Very successful dark and grisly, noirish murder mystery

Rating: 9/10 (16 October 2013)

If you simply read about what Seven is about you would be forgiven for thinking it sounded an incredibly hackneyed affair. A world weary detective a week from retirement is paired with a young hotshot colleague to work on a new case of grisly murders. They don't get on at first but once they get to know each other they begin to form a bond and prove to be a good team. This synopsis makes Seven sound like a generic buddy cop movie. And, to be fair, it is that to a certain extent. But fortunately the truth is in the detail.
Director David Fincher is a visual stylist and it's the look and feel of the movie that helps transcend it to another level. The setting is a nameless, hellish city where it seems to constantly be raining. There is a consistent feeling of impending dread. The visual elements of the film emphasises this. It goes for a dark neo-noir look, what with the rain and the shadowy interiors. The buildings all look like they are from a bygone era, while the men seem to dress like they are from a 40's film-noir - hats and trench coats are the order of the day, despite this clothing being completely out of fashion in the 90's. It's this attention to detail that gives Seven such an interesting look and feel.
Then we have the serial killings themselves. They have been staged to represent the seven deadly sins from the Bible. Each horrible death is targeted against someone who breaches one of the sins and their punishment is an elaborate and violent lesson against their transgression. It's a great set of crimes to base a detective film around. The mystery narrative progresses at first in a fairly traditional way but towards the end the rug is pulled out from under us and we enter unexpected territory. It's this unpredictability also that makes this a fine unconventional thriller. The principal actors are all very good, with a particular standout turn from Kevin Spacey towards the end. Spacey is very adept a doing 'cold' and here he is pitch perfect.
The story arc winds its way intelligently to an unforgettably nihilistic climax and Seven ultimately has to be considered one of the best serial killer films out there.