Pretty good, but a bit over-rated...

Rating: 7/10 (23 November 2006)

It might be because I've seen a lot of films since it's release in 1995 that have borrowed heavily from its visual style, which was possibly very unusual at the time (I can't remember) but this didn't ring with me as strongly as it has with some people. It's very much a David Fincher with decay and desaturated colour tones everywhere, lots of grand, decaying buildings and a feeling of gloomy, low tech nostalgia sliding in at the sides, and that's very welcome, but it's not as gripping as some make out.
It certainly isn't a *bad* film, by any stretch. The plot's well balanced, the characters nuanced and believable (except Brad Pitt who's such an annoying brat I can't see how anyone anywhere would hire him as a cop) and the dialogue is good enough (although really Morgan FReeman brings a real shine to it that Pitt can't match), with the exception of some slightly hammy bits.
The main thing that seems to have gripped everybody is the serial killer's supposedly insanely clever twisted, creepy, dark, disturbing plan, but I don't really think it's as creepy as all that. Saw, a far less interesting film, was WAY creepier, although I suppose it borrowed heavily from Seven.
Also, I don't really care much about how creepy serial killers are anyway, I think it's just a cheap titillation device.
Where this film's most interesting is where Brad Pitt's character gets his come-uppance for being such an annoying little twerp. And even that feels a little bit cheap, there isn't a moment where he's on screen that he doesn't irritate, which may be the point, but it's a bit much to make an entire film about an evil serial killer just so you can give an imaginary jackass a slap in the face.
But Morgan Freeman was good...