Discussion: Are Jigsaw and Wonka the Same?

Around Halloween, I watched Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (the real one, not the Johnny Depp “assault on my childhood” film). I always thought the movie was pretty dark and had some ominous tone I overlooked as kid, but this time was different. I used to have nightmares that the creepy Slugworth used to come into my room and offer me riches for getting his hands on an Everlasting Gobstopper. A heavy amount of medication and therapy took care of those visions, but now I have noticed something else about the movie: is Willy Wonka actually Jigsaw? Check out the rest of my thoughts below.

I still think Wonka is a metaphor for communism, but there is something to be said about this connection between Willy and Jigsaw. In essence, think about Wonka’s mission: he is looking to pick a successor, much like Jigsaw himself. The manner he does this, putting a group of people through gruesome and treacherous scenarios and traps. Augustus Gloop, the fat German,  has a reverse eating disorder. His gluttony puts him next to the chocolate river, and he falls in. Instead of throwing a licorice rope or arm-linked Oompa Loompas, he gets out a piece of candy and watches with the rest as he gets sucked towards the pipeline. Watch that scene with Charlie Clouser’s Saw theme, and you’ll look at it entirely different from that point on.

Consider all the intricate tools and gadgets Wonka has, like the Golden Egg scale and Wonkavision Room. Each are not entirely practical, but perfectly fit punishment for Veruca and Mike respectively. And make no mistake, none of these kids make it out alive. I know Wonka says to each parent that they should be alright, but he told them all there was nothing dangerous in the factory, so he is a liar. I’m sure the only reason those lines about the kdis ending up alright were just thrown in there for the studio to make them feel comfortable with the seemingly gory nature of Wonka’s lessons. Think about all those Oompa Loompas that work his factory, quite like Amanda and Hoffman who work for Jigsaw. All that work requires many hands, and his work isn’t over, it’s just beginning.

This is just my opinion, and I am sure lots of people out there think I’m exaggerating between Jigsaw and Wonka, but watch that scene where they ride the boat and go through that scary psychedelic tunnel, and you’ll understand what I mean.