Jigsaw is a dirty, multifaceted sequel to the Saw series, an exploration of the mythology of John Kramer, and the warped ethics of his sadistic matches. The movie artfully combines several plots, detectives in pursuit of an assumed deceased murderer, the victims caught in vile experiments, and startling information about the cause of the Jigsaw inheritance that make the movie a stratified plot with suspense and questions of right and wrong. The complex plot turns and the gradual discovery of the truth leave the viewers unsure of what to expect until the very end and creates a tense unsettling mood, both exciting and disturbing.
The dark and foreboding tone of the movie is its strength as well as the manner in which it questions the concept of guilt, justice and revenge. The ethical undertones of the characters are interesting, particularly as the narrative unfolds on the issues of how sins and personal revenge in the past mingle with the sadistic trials that the characters go through. The acting is very good and the suspicion and desperation of the detectives is noticeable and the revelations of the truth concerning Logan and Halloran enhances it with a cool chill of psychological horror. Graphically, Jigsaw uses the contrasted, roughing images, the grotesque traps and the ominous barn location underline the horror and morality play that this franchise is known to be.
What made the greatest impact was how the movie commentated on the repetition of violence and the corrupting nature of guilt and revenge. It made me wonder what justice is all about and redemption can be attained any more in such a savage moral world. The haunting effect of Jigsaw is that it begs the question of whether the sins of the past can ever be repaid and who are the creatures of the world the victims, the killers, or the third-party who bend the direction of justice to suit their needs. It is a thought-provoking dark installment that forces viewers to confront some unpleasant facts about human nature.
