While Chris Rock's Saw movies, it still adheres to the basic format of the series. This is such that a viewer who has seen even one film in the franchise can know what to expect from the rest.
Of course, the general storyline of the Jigsaw Killer doling out his own brand of justice through the use of his twisted games is always present, but several other common elements permeate throughout the Saw movies.
The Bad Guy Wins
The safest bet to make on a Saw movie is that it will have a downer ending, in that the efforts of the protagonists will be in vain. The closest to a “happy” ending was in Saw VI where Hoffman was placed in a trap by Jill, but even then he managed to escape and win his trap.
The series is notorious for always ending with the villain in triumph, having pulled off an escape that proves they’ve been ahead of the protagonists the whole time. Whether it’s the first movie or anywhere in between, this style is always repeated.
The "Hello Zepp" Theme
Zep Hindle may have been in only the first Saw movie, but his presence has been felt in all of the movies due to the theme music that plays at the climax. Titled “Hello Zepp,” this piece is a trademark for the series as it signals the arrival of the end.
Within each movie, the theme begins just as a grand reveal is about to be made, intending to bring a dramatic shift in tone that shatters the sense of security the story deliberately placed the protagonists and viewers in.
A Cold Open
The Saw cold opens generally begin with a trap whose importance ties in later to the story.
These sequences highlight the traps first and foremost, with the characters given little to no information and having to figure out a way to escape. Still, these cold opens always become a factor as the movie progresses to reveal something in the trap that wasn’t clear at the start, such as Art's connection to Jigsaw in Saw IV and Seth's role as the killer of Hoffman's killer in Saw V.
Social Commentary About The Legal System
Contrary to popular belief, the Saw movies aren’t simply about tortuous situations played for shock value. Each movie actually takes a look into the legal system and how it fails to address the lack of justice that many have experienced.
Saw II had Jigsaw target corrupt detective Eric Matthews for throwing people in jail with planted evidence, while Saw IV featured Jigsaw showing officer Daniel Rigg how he had unknowingly let go of convicted felons. Saw VI was also noted for its commentary on the healthcare system and the way insurance companies used loopholes to wrongfully deny people coverage.
Characters Being Responsible For The Survival Of Other Victims
The protagonists of the Saw movies are usually responsible not just for their own survival, but for others as well. Even in the first movie, where the cast was minimal, Lawrence Gordon’s survival was necessary for his kidnapped family to live.
Following this, the movies have alternated between group survivals and one character having to prevent other victims from dying. This leaves the victims with moral dilemmas to tackle as several traps have them pick whom they want to live while the other has to die.
Flashback Sequences
It wouldn’t be a Saw movie if there weren’t flashbacks, and a whole lot of them show up within each entry. The presentation of the series is such that flashbacks are necessary to fill in the gaps of the story, with Jigsaw’s role exclusively being in the form of flashbacks from Saw IV on.
These serve as a break from the main plotline to give viewers important exposition over the events. Saw III and Saw V used flashbacks to establish Amanda and Hoffman’s connection to Jigsaw, while every movie uses this technique at the climax to complete the story.
A Drawn-Out Speech About Appreciating Life
Considering this is Jigsaw’s entire philosophy, it’s understandable why the idea of cherishing life is emphasized each time. Funnily enough, viewers can expect at least one scene where a character (usually Jigsaw) will give a speech of its importance.
Notable examples include the first Saw movie where Jigsaw reveals he’s “sick of people who don’t appreciate their blessings” and Saw II where he claims those who don’t cherish life don’t deserve it. Jigsaw had its conclusion tie everything up to the first movie by showing the titular villain impose the importance of life to his apprentice Logan as they began their partnership.
Police Officers In Pursuit Of Jigsaw
Jigsaw's face-off with the police is at the center of every movie, Spiral: From the Book of Saw. No matter which installment, each one extensively covers the police’s efforts to capture the villain or his apprentices to no avail.
This was best seen in Saw II, which had Eric Matthews’ team attempt to find the Nerve Gas House. Saw V had FBI agent Peter Strahm pursue Hoffman, while Saw 3D showed the latter kill off the entire police force that was after him.
A Trap That Goes Completely Against Jigsaw's Philosophy
Jigsaw talks a big game about offering people a fair chance to survive, but every movie has at least one instance in which his traps clash with his claim. For instance, the first Saw showed Jigsaw use the seemingly unwinnable drill chair trap to slice David Tapp’s throat even though Jigsaw argued he never tried to kill.
It became even more recurring as the series progressed, with Saw 3D showing Mark Hoffman ditch Jigsaw’s philosophy altogether to go on a murder spree. Before that, Amanda Young was shown to create unbeatable traps that always ended in the victims’ deaths in Saw II and Saw III.
The Big Twist Ending
Saw fans are essentially hardwired to expect the all-important twist in the story. It would feel like a cop-out if there weren’t one of these in each film’s climax as the twist is the main ingredient for a Saw movie. Moreover, these are such that they aren’t generally predictable.
The first movie remains iconic with the reveal that Jigsaw was in the Bathroom Trap along, following which there have been other classics like the revelation that Saw III and Saw IV were taking place at the same time.
