Absolutely Necessary

Rating: Null/10 (18 March 2009)

My brother and I were still under 18 when "Showgirls" was released, so after being denied access on opening night by a ticket boy who thought he was the Terminator we slipped into David Fincher's "Se7en," having no idea what it was or what to expect.
Surely the best serial killer story of all-time, this was bleak upon dark upon black upon evil. The rain is constantly falling in the crumbling, apocalyptic city, and as sick and brutal as John Doe's grisly murders may be, he's only holding a mirror up to our own guilt and depravity. No one is innocent anymore.
I loved the fact that Fincher has no fear of the dark, and that he boldly, bravely lets the movie end unhappily because... because maybe life ends unhappily. I can't speak for you but my life is much closer to chaos than an upbeat TV crime wrap-up: "The killer confessed and was sentenced to life and Mrs. Mantovanni got her puppies back." Hang on while I vomit.
This is not a perfect film by any means... Fincher was still mastering the craft of storytelling: Paltrow's secret luncheon late in the film raises red flags all over creation, but the crisp cinematography and filthy visuals are a wonder to behold. Pitt and Freeman do everything possible to avoid just another black/white, old/young buddy-cop partnership and its a testament to their abilities that they surely succeed. John Doe shows us serial killing as not just preaching but high art... and he and Fincher get every detail just right: the psychosis of the notebooks, the insanity of the fingerprints, the stained bloody shirt and calculated surrender. Even the Nine Inch Nails track in the titles spoke to the mood of violence and industrial rage that at the time was not only hip but palpable.
If you haven't seen it yet get good for a downer, abandon all hope and kiss your loved ones goodbye. Don't worry- you can trust in Fincher, Freeman and Pitt to take you through the best bad dream you'll ever have. Now I gotta go that's UPS at the door.
GRADE: A