Se7en (1995) User Reviews

Very grim and disturbing but you can't stop watching

[preppy-3 · 9/10 · 14 February 2008]

Detective Lt. William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) is about to retire. He is teamed up with a young new detective David Mills (Brad Pitt). Together they try to find a serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins as his M.O. Meanwhile Mills' wife Tracy (Gwyneth Paltrow) fears for her husband's life and is very depressed.

Dark and depressing but just fascinating. Director David Fincher shots the entire film in dim light and shoves the victims mutilated bodies in our face. The grimness of the tone wears you down but that's appropriate considering the subject matter. No humor either. It all leads to a truly harrowing ending. There was supposed to be a happy ending but they (wisely) chose not to do it. Freeman and Pitt work very well together and both give excellent performances. I even thought Paltrow (who I hate) was good! Kevin Spacey is very good too in a small role.

If you have trouble with blood, gore and disturbing subject matter stay far away from this movie. But if you can handle that, watch this one. It's depressing and unpleasant but riveting.

"Se7en is well crafted and ingeniously clever, making it one of the greatest films of the 90's"

[Insipid_Shell · 10/10 · 25 March 2002]

The movie, "Se7en", starring Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, and Gwyneth Paltrow, is by far one of the most inventive, well-written, and cerebral films in recent history. The film, blending a well put together combination of dark visual style, intense plot development, and polished acting, remains tight and focused throughout, from beginning to end, never straying outwards into unimportant issues, or resorting to typical Hollywood clichés. Se7en is uniquely on its own for suspense dramas as it both fuels the need of the audience to be drawn in and entertained by the events unfolding, and remain uncompromising and shocking, thus satisfying the initial vision of the director, David Fincher.

The story surrounds the hunt for a serial killer, who, inspired by Dante Alighieri's seven deadly sins from "The Divine Comedy", sets out to, "preach" about man's impurity, and does so by targeting victims, then torturing them by pitting their own underlining sins against them. Se7en seemingly starts out as a typical cat and mouse detective story, however, it quickly develops into of a sort of modern-myth, with good and evil taking centre stage. The story is original on all counts, and thrilling on all levels. The most important aspect of Se7en, however, is that it keeps the audience numerous steps behind its story, as oppose to other thrillers, which become predictable and bland by the end. By keeping the audience in the dark, the film remains fresh and original as it progresses. Se7en even dramatically turns the tide at one point, just as the audience is finally getting comfortable and asserted into the gloomy atmosphere, thus creating as much as fear and uncertainty in the audience as it is with the characters involved. By the film's conclusion, the audience is as much apart of the film as the characters themselves, and arrive at Se7en's surprise ending without a single clue of it, prior to it occurring. Se7en's poetic ending(which will not be given away) says a lot for the people behind the movie, showing they are not afraid of going against the grain. A rarity with films so nowadays.

Directed brilliantly by David Fincher, and skillfully written by Andrew Kevin Walker, Se7en is well crafted and ingeniously clever, making it one of the greatest films of the 90's. While Se7en may not have garnered critical acclaim as such films as Silence of the Lambs, Se7en is, undoubtedly, as influential as any film to date.

Score 10/10

A brilliant postmodern film noir that is grim, intelligent and disturbing

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 18 May 2010]

From David Fincher, Se7en is a compelling and brilliant postmodern film noir. It is grim and disturbing but it is also very intelligent and daring. What I did love about Se7en especially is that it is incredibly stylish, beautiful dark cinematography and dazzling landscapes really do add to the atmosphere. Very little of the murders are shown but we are appalled and shocked by what we hear of them, the action is tense and the climax is shattering. There is also an intelligent screenplay, a clever plot telling of a vicious serial killer who murders his victims in a gruesome way to atone for the sins(gluttony, greed, sloth, lust, pride, envy and wrath)he deems them to have committed and excellent direction. The acting is also superb, Morgan Freeman gives another brilliant performance as the disillusioned detective and Brad Pitt is great as Mills in a more meatier role than he has ever done. Gwyneth Paltrow makes a small yet significant appearance as Mill's uneasy wife, while Kevin Spacey superbly delivers equally superb dialogue as John Doe despite the fact he isn't in the film much. Overall, a brilliant film, with adept performances, direction, style and ambition. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Probably the greatest murder story ever

[chvylvr80 · 10/10 · 15 October 2003]

Seven's quality puts it so far beyond most of the "cops on trail of deranged killer" genre that it comes out as a true jewel of cinema. Everything about seven is perfect. It is art captured on film. This movie is a bright spot for all of the stars who worked on it.

Brad Pitt never gets the credit he deserves for his acting because he's a pretty boy and the press is a lot more interested about how he and Jennifer are doing. That's a shame because he is a talented actor that isn't afraid to take chances with both the roles that he picks and the characters that he plays. That is quite rare in the A-list world. Morgan Freeman is a great actor. You can always count on him to do what he does best which is play a wise veteran that has seen it all. Kevin Spacey is another great actor that has great range and really puts life and personality into his characters.

The real talent of this movie, excluding the actors that brought it to life, is the director David Fincher and the writer Andrew Kevin Walker. Fincher's talents for making a visually stunning film are now well known and he often brings a dark patina to his work. Andrew Kevin Walker must have some incredible demons living inside him. Either that or one hell of an imagination for bringing the intricate story of Seven and the plan of John Doe to life.

John Doe's plan really is twisted and I won't be spoiling it here. Suffice to say I have never seen so evil and complicated a plan in a movie before or since. The cinematography of the film is dark but beautiful and throughout the film it is either night or raining or both except for two very brief moments. It is such an emotional movie that you can't keep from being caught up in what is happening. Do you understand and sympathize with what John Doe is doing or do you think him a mad killer that must be stopped.

Bottom Line: If you haven't had the opportunity to see Seven yet then you must at least rent it. It is so damn good that I know you will like it. The only reason you wouldn't is because you're just too damn fragile to take something this hardcore.

Somerset's World

[jpevoto · 13 August 1999]

Seldom does a film elucidate the culpability of our culture,of our society, in the mayhem and madness we often find in everyday life. According to Se7en, our culture is drifting through darkness. The mouthpiece for this thematic undercurrent is Somerset, a literate man who also happens to be a detective, a man who can read a clue ("This isn't going to be a happy ending") or Dante's Inferno with equal aplomb. He even provides the film's final thematic statement with a quote from Hemingway. His quirkiness, perhaps the outgrowth of a brilliant mind, is no worse than that of any prophet or seer of old, those harbingers of Biblical insight whom others always find kooky and offbeat. He is not well loved for his cynical, pessimistic outlook (such that his consuming motivation is to retire and get out of town). However, by the end it becomes clear that it is Somerset who sees our dark world with the prophet's particular clarity. (It is left to his partner Mills to find this out the hard way).

Working on us to reinforce this world as Somerset sees it is the film's astounding mise-en-scene, a disturbing film-noir setting developed by director David Fincher and cinematographer Darius Khondji. Flashlights barely illuminate the slimy walls of the roach-infested tenement of one victim and the dark bedroom of another. Rain pours down in buckets. Bird's-eye-view shots of downtown (the city is never named- a generic, everyman's kind of place) show dingy, sooty rooftops and grimy streets. Only the film's closing scene is in bright sunlight, which by then only serves as ironic counterpoint to what we see happening.

This is Somerset's vision; both inhabited and described by him. He finds a surprising fellow traveler in, not his partner, but the elusive killer John Doe. Doe shares the vision and provides an unsettling echo to the rumblings and teachings of Somerset. If one looks at life through the Somerset lens, one must admit that John Doe has a valid point. He and Somerset have arrived at the same conclusion, the difference between them being how they have responded. (Somerset longs to escape to some otherworldly realm in the country. Doe has taken action.)

Though gripping and fast moving, this is not an action film. It holds our interest through the workings of horror and mystery: a stark, film-noir detective piece. Except for one tense pursuit through halls and alleys in pouring rain, as well as the bit of ending action, there is surprisingly little violence. We see each murder, save two, after the fact, as a crime scene. This only makes the final act that much more suspenseful.

This is a very tight film. Elements within: dialogue, actions, lighting, setting, all of these tend to reinforce one another to paint a solid picture. It is a perverse logic that makes the final and seventh sin complete perfectly the circle of events begun with the first.

Still manages to astound after 20 years of repeat viewings

[tomgillespie2002 · 10/10 · 1 March 2014]

After his calamitous experience working on his début film Alien 3 (1992), David Fincher took on a small genre picture that, little did he know, would revitalise his career and become one of the greatest films of the 1990's. Se7en appears to begin as your typical detective neo- noir, with the cynical veteran and the naive rookie taking on an elusive serial killer seemed hell-bent on turning the sin against the sinner. But, set in an unnamed and permanently drizzly American city, Se7en is a meditation on evil and a pessimist's depiction on the modern world, climaxing in one of the bravest and most memorable endings in Hollywood history.

Detective Somerset (Morgan Freeman) is on the verge of retirement, where he plans to leave his inner-city life behind him after years of fighting on the side of good. His replacement is the brash Detective Mills (Brad Pitt), an optimistic young recruit eager to learn, who Somerset takes under his wing. Their first homicide investigation involves an obese man who has been fed at gunpoint to the point of causing his stomach to rupture. With Somerset ready to leave the force, Mills takes on his first solo case in the murder of a rich attorney, a man forced to cut a pound of flesh from his own body. The murder scene has the words 'greed' written in blood. Somerset eventually finds the word 'gluttony' etched in grease in the apartment of the first victim, and he becomes convinced the murders are connected, and that the killer is murdering under the guidance of the seven deadly sins.

The genius of Se7en is rooted in the way the movie keeps the audience as clueless as the detectives. Normally in genre pictures such as this, we either know who the killer is and eagerly wait for the investigators to put the pieces together, or we have a line-up of suspects and red herrings to decide from. Here, apart from brief glimpses during a thrilling chase scene, we are devoid of clues. The killer is always one step ahead of Somerset and Mills, alluding to the idea that the mysterious 'John Doe' is indeed having his work guided by a higher power. Of course, he is not, he is merely a man, but this helps gives Se7en dramatic weight, rather than it becoming a nihilistic exercise in cruelty.

When, three-quarters of the movie in, the killer hands himself in, the movie becomes a masterclass in writing, slowly building into one of the greatest climaxes in film. Somerset, a decent man who has devoted his life to the side of good but has had the fight slowly drained out of him, meets his nemesis in John Doe (Kevin Spacey). But as they talk, Doe's reasoning becomes clear and, shockingly, almost sympathetic. "Wanting people to listen, you can't just tap them on the shoulder anymore, you have to hit them with a sledgehammer," he says. It's about a world gone to s**t, a view shared by Mills' wife Tracy (Gwyneth Paltrow), who talks to Somerset in a diner about allowing a baby to be born into the world after discovering she is pregnant. Cerebral and Gothic, Se7en transcends the genre on so many levels thanks to some bleak yet stylish direction by Fincher, and it still manages to astound after almost 20 years of repeat viewings.

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Dark and disturbing thriller that will stay with you for ever.

[Boba_Fett1138 · 10/10 · 30 April 2004]

Rarely there has been a movie with such a good dark and chilling atmosphere. I even see this movie more as an horror movie than as a thriller because of that. "Se7en" is unique in many ways. The movies mood is already set right from the beginning on. The movie starts dark, intense, chilling and mysterious, a mood that is present throughout the entire movie. It's very depressing to watch and I mean that in a positive way of the meaning of the word. The mood is set by good camera work and lighting, or better said, the lack of it. The music from acclaimed composer Howard Shore also adds to the chilling atmosphere. Unlike many other movies from the same genre, the movie is slow paced and takes it time to develop the characters without falling into some obvious cliché's. The two main characters played by Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt are presented as an unlikely police-couple that are different in many ways from each other but in a way that is also what makes them such a great couple. Brad Pitt for once has the opportunity to play more than just the pretty boy and he does it with success. Kevin Spacey truly plays a bone chilling character, almost just as legendary and chilling as Hannibal Lecter. I would very much like to see the two of them put in the same room, just to see who would make it out alive. Further more it was great to see R. Lee Emrey again as the police captain. The movie is filled with some truly gross, sickening and horrifying scene's, this seriously ain't no kids stuff! The movie has some of the most sickening murders I have ever seen featured in a movie. But it aren't just only the gross scene's that are good, there are also some scene's that are made with lot's of beauty and profession such as the library scene. Dark and chilling movie that you will never forget also thanks to the ending which I will not spoil for you. A real must see. 10/10

Modern Masterpiece!!

[tsatsas · 10/10 · 20 June 2002]

Gothic, shocking, suspenseful, disturbing and clever, `Seven' marked a new beginning for director David Fincher's career. This dark tale of murder and crime revolves around two detectives in present New York city played by two brilliant actors `Brad Pitt' and `Morgan Freeman' who are paired together to solve a puzzle of murder that is at the hands of a man who kills regarding to the seven deadly sins. Both actors displayed striking performances that are so sharp and realistic sometimes you have to remind yourself that's its all acting.

David Fincher's masterpiece really gives us an opportunity of a lifetime, maybe it's one that we don't all wish to share, but by seeing this movie you will experience a glimpse of the horrors that this world is filled with, and a small piece of mind of a man who you only prey you never have to meet.

Brad Pitt successfully proves to us that he's not just a pretty face on screen, and that he sinks into his character so well, that you can walk off after the film finishes classifying him as a pretty darn good actor.

You wouldn't expect anything else from Morgan Freeman because it's perfectly obvious that this guy was born to play the roles of the smart detective.

David Fincher's timeless directing and memorable filming captures all the goods that this film has to offer and will undoubtedly leave you shocked and begging for more films like this. Seven is a step into the harsh realities of life, a realistic portrayal of two detectives investigation into the un-describable horrific world murder, and the darkest realms of the human soul.

We can only prey for more classic memorable work from Mr. Fincher and for those future directors who are intent on making a gothic, psychological thriller, make sure you sit down and watch Seven with a pen and paper ready to take notes.

Outstanding Performances / Great Storytelling

[purebace · 10/10 · 4 December 2003]

This movie is from start to finish a well produced and directed film. The performances in this movie are outstanding. Brad Pitt, once again, makes his role a stand-out performance by putting his versatile acting skills into his interpretation of Detective David Mills. Morgan Freeman is well-cast. His brooding acting style fits the character (Detective William Somerset) like a glove, and Gwyneth Paltrow gives her best performance EVER in the role of Brad Pitt's supportive wife/lover (Tracy Mills). And of course, Kevin Spacey who plays the diabolical yet misunderstood serial killer.

The movie is suspenseful and in parts very exciting. There is a "Pseudo-Noir" quality to this movie that really fits in well with the content of the film (Serial Killing). It has it's philosophical moments that anyone who thinks a lot about the state of the world today can appreciate. It makes subtle moral judgements without insulting any beliefs that the viewer may have and it also generates debate for any post-film coffee/drinks gathering.

Andrew Kevin Walker (Screenplay) has taken the subject of the Seven Deadly Sins and he really puts a great new twist on these themes. As a writer, I really could appreciate the depth that he goes into with these ideas. The movie gives us just enough information to be entertained and informed yet not bombarded and made bored with too much philosophy. In this respect, the film doesn't "preach" any special meaning even though the film's moral statements are still maintained. This film can be enjoyed on so many levels and I really enjoyed the third act. One of the best pieces of storytelling and scriptwriting ever.

Outstanding performances from everyone involved (And yes, of course, David Fincher does a wonderful job) Say no more. *****

An out and out classic.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 10/10 · 15 December 2022]

A retiring Detective and a young rookie are hunting down a serial killer, a killer with a dark MO, murdering his victims using the seven deadly sins.

As I watch this, it's coming up to its thirtieth anniversary, and it's as fresh now as it was back in 1995, it's an intensely macabre take, crimes that are infinitely macabre and depraved, and intensely twisted.

The combination of Freeman and Pitt is incredible, they work immensely well together, we have the fresh zest of Mills, and the unshakable, but battle weary Somerset. Paltrow and Spacey are excellent in support.

Two hours flashed past, there is no lull, no moment to switch off and boil the kettle, the intensity is immediate, the pacing designed to keep you glued.

I have always thought there is a shade of Alfred Hitchcock about this movie, such is the intelligence of the plot.

Very good visuals, the macabre and gruesome bodies look shocking still, nothing is spared or hidden away.

10/10.

One of the best films ever made

[ShyRaptor · 10/10 · 26 May 2017]

"Se7en" (1995) is a true masterpiece. I have seen this film like a thousand times and every time I watch it again it's as disturbing as the first time. It's always intriguing from start till finish. This is one of the best stories ever told on screen. 10/10 for this motion picture, it's a true art. A must watch.

one of the best-made films of its era and genre

[winner55 · 9/10 · 14 October 2007]

Despite clichés, and a very depressing finale, this is one of the best-made films of its era and genre.

The strengths of the film include an odd relationship between the two lead cops, who seem loosely based on the two lead cops of the "Lethal Weapon" series, but who (thankfully) never play for laughs, and never really become "buddies" - the young cop is too arrogant, and the older cop has too much experience, which the young cop refuses to acknowledge. The two characters are also brilliantly acted by Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt (probably his best performance).

There's one odd flaw in the film - about half-way through, I found that I had learned to "expect the unexpected" from the film, which meant that the rest of the film was predictable in a bizarre way - simply decide where the expected move would be, and then expect the unexpected move instead. The most obvious instance of this is in the finale itself, which could be guessed at least 5 minutes ahead of time.

Normally, this would be a formula for disaster - but fortunately, the high quality of the film-making twists the film into an edge-of-the-seat suspenseful waiting game as we watch with horror the one cop's encounter with the insanity of pure evil.

I didn't want to admire this film (to be honest, I dislike Brad Pitt something fierce), but I'm afraid I must - very professionally made, it delivers its promised suspense all the way.

David Fincher Strikes Again, With An Unwavering Thriller That Strikes Straight To The Heart

[dommercaldi · 9/10 · 24 August 2020]

Pros: 1. The score is beautifully ominous which only deepens the thrilling and unsettling atmosphere. 2. Brad Pitt (Mills), Morgan Freeman (Somerset), and Kevin Spacey (John Doe) give amazing performances. 3. The colour palette being dark and monotone helps to cement the gloomy and grim tone. 4. The gore and practical effects are immense and they still stand up 25 years later. The sloth, lust, and gluttony murders, in particular, stick in mind. 5. The great cinematography knows when to pull the camera back, as well as to draw it close for great effect. 6. Both Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt have great chemistry together. 7. The back-and-forth between Somerset, Mills, and John Doe in the police car is one of the most intense and captivating scenes in the history of cinema. 8. The movie presents the interesting and complex moral quandary of: is it immoral to kill the immoral? Even if those immoral people adversely affect other people? And who gets to decide who is immoral, and what punishment should be meted out to them? 9. Despite the underdeveloped character of Tracy (Gwyneth Paltrow), the conclusion is still one of the hardest hitting and iconic endings ever created.

Cons: 1. Tracy is a severely underdeveloped character, with her pregnancy-confessing scene to Somerset feeling lazily forced to add weight to the final scene.

Superbly crafted drama delves into darkest corners of the psyche

[pooch-8 · 16 August 1999]

David Fincher's bleak, relentless, and ultimately terrifying crime thriller Seven transcends other films of the genre with incredible plotting (the sort Hitchcock might employ were he alive and making films in the 1990s) and scalding intelligence. With only a small handful of minor flaws -- the overly familiar retiring cop/young cop pairing; the awful "I'm taking you off the case!" cliche seemingly required by the genre; one giant lapse in logic in the downward spiral toward the conclusion that cannot be revealed without ruining the script's gruesome surprise -- Seven typically keeps its viewers imprisoned in their seats with a combination of morbid fascination and abject fear. Despite attempts by studio executives to alter Andrew Kevin Walker's ending, the filmmaking team prevailed and audiences experienced that rare treat of mainstream cinema: an uncompromising vision.

Se7en is a Sinfully Enthralling Thriller!

[sandnair87 · 10/10 · 24 March 2015]

Se7en is a nerve-jangling thriller, hauntingly shot by visionary director David Fincher, who crafts one of the most iconic films of all time.

Se7en tells the tale of a grisly serial killer who is twisted on delivering a sermon against modern depravity. He murders his victims to atone for the sins he deems them to have committed; his crimes echo the seven deadly sins namely gluttony, greed, sloth, envy, pride, wrath and lust. Tracking this gruesome killer (played with a quiet insanity that makes your flesh crawl, by an actor par excellence – no spoilers here!) is a cliché pair of cops. There's the jaded veteran Detective Lieutenant Somerset (Morgan Freeman who brings great depth and dignity to the part) who is in the last week of his employ with the police department. Partnering him is a young, eager-to-kick-some-evil-butt cop Detective Mills (Brad Pitt whose callowness works perfectly for his character). After killing an overweight man by force-feeding him to death in the name of gluttony and bleeding to death a lawyer for greed, the anonymous killer is now turning his attention to the five remaining deadly sins. As the two men investigate, the gulf between their respective world-views begins to inform everything about how they respond to the savagery of these crimes.

It is impossible to deny the potency and artistry with which Fincher executes the material. Although very little of each murder is shown, the director expertly allows suggestion to lead the appalled viewer towards the truly cataclysmic climax. Fincher's sepia-toned gloom successfully lends the film the knock-out punch it intends to. Purposely draining his landscapes of color, and setting all the tense action against rain-washed streets and under-lit interiors, Fincher evokes an atmosphere of nightmarish proportions as he unfolds a gripping tale of urban horror.

Se7en is riveting in a gut-twisting way. It plays out at an engaging pace destined to entrance you with its abject horror. The film is as dark and brutal as a film can be, without showing much actual violence. Most of the stuff in the film is implied, but it's so damn disturbing that you feel like you actually saw it. And that is the beauty of Se7en!

Fincher At His Finest!

[namashi_1 · 10/10 · 24 September 2015]

David Fincher has made remarkable films throughout his career, but 'Se7en' finds him at his FINEST! This neo-noir psychological-thriller, is an astonishing piece of Cinema. I was mesmerized.

'Se7en' Synopsis: Two detectives, a rookie and a veteran, hunt a serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins as his modus operandi.

'Se7en' is a Masterstroke from start to end. A dark, moody, violent & utterly gripping story, that keeps you at the edge-of-your-seat. There isn't a single dull moment in this blockbuster, in fact, the tale gets more & more intriguing as it progresses.

Andrew Kevin Walker's Screenplay is Ace. It's a spine-chilling tale about two heroes out to get a psychotic killer. The Writing grips you from the moment it begins & refuses to let you go. Fincher's Direction is incredible. The way he has handled this twisted story, deserves an ovation. Darius Khondji's Cinematography is flawlessly done. Richard Francis-Bruce's Editing is tight. Action-Sequences are mind-blowing. Howard Shore's Score is perfect.

Performance-Wise: Morgan Freeman is at his understated best. The Oscar-Winning Legend delivers a master-class act here, that ranks amongst his finest to date. Brad Pitt is in terrific form, adding depth & anger to his part. Kevin Spacey is loathsome to the core in his creepy portrayal of the wicked villain. Gwyneth Paltrow is wonderful in a brief, yet important role.

On the whole, 'Se7en' is a film to die for. Two Big Thumbs Up!

The best Hollywood has produced for a long time

[supah79 · 9/10 · 28 July 2005]

After the Alien-debacle Fincher proved all the critics wrong. This film is one of the best in a genre that hasn't been very innovative for a long time.

Everyone know's the story by now, so I won't waste time telling it. This film was trend setting with it's dark, gritty look and opening sequence. We still see it copied in movies and TV-series today. Everything is great about this film. I guess if anything, the weakest link in the film is Pitt, who is grossly overshadowed by Freeman. But let's not look for flaws when there really aren't any. The script is intelligent and uncompromising. The direction is innovative en daring. The production-design and cinematography are top-notch.

Fincher is one of the big boys in Tinseltown these days. Seven is the reason why.

Se7en

[manoj-aryan · 8/10 · 16 June 2005]

'He is preaching….punishing'.

Serial killing with clues from killer is not a new thing to Hollywood but David Fincher's Se7en exceptional. Its evil genius. Se7en opens with a homicide where a fatso is killed in a very strange manner. We meet Detective Somerset(Freeman) who is about to take off and detective David Mills(Pitt) has just fought to get assigned there. Somerset is calm, mature and has achieved mastery over his job. He probably seen so much that now he badly wants to go far away from this bloodshed. David appears cocky first but turns out amiable character of the film. Tracey(Palthow) is David's wife who hasn't got used to with guns even after so many years of their marriage.

It begins. Each killing is shockingly repellent. Like an artist's signature every victim holds a note, a sin highlighted with lines from Dante Alighieri' s 'Divine Comedy', Shakespeare's 'Merchant of Venice'. And his name is John Doe(Kevin Spacey). Those lines are screaming that this not just some insanity. He wants to make a point.

Each murder is done by reaching horrific extremes of those deadly sins. A fat man is fed until he burst. Then there is an infamous lawyer got gun stuck on his head, handed a knife -a weighing scale is in front of him and he has to cut 1 pound of flesh from his body by himself. A druggist tied to bed for a whole year!! A famous model, her nose is cut and bandaged again and gave a choice- phone in one hand to call help n sleeping pills in other one to die rather than live deformed. A whore is punished ruthlessly that you should see on screen only. John says, "The world is so shitty…and we get used to them".

This Script is sumptuous. It mirrors today's society skillfully and boldly. Nothing is hidden by the camera. All we watch is naked truth that we hate to admit and most of the time that we hardly care. The spirituality woven in has its impact all over. Most of all ending is a blow. It is stunning.

There are number of memorable sequences in Seven. One especially is breath-taking when Somerset and Mills reaches John doe's apartment and Doe directly starts shooting at them and chase sequence followed is absolute fabulous. On other hand dinner party at Mills house we feel wine mixed in the air. Tracey and Somerset's meeting at coffee shop is the finest ones I ever seen. The intensity of that conversation can't be described.

This is a very dark film. It is all time raining. All environment surrounding Se7en is so grim and ghastly it clouds viewers with the same. Music refuse to leave us even when it is over. I must mention titles and credits rolled, one of the best I ever seen.

Se7en comes out with strong performances. Morgan Freeman is truly outstanding. Brad Pitt made me his fan from this movie. The way he says "Ladies and Gentleman we have a homicide here" and same David when taunted by Somerset "You are saying you care for these people?" says with assuring impulse "Sure I do….!!!". Gwyneth Paltrow 's Tracey doesn't have much screen presence but when she is there, we just can not stop love her character. In final half an hour we are introduced to Kevin Spacey's John Doe. The preacher. What can I say about this chilling work? Spacey gave such a performance that stings. We hate to admit with this man but somewhere we know he is right. Somerset asks him, "So you are saying some higher power tell you to do this?" Just watch John Doe reply "Lord works in mysterious ways..". Interesting thing pointed out by one of the fan is Somerset and John Doe both observed the same facts about today's society but responds in different ways, Somerset want to run away and Doe takes action.

No matter how many thrillers I shall see but this will always one of my favorites. It affects deeply. That's the power of Se7en. Se7en is a terrific thriller and a modern classic.

Simply one of the darkest and best thrillers of the 1990's – but don't let anyone spoil it for you.....

[bob the moo · 29 March 2002]

`Days from retirement' Detective Somerset is teamed with new-to-the-city Detective Mills to investigate a murder that quickly becomes a series. Somerset realises that the killer must be smart and is using classic literature to model his killings on the seven deadly sins, however Mills finds to hard to see him as anything other than a crazy man. With the killer close to completing his work, Mills and Somerset begin to close in on him. However nothing is as it seems in a dark depressing city full of moral degradation and apathy.

When David Fincher came onto the scene with his debut feature Alien3 the world only paused to scorn a film that didn't fit in with the Alien franchise. Yes it wasn't a great film – but I loved the sense of mood, the dark the tension in the shadows that Fincher created. Years later we have Se7en, Fight Club, The Game, and at people are getting Fincher!

Se7en was his major break through – where his dark visions also reaped box-office gold. The story doesn't sound like much – mismatched partners (one young, cocky and reckless – the other a few days from retirement) go after a serial killer who is carrying out a series of twisted murders…..it sounds like Lethal Weapon meets a straight to video thriller. But happily it rises above that by so much it's unbelievable….it certainly shows how a story put in good hands can work out. From the start we are entombed in mood – the city where it always rains, the uncaring people etc. The we begin to find murders – but Fincher doesn't show us the murders, he lets us see the aftermath in the shadows and lets us imagine the rest – Genius!

What you don't see is more gory than what you do. Meanwhile the tension is cranked up to fever pitch as the race to catch the killer is accelerated. When we meet the killer, the film just gets better…right up to an ending that is simply one of the most logical, emotional and gripping endings I've ever seen. I promise you'll leave the cinema shell shocked.

Freeman is excellent as Somerset – so good that it's a role he's tried to do again in `Kiss the girls' etc. But here he is the perfect foil for both Mills and the killer. Brad Pitt is also superb....he isn't allowed to trade on his looks here and does very well in a film that has little opportunity for him to pander to his female fans – he spends a lot of it looking beaten up. Paltrow is OK with what she has – but this isn't really a film that focuses on female roles. R. Lee Ermey is as good as ever and it's a sign of how good the cast is that actors of the stature of Charles Dutton and John C McGinley are basically in roles that barely count as cameos.

However the best performance is from Kevin Spacey in the years before he became an Oscar lovie and stopped doing bad guys or dark characters. He is only on screen for a small portion of the film but his dialogue is superb and he delivers it faultlessly. In the scene where he shares a car ride with Mills and Somerset you literally hang on his every word. However alongside Spacey Fincher stands triumphant with his dark vision given the perfect story and perfect actors.

At heart this is a cop thriller – but excellent performances, excellent mood and a moral lesson from an excellent Spacey make this quite simply the most jaw-droppingly excellent thriller of the 1990's.

Dark, grisly, and highly intelligent edge-of-your-seat thriller

[Screen_Blitz · 10/10 · 20 November 2015]

David Fincher has been one of most thoughtful directors in Hollywood for many years, and his ingenious filmmaking all started in the mid- 1990s with this grim, but intelligently crafted psychological thriller. This film follows David Mills (played by Brad Pitt), a newly transferred police detective in an unnamed crime-ridden metropolitan city, who is partner with an old veteran detective William Somerset (played by Morgan Freeman) who is on the verge of retirement, to investigate a string of gruesome murders all around the city. These murders happen to correlate with the seven deadly sins which include: gluttony, greed, sloth, lust, pride, envy, and wrath. Mills and Somerset take in matters in their own hands to hunt down the sadistic serial killer (played by an actor who I'm gonna keep a secret) responsible for the grisly murders, only to be faced with a scarring truth about his intentions.

This David Fincher masterpiece is not a horror film, but it certainly sits directly at the borderline of one. Complete with eerie visuals and near non-stop suspense from start to finish, this film pulls audience into an unflinchingly grim atmosphere that leaves shivers down their spine and rarely lightens up. To add more to the dark tone, it rain in nearly every scene taking place outside to give them a more somber look. As the plot progresses, the audience are treated with nauseating afterviews of the serial killer's murder. But instead of having the camera linger over the gory details of the victims, we are giving heavy implications of how they particularly occurred. These scenes do just enough without the suspenseful music score to leave viewers at the edge of their seats. Then there is the serial killer himself who is portrayed as very sadistic, almost Lecter Hannibul-like, and creepy in appearance. His way of outwitting the main characters are quite shocking. The actor who plays him does an incredible job on his portrayal. As the story continues on, it builds up to one of the most haunting conclusions ever put to film, an ending that really pushes the boundaries. Ultimately, it works pretty well.

Se7en is one of the well-crafted and twisted thrillers I've ever seen and one of the spine-chilling films Hollywood has to offer, thanks to the incredible camera-work, brilliant direction by David Fincher and fantastic script by Andrew Kevin Walker. Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman who play the main characters show amazing chemistry on screen together and their performances work pretty well. While the film is really great, it is definitely not recommended for the faint of heart.

beautiful darkness

[SnoopyStyle · 9/10 · 15 May 2015]

Somerset (Morgan Freeman) is a wearied homicide detective. Mills (Brad Pitt) worked hard to transfer to the troubled precinct. He's married to Tracy (Gwyneth Paltrow). There is a serial killer on the loose delivering his sermon on the Seven Deadly Sins. Somerset is tired of the city. Mills is eager to investigate.

Director David Fincher has filled with beautiful darkness. It's more than just the gruesome murders. It's the rain, the music score and the grungy setting. Fincher has weaved together an artistic masterpiece. Freeman is the perfect grizzled veteran. Brad Pitt is a terrific eager newcomer. There are surprising comedy sprinkled in. The final twist is simply cinematic history. The big line is awesome. Pitt delivers it perfectly with so much heart aching pleading. Some do deride its grotesque gloom but that's like complaining about a movie being too funny or too exciting. This is suppose to be dark and it achieves it.

Man vs. Society

[heatsilver · 10/10 · 21 September 2016]

Rarely does a thriller murder film draw in the audience from start to end without presenting predictable foreshadowing. From the opening credits leaving out Kevin Spacey's name to the consistent "one step behind the killer" storyline, Se7en accomplishes a dramatic theme of leaving the audience in a dynamic naïve state through the eyes of Mills and Somerset. Although the acting was emotionally and physically precise, it was the cinematography and lighting that generated the dreary setting and interactions throughout the film, often evoking the appropriately timed tension and emotion. Presented beyond the surface, however, Se7en calls upon a society accusation through the thread of Dante's "Seven Deadly Sins." Se7en indirectly advocates that society, as a whole, is migrating towards an inevitable abyss filled with specialization in many of these deadly sins. Even though humans may be ignorant to this path, it continues to occur all around us until we become dragged into it, just like Mills in the ending. The only individual within Se7en that posed a dichotomous relation was Somerset; as he continued to logically view the world in awe of the irrevocability. Somerset and Doe both saw the world in this 3rd person perspective, but their actions represented their individual commitment to the change of society. Doe was willing to take action in an upsetting demonstration, but Somerset continually wanted to escape the world in a hopeless fashion. Therefore, Se7en displays multiple protagonists and antagonists throughout the movie. On the surface, Mills and Somerset are the protagonists trying to stop the killer, John Doe, who is the antagonist. Indirectly being argued, however, is that Doe and Somerset are the protagonists with opposing plans towards the change in societal nature (being represented as the antagonist through the seven deadly sins characters including Mills). That is why I give Se7en a 10/10 for its ability to draw in the audience through cinematography, lighting, plot, and controversial character dynamic throughout the entire film.

The Best of its Kind

[MissCzarChasm · 9/10 · 13 April 2001]

Seven is by far one of the best serial killer movies ever made. This movie has a great premise, fantastic actors, great direction by David Fincher, and a fantastic gritty atmosphere.

The story centers around 2 dectectives, both going down seperate paths. Det.omerset(Morgan Freeman) is heading toward retairment while Detective Mills(Brad Pitt)is just starting out his career. He's full of energy and opinions. Soon the both are on the msot disturbing case they have ever come across. A serial killer is killing his victims based on the seven deadly sins(Gluttony, Sloth, Wrath, Lust, Greed, Envy. The killer is very smart and the two detectives soon realize that he is using them as a pawn to complete his masterpiece.

The acting in this film is amazing. Morgan Freeman turns in a great performance. very subtle, yet commanding. He's like a wise-man spreading his knowledge to others. Brad Pitt is also very good in a more energetic performance. His character is pretty unlikable but he does have a certain charm. Gwyneth Paltrow is a bit underused but she is still very good. She's one of the only bright spots in this othe wise dark film. The killer, who's identity i won't give away here is avery effective in his small amount of screen time. He gives a very creepy performance that will leave a lasting impression.

Another thing this film has going for it is style. David Fincher has put together a film with a fascinating atmosphere. It's very dark and it sets th tone for the film.

I suggest you go out and rent this film if you haven't seen it. Also for fans of the film the 2 disc dvd is a must have.

Nice Movie

[gastgast · 7/10 · 6 April 2020]

Good Movie and entertaining plot twist. But nothing special.

See David Fincher's later work to enjoy better films

[blueangel-76133 · 5/10 · 1 October 2019]

Despite the presence of the surely very talented Freeman and Pitt, this early David Fincher film is, like his other early films such as Alien 3, marred by his strange artistic obsession with grime and filth (every location and even the look of the film is dirty, scummy and excessively grimy for no realistic reason). Having said this, in his more recent films, such as The Game (Sean Penn and Michael Douglas), Fincher has grown out of this style and made some excellent movies.