However, if a good motive makes a movie villain, then a poor one breaks them.
And no horror villain is quite as hypocritical as theSawfranchises Jigsaw.
With 2023’s release ofSaw X, there was renewed focus on John Kramer, a.k.a.
Image by Jefferson Chacon
What Is Jigsaw’s Motivation in ‘Saw’?
Just in case you arent in the loop,theSawfranchise is a series of brutally bloody films.
After attempting to commit suicide, he finds a new sense of appreciation for life.
A sick and desperate John travels to Mexico for a risky and experimental medical procedure in hopes of a miracle cure for his cancer only to discover the entire operation is a scam to defraud the most vulnerable.
Now, that might sound like a decent motivation.
He simply believes that people should have to prove their desire to live by subjecting themselves to his tasks.
Even if that means sawing off your leg.
Or putting your hand in a jar of acid.
Or opening up someones stomach to find the key to unlock the bear trap on your head.
Except, Jigsaw doesnt actually want that at all.
And he is absolutely a murderer (despite saying that he isnt one).
How Is Jigsaw a Big Hypocrite?
Its important to start with the hypocrisy of Jigsaw as a basis for proving his absolute jerkiness.
Image via Lions Gate Films
There seems to be a pattern in his choice of victims.
They are often bad people who have a disrespect for human life.
This does align with his beliefs.
The problem comes in the form of the victims who dont fit this ideology.
The franchise’s tenth entry tells a self-contained story far better than Chris Rock’s reboot.
They are people who scammed him and took advantage of his hope for a treatment to cure him.
Image via Lions Gate Films
In his defense, Dr. Ceclia Pederson (Synnve Macody Lund) absolutely deserved to be tested, though.
One of them even wins their game only to be killed by Cecilia!
Not to mention, hes a kid.
He hasnt had enough time to understand the world, much less life, to deserve Jigsaws wrath.
The connection, though, is that Eric forged evidence that got her wrongly arrested.
Just like his victim selection, his trials and tribulations can be unfair.
One such example is the razor wire maze of the first film.
So much so that youll probably bleed out before you get to the end of the challenge.
Similarly, the pound of flesh trap could be a death sentence even for its victor.
Theres also the short time limit of many of the traps.
What the hell, Jigsaw?
You said you were playing fair!
As Well as Being a Murderer, Jigsaw Is a Big Jerk!
Rather hypocritical, isn’t it?
Finally, lets clear something up.
Jigsaw is definitely a murderer.
This doesnt matter in the slightest.
He kidnaps people with the intention of making them participate in deadly games and putting them in traps.
Let’s be honest;he fully expects at least some of these people to die.
In fact, he may have even wanted some of them to!
So, yes, hes absolutely a killer, which makes him a terrible person for sure.
Saw Xis available to rent and buy on Apple TV+ in the U.S.
WATCH ON APPLE TV+
