and gaslighted her husband into thinking he did it]]. This causes her husband to [[spoiler:be institutionalized and commit suicide out of guilt]]. The reason Jigsaw picked her for his game was to force penance on her. What makes her worse is not only does she not feel remorse, but she believes she did nothing wrong as well and doesn't deserve what's happening to her. She also [[spoiler:selfishly tries to kill Ryan, thinking it'll ensure her survival]].

** [[spoiler:Halloran could also qualify, given how he allowed criminals to walk free and forced Logan into going first in the LaserCutter trap,]] which would make this a literal case of [[IncrediblyLamePun Laser]]-[[LaserGuidedKarma Guided Karma]].

** The Barn players watch as the infamous Billy doll rides a bike towards them, then lets out a laugh. Ryan gets in the line about how that's not creepy at all.--which is followed by the group being pulled into a new "game".
** Anna seemingly saves Mitch from the blade shredder trap he is in, after [[spoiler:stopping the motorcycle powering it by jamming a bar into its wheel]]. Mitch is elated that Anna saved him and keeps saying "[she] did it". The bar then [[spoiler:immediately breaks away and he is promptly killed]].
* ThatLiarLies: Ryan, when Carly hesitates to tell the truth about what she did. "YOU'RE LYING! YOU'RE LYING!"

** [[spoiler:When Logan was still an intern, he accidentally mislabeled two x-rays, resulting in John's brain tumor not being found until it was too late.]]

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: While Carly seems to be trying to decide which of the three syringes to try, Ryan is repeatedly and aggressively demanding she choose one and choose it quickly. While justified due to the game about to start and everyone about to be killed, it clearly wracks at Carly's nerves. When she comes upon the syringe labeled 3.53, she halts as if she's onto something, like she believes this to be the one that will save her. However, Ryan's nonstop demanding and threats to just jam all three into her neck push her into a panic and she refuses to choose. While YMMV on this one, and Carly does appear to be a {{Dirty Coward}} for refusing to choose and risking everyone's survival, Ryan antagonizing her costs her her life.

* NotHelpingYourCase: When Halloran realizes he's [[spoiler:going to die]], he tries to [[spoiler:appeal to Logan, saying that his death won't bring Logan's wife back, and that John gave people a chance to win his games. [[HopeSpot For a second, Logan seems to seriously consider letting him go...]]]] [[TooDumbToLive And then Halloran immediately tries to take a swing at him.]]
* OfCorpseHesAlive: [[spoiler:Logan digged up John's grave and took his body, placing Edgar's in its place so as to keep up rumors that the original Jigsaw Killer is still alive and out there]].

* TheDitherer: Carly [[spoiler:was a purse snatcher who let a woman she stole from to suffer an asthma attack and die; she could have saved her (as she was only a few feet away), but she instead chose to run away with $3.53]]. In the barn game, she's told that she was injected with poison, and has to choose between one of three needles to cure her before all the victims end up being hanged: antidote, saline solution or acid. It's implied that she knows which one is the correct answer to not choose the one with a [[IronicEcho 3.53]] number on it, but she's too frightened to do so. As the chains around her and the other subjects' necks begin to pull upwards, [[spoiler:Ryan injects all three syringes into her. They are freed, but [[LaserGuidedKarma Carly painfully bleeds out and dies for her troubles]]]].

''Jigsaw'' is the eighth film in the ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'' horror film series, and its first installment after a [[SequelGap seven-year hiatus]] that followed ''Film/Saw3D'' (which [[SeriesFauxnale originally served as the series' finale]]). It was directed by Creator/TheSpierigBrothers and written by Josh Stolberg and Peter Goldfinger. The film was released on October 27, 2017, keeping with the franchise tradition of releasing a new film just before Halloween.

* TheSociopath: [[spoiler:Anna]] could qualify as a high-functioning one, as [[spoiler:she murdered her baby and framed her husband for it, which led to him being DrivenToSuicide, while showing no remorse or regret for what she has done. Her empathy towards the other test subjects could've been {{pragmatic|Villainy}} BaitTheDog attempts to [[ManipulativeBitch get them to trust her and help her escape]]. When she turns the gun on Ryan to save herself, she appears to be an ApologeticAttacker towards him, but her weeping as she aims the shotgun at Ryan were likely just CrocodileTears for her to pass herself as a victim, rather than the self-centered and heartless witch she is at heart]].

* BeneathSuspicion: A variant with [[spoiler:Logan]]. At first, he's seemingly set up to be an innocent who's [[spoiler:accussed by Halloran of being the one behind the new Jigsaw killings, what with him trying to eliminate or otherwise block access to potential evidence that could point towards him with help of Eleanor]]. However, during the climax, [[spoiler:Halloran provides himself right when it turns out that Logan was faking at being a victim in the Laser Collars]].

* SeriesContinuityError: The franchise's timeline was already very complex, so much that even dedicated fans can get frustrated getting a grasp on the sequence of events, especially since some movies happen out of chronological order or even during another; however, the timeline was still carefully constructed, and could be understood clearly when put in order. Then along came this film, which dropped a bomb on everyone by revealing that [[spoiler:Logan was the first Jigsaw apprentice, not Hoffman]]. Fans were baffled at this reveal, since it disrupted the timeline the previous films had, and when the issue was brought up to the film's writers, they admitted that knowing the revised timeline didn't make any sense for such a reveal (since the film was released and is set years after the previous ones), and were hoping that nobody would notice it.

* SeriesContinuityError: The franchise's timeline was already very complex, so much that even dedicated fans can get frustrated getting a grasp on the sequence of events, especially since some movies happen out of chronological order or even during another; however, the timeline was still carefully constructed, and could be understood clearly when put in order. Then along came this film, which dropped a bomb on everyone by revealing that [[spoiler:Logan was the first Jigsaw apprentice, not Hoffman]]. Fans were baffled at this reveal, since it disrupted the timeline the previous films had, and when the issue was brought up to the film's writers, they admitted that knowing the revised timeline didn't make any sense, and were hoping that nobody would notice it.

[[folder:General Examples]]

** [[spoiler: The game is actually taking place a decade earlier, so why does Billy look so different and how does that explain the presence of modern flatscreen televisions?]]

* PosthumousCharacter: Despite his character's definitive onscreen death at the end of ''Film/SawIII'' -- and the ensuing autopsy shown at the beginning of ''Film/SawIV'' -- Creator/TobinBell returns to play the role of John in this film. [[spoiler:He appears only in what are eventually revealed as flashbacks to one of his first games.]]

* RuggedScar: Logan has several on his back, [[spoiler:both from the game a decade ago and from his time in Fallujah]].

* CentralTheme: "The truth will set you free." Nearly every character in this movie [[spoiler:(including Anna and Logan)]] has committed some kind of crime, and must confess their sins or they'll be in even deeper shit.

** [[spoiler:In the past, Carly robbed an asthmatic woman of her purse. Upon discovering her inhaler in the bag, she felt guilt over it and tried to return it to her. Unfortunately, she came back to find the woman already died of stress. This didn't stop Carly from keeping her money afterwards, which is probably one of the main reasons John tested her.]]

If Kramer isn't responsible, then who is the copycat behind these new "games" -- and can the police stop them before they kill again?

** The Laser Collar Trap is an obvious call-back to the Shotgun Collar from ''Film/SawIII''.
** The Chain Hangers are a lot like the Mausoleum Trap from ''Film/SawIV'', as well as the Acid Room from ''Film/SawVI'', with hints, perhaps, of the antidote drama in the game of ''Saw II''.