One of the iconic films of the 90's

Rating: 10/10 (11 June 2011)

IMDb Top 250: 27
Seven, David Fincher's first great film, is about two detectives in an unnamed city who hunt down a serial killer who uses the Seven Deadly Sins as his modus operandi. It's an original and clever take on the murder mystery. When those opening credits start to roll, with an awesome remix of Nine Inch Nail's 'Closer', the viewer begins to both dread what will come next, but also be unable to wait to see how it unfurls.
A very important part of Seven is its setting and atmosphere. The city, unnamed intentionally, is a savage, crime-riddled town that no one wants to live in. It sets the perfect landscape for such a bizarre killer. The direction is wonderful: constant rain, dark; this is a sad, dreary place, and no good can possibly come of it. It's one of Seven's greatest strengths.
Another great strength is the three major players. Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman play the rookie and the veteran, and both are very convincing. Pitt, a five year veteran elsewhere, comes to the city intentionally with his girlfriend. We feel his unpreparedness, especially early on. He doesn't know what to expect from this dreary place; his reaction to the vomit and him waiting for Somerset outside the Gluttony murder, in the rain soaking with two coffees proves that. While some criticize Pitt's acting at the end, I think he aces it.
Freeman doesn't have as hard a job, he is the perfect smart and wise character. The last player is the killer, who I will keep a secret. From the killer's entrance to finish, you will be on edge as long as the character is on the screen. The lack of emotion is unsettling.
Visually, the film stands out: colours are seeped out of the picture, leaving darkness and rain: a great example is in the alley, with cameras facing up the guns barrel into the rain.
The last key to Seven's success is the plot. Full of action, suspense, and a few jumps, you will be engrossed by this story till its intense, shocking finale. Each of the killings are well-thought and shown in a gory, visceral matter, but not explicitly so. Sloth and Lust are absolutely atrocious in a good way, but I think Pride could have been fleshed out a little more. That could be the only suggestion I have about the film.
The less you know going into Seven, the better. One of the 90's best. 9.6/10