Disturbing,dark,yet also a brilliantly filmed, compelling mystery/suspense

Rating: Null/10 (18 March 2004)

Many people might be put off by the gruesome and twisted experiance that is director David (Fight Club) Fincher's suspense film. However, if you choose to be more tolerant about the graphic nature of the film, you will find it to be a suspenseful,exhilerating, masterpiece of shadows and thrills.
The film revolves around a burnt out cop (Morgan Freeman)and his new, hot shot partner(Brad Pitt) who are investigating a string of very gruesome murders. It soon becomes clear the killer is using the Seven Deadly Sins (Greed, Gluttony, Lust, Sloth, Pride, Envy, and Wrath) as his motive. The film is shot mostly in rainy, dark locations which intrigued me at first but soon got boring. However, just when you think the film will drop on its rear, it gets interesting again. The acting is a wonder. Morgan Freeman plays the burnt out detective with his usual charm and charisma and Brad Pitt is believable as Freeman's partner up until the last scene, which I felt like he was trying to hard to cry. Kevin Spacey, however, steals the show as the sadistic murderer. He is both terrifying and attractive and portrays pure insanity like no other actor I've ever seen.