Disgusting & morally vacant 2/10

Rating: 2/10 (28 September 2001)

**CONTAINS SPOILERS**

Perhaps it's the timing. Three weeks ago I might have reacted differently to this movie. But right now I just have little tolerance for the way it takes genuine horror and evil and creates a stylish, but ultimately empty, Hollywood package out of it.
This film is about a sadistic killer who is choosing his victims and methods of death based on the seven deadly sins (hence the title of the movie). On his trail are two detectives, a young hotshot named David Mills (Brad Pitt) and a senior Homicide Lieutenant, William Somerset, (Morgan Freeman) who has become cynical almost to the point of burnout. The murders are carried out with extreme cruelty, although the violence is not actually shown being committed, it is depicted quite graphically by what the two men discover at each crime scene, as well as in the various photos, coroner's reports, etc., that they examine. To be blunt, this is NOT for the squeamish, in fact, I'm surprised this film didn't get an NC-17 rating.
Anyway, the bodies pile up, and despite their best efforts (including a very close encounter by Mills), the killer, known only as `John Doe', remains at large. In fact, we don't even see him at all until halfway through the film, and we don't see him close up until near the end. Which is, basically, where this otherwise well crafted film falls apart.
At this point, five victims have already been discovered. In a strange plot twist, Mr. Doe turns himself in, them makes a bizarre offer. In return for a full confession, he requests the two detectives accompany him, alone and unarmed, so he can show them the final two victims. Obviously he has something really shocking planned as his grand finale, and, given his extremely high level of intelligence shown to date, only a fool would accept such a proposal at face value. Yet accepted it is, and all three men end up alone in the desert, the scene set for the final horror. (Warning: BIG spoiler ahead)
On the drive out, Doe has been taunting Mills relentlessly, setting up the big showdown in which Somerset is handed a package containing the severed head of Mills' wife, played by Gwyneth Paltrow. At this point, Doe springs the trap. With a sneer, he informs Mills that the head represents the sin of envy, namely the killer's envy of Mills' heretofore charmed life. Of course, the sinner will pay for his sin, and in the process bring down the final victim, Mills himself, whose sin is wrath. Somerset, who understands the situation fully as soon as he opens the box, tries in vain to prevent what he knows is inevitable. Mills struggles to fight off his natural desire to kill Doe, knowing if he does, the killer wins his twisted game, but in the end he cannot help it. The film ends with Mills being driven off, presumably in handcuffs, in the back of a squad car. No matter what happens to him now, his life has been utterly destroyed. Much as with the suicide bombers of September 11th, we are left with the sense of the sneering triumph of evil over good, of a twisted life of hate given solely for the purpose of destruction.
So, what is the point of this film? There isn't one, as far as I can tell. There's no moral here, only psychosis and brutality artfully rendered. It's an appeal to cynicism, to shock value for its own sake. I suppose we are expected to react by noting that the ending was `cool' or at the very least, `original'. Yeah, right. And the really disgusting part is that this isn't some low budget slasher flick, but a top quality production with big name stars. A lot of thought, effort and talent went into making this film, but the end result is something that deserves to be flushed down a toilet.