Disturbingly effective, for two audiences

Rating: 10/10 (17 October 2000)

A while back I thought after seeing Seven that this is a film gets in the crowd of the macabre disturbing films including Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Clockwork Orange, Dawn of the Dead, etc. It does and then it doesn't as well. It has that kind of horrific core on display of humanities ills alongside the violent nature. But it is also a Hollywood thriller, with big stars, and on that level it's just as affecting and successful. It's almost like a crossover film by having this mystery-investigation side of the story, led by Putt and Freeman, while the investigation itself making it pretty clear its no-holds-barred moments. Fincher's work as a director here is absolute in making style serve the story.
It does this and more by making grissly images of cruelness and dark vibes that would make Nosferatu cringe (slightly). Story follows aging detective (Freeman in one of his better roles) and new detective (Pitt does OK here, too) who hunt down a killer who is doing it in according to the 7 deadly sins. Nailbitting all the way to the end, even when we find out the John Doe (and if your on this site, you know Kevin Spacey plays one of the most clever villains in recent thriller history). Entertaining, and with an everlasting appeal that has spawned on a series of lesser films (i.e. Saw), and still holding up just as strong ten+ years later.