Best cinematic murder mystery of all time

Rating: 10/10 (8 May 2016)

Se7en tells the harrowing story of 2 detectives trying to find a brutal serial killer who bases his horrific killings on the seven deadly sins. Se7en is, in my mind, the best detective movie ever made and here's why. This is one twisted, messed-up and depressing movie, but it's not unwatchable. It's actually hugely entertaining, it's got two amazing set-pieces and it's a compelling, unpredictable story. Many other movies which feature such a terrifying antagonist are often really hard to watch, but here the film works as a blockbuster still. David Fincher's direction is flawless, the cinematography is amazing and the city in which the film takes place is a truly disturbing environment. Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Spacey are outstanding (Even Gwyneth Paltrow is quite good here) and their characters feel like humans, not just like actors. This is first and foremost a study of evil, but it doesn't shove its themes down our throats. This explores its nihilistic concepts with art and subtlety, so that the relentlessly harrowing subject matter doesn't get in the way of characters and action. Best of all, this has one of the greatest movie endings in the history of cinema, and for that alone it's worth watching. A truly great movie, which holds up very well on a re-watch, and is one of my favourite films of the 90s.
10/10