The McDonald's of Horror Films

Rating: 1/10 (8 April 2001)

Wow. There are a lot of bad films out there, but even with the worst of the worst there is some redeeming quality, like that neato big wave in the Perfect Storm. But Se7en? The acting is flat (Brad Pitt's opening lines seem like they're coming from someone acting for the first time, his moaning at the end, when he gets his special gift, just seemed pathetic); the script is not at all inventive and unsuccessfully covered up by hyperbolic special effects and redundant gore. The "twist" at the end is hardly disturbing because the writer/ director have been shoving gimmicky horror effects down the our throats for the entire movie.
People who like this film- the dark, urban atmosphere, the pseudo-noir elements: please watch some David Lynch films and see how this should be created, i.e. not by using video game titles, not by relying heavily on special effects, make-up, and yet ANOTHER plot with biblical references, but instead by a careful selection of actors, beautiful cinematography, and incredibly original stories.
Stop funding this director so that he will go back to making TV commercials instead of two hour long theater commercials.