Se7en's distinctive dark style and killer premise make it worthwhile despite some glaring problems.

Rating: 8/10 (19 November 2006)

Se7en is so interesting in a number of ways and for a number of reasons. The first is simply that murder stories have an interesting, visceral appeal which Se7en is able to put to use. To compound the powerful drawing force of murder mysteries, Se7en has easily one of the most interesting concepts in the history of murder mysteries, as the killer bases his murders on Dante's Seven Deadly Sins. Each new murder proves to be an interesting twist, since new details about the case as a whole are revealed, and since there's no telling in what gruesome fashion the murder will have been carried out. Indeed, the murders of Se7en are symbolic yet extremely grisly, meaning that the movie will both capture your attention and take a part of it for good.
The movie is also given excellent performances by Morgan Freeman and Kevin Costner. In the type of performance that by now seemed attuned to his abilities, Freeman plays a muted, wizened character who has seen his share of crap in the world. Costner also gives an excellent performance, both in how he plays quieter parts well, and how he fills the shoes of a serial killer perfectly. The best villains are the ones who truly believe they are doing the right thing. Easily the most chilling scene of the movie is the scene where Costner explains his side of the story. As Freeman's character describes, the killings are his "sermons" to the world, his teachings to a world with a skewed perception of morality.
"Fight Club" director David Fincher brings his gritty, dark sense of style to Se7en by filling the spaces with shadows and quiet, creepy music. It becomes clear almost immediately that this unnamed city is a place to hate--a dirty place full of prostitutes, beggars, and psychos, a city that shares none of the glamour of the darkened "Sin City." As the movie progresses, more and more you get the feeling that it's getting darker, and that everything is spiraling out of control.
That said, the movie has several very distinct weaknesses which easily make it harder to watch, and harder to enjoy in principle. The gaping hole in Se7en is named Brad Pitt--while clearly his character is meant as Freeman's foil--an impatient, aggressive rookie--he ends up being frustrating and obnoxious throughout the movie. There is an immediate attraction to Freeman's character, and so with the introduction and development of Pitt's character, Mills, you end up liking him less and less. The vast majority of the profanity is used by Pitt, and it is not used in an effective manner at all. Furthermore, Mills does not have one interesting bone in his body, and Pitt's acting skills are MIA for the duration. Pitt is obviously more attuned to unique roles, such as Tyler Durden, and not roles requiring a typical type of acting.
The ending, while interesting and definitely worthwhile in concept--and on the script--is dumbed down quite a bit by the anti-climatic pacing and Pitt's aforementioned shortcomings. But when you can ignore Pitt as much as possible, and when Spacey's character is introduced, Se7en proves itself to be one of the most interesting concepts in a long time that is, for the most part, cashed in on.