Jigsaw

The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Five strangers wake up chained in a barn with buckets over their heads, facing buzzsaws. Detective Halloran investigates a new crime scene, believing Jigsaw has returned despite being dead for ten years.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.

The inciting incident occurs at 12 minutes when The first victim dies horrifically in the barn game when he fails to confess his sin. Meanwhile, the discovery of a new body with Jigsaw's signature cuts confirms an impossible truth: someone is continuing John Kramer's work, ten years after his death.. At 13% through the film, this Disruption is delayed, allowing extended setup of the story world. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.

The First Threshold at 23 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This shows the protagonist's commitment to Halloran fully commits to investigating Logan and Eleanor as potential suspects, actively pursuing them as the new Jigsaw. In the barn, the surviving captives must actively choose to sacrifice their blood to progress, crossing into full participation in the game., moving from reaction to action.

At 46 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Notably, this crucial beat False defeat: Only two captives remain alive, and Anna seemingly kills Ryan to save herself. Simultaneously, evidence points overwhelmingly toward Logan and Eleanor, and Halloran brings them in for questioning. The stakes raise—the new Jigsaw appears unstoppable and may be closer than anyone thought., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.

The Collapse moment at 67 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Anna dies in the final trap after her lies are exposed—she caused the death of her baby and blamed her husband. Halloran is abducted and wakes in a trap. Everything seems lost: the game is over, all captives dead, and the detective himself is now a victim., reveals the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.

The Synthesis at 73 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Logan executes his finale: revealing how he recreated the barn game to punish those responsible for his wife's death (due to Halloran's evidence tampering). He forces Halloran into a final trap where confession could save him, bringing the theme full circle. Logan has synthesized Kramer's philosophy with his own vendetta., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.