Se7en

Year: 1995
Genre: Thriller
Director: David Fincher


Plot: Two detectives, one retiring, the other relatively inexperienced, team up to stop a serial killer whose murders are based on the seven deadly sins.


The gist: If the serial killer genre had a yardstick for quality, this film would be it. David Fincher and writer Andrew Kevin Walker create a masterpiece that is still strong and unparalleled till today.

The plot is simple: two cops with different approaches have to work together to stop a sadistic killer. But even then, it's much more than that. The filmmakers let us see the dark and cruel world they both live in, a nameless city that has nearly endless rain. The older cop, Somerset is a tired man, but wise to a tee, trying his best to guide the younger cop Mills in order to catch a brilliant killer who is always a step ahead of them.

The film has a methodical pace but it never drags. There is a purpose to almost every scene, as each clue leads to another until it ends on a surprising finale.


The good: Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman are excellent in their roles. Pitt isn't the mature actor he is now when he did this film, yet he's perfect as the brash Mills and ends up being very likable. Freeman as usual brings his screen presence as Somerset, being wise enough to not want to be a cop any longer than he has to, yet smart enough to do his job right. He's the heart of the film. Gwyneth Paltrow lends some nice support as Mills' wife, and pretty to look at since she's still young here. Kevin Spacey is great as the killer, John Doe. Everything else technical like lighting, cinematography, set design and editing are all perfect. The opening credit sequence, designed by Kyle Cooper, remains one of, if not the best sequences I've ever seen.

The bad: I can't think of any. It's that good.


Verdict: It's earned its right to be Imdb's 22nd best film and probably one of the best films of the 90s. If you haven't seen this yet, you need to. Recommended. (4.5/5)