Se7en - Movie Review

In Se7en, a police Rookie named Detective David Mills and his Partner, Somerset, are introduced to a case of a killer that murders his victims according to seven sins. It shows the grim footage of the detectives solving an eerie trail of an unchained presence in an unnamed city drowned in rain but filled with humanity’s vices. It is a minute portrayal of the human tendency towards sin with a dark, predestinarian vision. The plot implies that the dichotomy between the protagonist and the antagonist is not that clear and makes the viewers compelled by their own perceptions.

Morgan Freeman plays the role of the experiencing and dour Somerset, which adds depth to the film with contrasting Brad Pitt’s inexperienced and reckless Det. Mills. Their chemistry drives the story forward; an equally mysterious, tantalising element is supplied by Kevin Spacey who plays the nameless killer.

The impeccable direction of David Fincher throughout lends Se7en a...compelling stylistic and atmospheric edge. His direction pans out the horror, crime, and finally ending with the psychological thriller to pack a narrative punch.

The score and music by Howard Shore are eerie, which gives suspense to the movie, and adds on the emotional aspect to the scenes. The use of music alters the mood in a way which strengthens the dark tone.

The cinematography employed in the film is rather explicit, illustrating the gloomy atmosphere of the city. Cinematographer Darius Khondji makes sarbatically effective use of the shadow and light, which helps to underpin the films realism as well as the horror inherent in the narrative. The depicting of a dismal urban setting helps create the oppressive mood and continuously built tension in the film Providing little taste of what the movie’s grim and grisly themes were like, the special effects in Se7en contain elements of the real world, without overwhelming the film with its overly graphical nature. These are realistic effects, thus making the story to be more terrifying.

The cuts are well done and this maintains the momentum of the movie all through. The use of cuts is conscious to ensure balance and continuity; smooth control of the plot tension forms the arc of the movie.

The movement of Se7en is as carefully planned as the intricate murder mystery in the picture. The movie has no let up in the tension that slowly builds as more horrors are uncovered forcing the viewer to stay glued to the screen.

The dialogue used in Se7en while matching the dark nature of the film is well articulated and profound. It is a dialogue between characters, which serves as the major source of plot progression, as well as the exploration of the characters’ psychological profiles and their ethical conflicts.

Some viewers may find graphic portrayal of violence in Se7en rather disturbing. Hence, even though the film has a dark view of the world, its thriller aspect might not appeal to everyone as this movie has one of the worst endings in Hollywood and has no clear herovillain divide.

Se7en depicts a dark, moody environment and a bitter outlook on human nature and justice thus making the viewer go through a tough psychological experiment. I guarantee that no one could watch the film without being left with a question about sin and righteousness; this question makes a lasting impression.