The Ending Of Saw Finally Explained

As a longtime horror fan and someone who has seen their fair share of twisted tales, I can confidently say that the ending of the original “Saw” movie is a true masterpiece. It’s not every day you stumble upon a film that leaves such an indelible mark on your psyche, but this one did just that. The way it expertly weaves a labyrinthine plot, complete with mind-bending twists and gruesome visuals, is nothing short of remarkable.

What flicks do you recall having the most surprising endings among all movies ever made? Chances are high that “Saw” was one of the initial films that popped into your head, or maybe it’s worth revisiting if it didn’t!

The “Saw” series comprises numerous films, and it’s primarily recognized for its intense violence and the iconic Jigsaw puppet symbolizing the villain. However, when the first film was released in 2004, viewers were unaware of what to expect. What they received was one of cinema’s most memorable twist endings. The shocking climax, where John Kramer (played by Tobin Bell) miraculously rises from the floor, is a moment that remains etched in the memory of those who witnessed it. This surprising ending not only kickstarted the franchise but also set a high bar for the subsequent sequels, which have been attempting to recapture that initial impact ever since.

Due to multiple revisions, changes, and alternative conclusions in the “Saw” series, the shocking twist from the original movie feels significantly different now compared to when it was first released over two decades ago. While some argue that the sequels have diluted its initial impact, they wouldn’t have been possible if the original hadn’t been as influential as it was. The ending of “Saw” paved the way for a wave of horror films, and we aim to explain why this is so.

What you need to remember about the plot of Saw

In the initial “Saw” film, the storyline is richly developed as it presents the enigmatic character of the Jigsaw Killer, the law enforcement officers probing him, and a diverse array of his hapless victims ensnared in his intricate and lethal traps. Characters Adam (portrayed by Leigh Whannell) and Dr. Lawrence Gordon (played by Cary Elwes) are found shackled at the ankles in a dismal bathroom, with what seems to be a deceased man’s body positioned between them. The corpse clutches a gun in one hand and a tape recorder in the other. Listening to the recording, Adam and Dr. Gordon discover they are unwilling participants in one of Jigsaw’s cruel games, and the psychopath warns that he will execute Dr. Gordon’s family unless the doctor takes Adam’s life before dawn.

Moving forward, the film takes us back to fill in details about Dr. Gordon and the law enforcement officials on the hunt for the Jigsaw killer. In a flashback sequence, the cops encounter Dr. Gordon, and they converse with Amanda (played by Shawnee Smith), the lone survivor of one of Jigsaw’s deadly games. The movie also presents us with Zep Hindle (Michael Emerson), an employee at Dr. Gordon’s hospital who seems to have taken hostage Dr. Gordon’s family, making him a prime suspect for the murders. However, the police are stumped, yet it leaves the audience suspecting Zep as the mastermind behind the killings. Naturally, this only heightens the shock value of the unexpected climax.

What happens at the end of Saw

At the conclusion of the film, Dr. Gordon and Adam find themselves at a deadlock. They both recall being abducted by Jigsaw yet can’t devise a method to break free from his trap without amputating a limb or attempting to murder each other. Ultimately, driven by the urgency to rescue his family, Dr. Gordon chooses to shoot Adam and subsequently saw off his own foot in order to free themselves from the trap.

At this juncture, Zep rushes into the bathroom with the intent to kill the doctor. Fortunately, it is revealed that Adam managed to survive the gunshot wound, and he retaliates by striking Zep over the head with a toilet tank lid. As Dr. Gordon emerges into the hallway, Adam scrutinizes Zep’s body and locates a fresh tape that discloses Zep was yet another victim of Jigsaw. It appears that Jigsaw compelled Zep to assist in managing the “game” that Dr. Gordon and Adam were participating in, as the killer had designed an exceptional part for himself within it.

In just moments, Adam finds himself overwhelmed with the knowledge from the tape, when suddenly the figure in the bathroom, who’d been there all along, rises. This person turns out to be none other than John Kramer, Dr. Gordon’s brain cancer patient, and the true mastermind behind the Jigsaw killings. With a chilling smile, John reveals that Adam needs the key from the bathtub where he awoke to escape his trap. A fleeting recollection takes us back to the movie’s start, when we see the key getting washed down the drain. Before Adam can process this shocking revelation, John seals him in the room, leaving Adam to face his fate as the screen fades to credits.

What does the ending of Saw mean for Dr. Gordon

As a gamer, I wish I had followed the rules of Jigsaw’s deadly game in “Saw.” If I had obeyed his instructions and killed Adam, I could have potentially walked away unscathed. Instead, I chose to hack off my own foot to escape, which has sealed my fate. The movie doesn’t portray my escape as a triumphant moment; it’s just a getaway from the bathroom. And that’s where our story ends – me fleeing, and never again seeing myself in the film. Luckily, the police save my family, but I don’t live long enough to find out about their rescue before the credits roll.

In the movie “Saw” (2004), viewers are left uncertain if Dr. Gordon reunites with his family or even survives the ordeal. The film doesn’t offer any clues about his fate, but later installments in the franchise eventually explore this unresolved thread and expand Dr. Gordon’s role within it. However, we’ll delve deeper into that topic at a later time. Initially, Dr. Gordon’s storyline concluded in an unsatisfying manner for many viewers, which may have been intentional as a way to distance him from being seen as the hero of the narrative. Since his affair was the reason Jigsaw targeted him initially, the movie intentionally creates a sense of disconnect with the audience regarding Dr. Gordon’s character.

What does the ending mean for Adam?

In the film “Saw”, it’s often the final moments of Adam’s story that viewers recall most vividly. This is because he’s the sole character who encounters the movie’s major plot twist, and his conclusion seems significantly bleaker than Dr. Gordon’s. Unlike other characters, Adam remains confined in Jigsaw’s grimy bathroom for eternity. What makes this more frustrating is that he nearly escaped at the beginning. The film provides a quick flashback to emphasize how close Adam came to finding the key that would have freed him from the trap.

In the narrative, it’s Adam who experiences a significant surprise or overwhelming impression, yet his involvement in Jigsaw’s deadly puzzle stirs some doubts. Interestingly, the original “Saw” film emphasizes that Jigsaw targets individuals who he believes have transgressed in the past. Dr. Gordon was involved in an affair which caught Jigsaw’s attention, whereas Adam appears to lack a substantial shady history. The reason behind Jigsaw selecting Adam for his trap remains unexplored, and we never witness Jigsaw preparing Adam for one of his infamous games.

Right from the start, Adam is solely told to stay alive, and there’s a question about whether he can truly be classified as one of Jigsaw’s victims since no test was given to him. The movies later explore the concept of other Jigsaw-inspired killers breaking John Kramer’s established rules, but “Saw” subtly suggests that John’s principles might not be as rigid as he claims.

What does the ending tell us about Jigsaw’s plan?

The initial viewing of “Saw” leaves you stunned, as the twist finale feels like a Mack Truck hitting you. However, upon a second watch, the brilliance of the ending seems less impactful when you notice there are few, if any, subtle hints or foreshadowing to prepare for it. If you choose to re-watch it a third time, you might find yourself with even more questions than before about certain aspects of the twist.

Initially, Jigsaw’s scheme appears straightforward; however, the climactic twist introduces unnecessary complexities to the narrative. While it’s clear that Jigsaw is a serial killer who devises gruesome tests for wrongdoers using custom-made traps and games, his insistence on participating in only one of these tests raises questions. Given that he poisons himself to feign death, can he truly be conscious during the test he orchestrates? The film suggests that John Kramer is almost unconscious until the final moment when he rises for his dramatic revelation, but this seems counterproductive because it undermines the purpose of his presence.

The ending reveals that Jigsaw enjoys creating intricate schemes, and the subsequent films further emphasize this complexity. However, even in the initial movie, it’s evident that Jigsaw’s games serve both to punish individuals and to showcase his intellectual abilities.

The ending of Saw launched and defined the franchise

Regardless of its imperfections, it’s tough to envision the movie “Saw” achieving such fame with a different conclusion. On a minimal budget, it found financial success, but what truly catapulted it into a cultural phenomenon was the jaw-dropping moment when John Kramer rose from the dead at the end of the narrative. This twist ensured that the film would spawn sequels, yet paradoxically, it sealed the fate of the franchise to repeatedly employ the same shocking tactic.

The “Saw” series is known for its shocking plot twists, with each film attempting to match the original’s twist quality. However, according to fans and critics, none of the subsequent movies have managed to replicate that success. In discussions among fans, there is a general consensus that the original “Saw” has the most effective ending. On Rotten Tomatoes, the original film boasts the second-highest ratings from both critics and viewers.

It’s worth noting that while the sequels may not be completely lacking in good conclusions, they do not quite match the impact of the original. For instance, “Saw II” offers a surprising plot twist when it’s revealed that Amanda was working with Jigsaw, and “Saw X” delivers a shocking finale as John outsmarts Cecilia with an ingenious trap. However, despite these strong moments, the twists in subsequent films often fail to live up to expectations, not only because they struggle to compare to the original but also because viewers have come to expect some form of twist.

How the later movies changed the ending of Saw

The exceptional conclusion of the first “Saw” movie established an impressively high benchmark, one that subsequent films in the series struggled to surpass. However, instead of eclipsing that final act, the sequels found ways to expand upon it. It’s worth noting that the “Saw” franchise often revises the events of earlier installments, resulting in a chronology that can be challenging to track. Unsurprisingly, some of the sequels felt compelled to revise the climax of the original film.

The sequels, “Saw II” and “Saw III”, while not altering the original film’s ending significantly, did provide more insights into the intricate workings of Jigsaw’s plan. In “Saw II”, we learn about his accomplice, Amanda, who is later explored in detail in “Saw III”. These films illustrate how these two characters collaborated to ensnare and torment Jigsaw’s victims.

In the seventh installment of the series titled “3D,” we journey back to the climax of the initial film. This movie reveals that Dr. Gordon miraculously survived amputating his own foot by searing the wound on a heated pipe. Remarkably, Dr. Gordon’s character transforms into an ardent follower of Jigsaw, similar to Amanda, and eventually adopts the role of a copycat killer. The remainder of Dr. Gordon’s tale intensifies the dismal ending of “Saw” with an even more haunting tone.

What has Tobin Bell said about the ending?

The climax of “Saw” is surprising yet potent enough to captivate viewers instantly, leaving a lasting impression on them. Even the filmmakers recognized its potential success from the final scene. Tobin Bell, in his own words, was left speechless when he initially read the ending, as he couldn’t foresee the twist throughout the script. As he progressed through the storyline, it wasn’t until reaching the conclusion that he realized he was involved in something extraordinary.

According to Bell during a fan gathering in 2024, if that scene was executed perfectly, it could become one of those cinematic moments that people will never forget. Bell acknowledges that the final scene’s writing was potent, but he attributes the moment’s impact to more than just the script. During the discussion, he highlighted Leigh Whannell’s acting as crucial in conveying the twist involving John Kramer rising from the floor. “Without Leigh’s performance,” Bell said, “the scene wouldn’t have the same impact.

What James Wan has said about the ending

It’s no secret that James Wan is a big horror fan, and he brought that passion for the genre to his work on “Saw.” Wan directed the first movie, and he co-wrote the screenplay with one of its stars, Leigh Whannell. Wan has talked about how challenging it was to create “Saw,” from finding the right people for the movie to securing enough money to actually get the project finished. Throughout the process, though, Wan could always fall back on the belief he had in the quality of the story. “We actually felt like we were very confident in the script, we were very confident that we have something here,” Wan told IGN, adding that the real challenge was getting everything in place to turn that script into a feature-length film.

Despite completing the movie, Wan and his team encountered challenges trying to show “Saw” to a wide audience. At first, the studio considered releasing it straight-to-video, but Wan and other producers advocated for a theatrical release instead. It was only during the initial test screening of the film that they managed to sway the studio’s decision. As told in an interview with Feo Amante for HORROR THRILLER, it was the audience’s positive reaction to the movie that ultimately led to its theater release. If the ending hadn’t been as impactful, “Saw” might have ended up in discount DVD bins, and the “Saw” series may not have gained popularity.

Why does the ending have such a legacy?

The climax of the initial “Saw” film is renowned, and part of its fame stems from the events that followed. Over two decades of movie production, 10 distinct “Saw” films have been released, with the franchise collectively grossing over a billion dollars at the box office. While “Saw X” may not have been widely appreciated by film critics, it’s hard to deny the series’ success when audiences continue to attend screenings of it.

There are numerous “Saw” films available today, yet ardent fans continue to return to the original one as there remain unsolved mysteries within its plot. Even twenty years after Jigsaw concluded his initial game, viewers are still debating the complexities of John Kramer’s scheme and wondering about Adam’s fate following his ordeal in the bathroom. The appeal of “Saw” extends beyond its gruesome traps, as its unexpected twist created a vast landscape for storytelling possibilities. In the years since “Saw” was first released, other films like “Escape Room” and “The Belko Experiment” have borrowed elements from its grim aesthetics and intricate narrative structure, but none have managed to replicate the unique charm of James Wan’s groundbreaking low-budget horror masterpiece.

2024-12-03 15:30