Oh, my god...

Rating: Null/10 (15 November 2001)

(This review may contain spoilers)
I'll just go right ahead and say this: Kevin Spacey is phenomenal. His portrayal of a serial killer is perhaps the best I've seen. He was only on screen towards the end of the film, but for me personally, he stole the movie. John Doe's eerily slow way of speaking (unless agitated) and his blank, vacant stare will more or less linger in the audience's minds for a while. I've not seen much of Spacey, only in this and "L.A. Confidential", which got me interested in him, but John Doe has made me a fan. He is amazing, and easily surpasses the two leads, Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman.
"Se7en" is definitely one of the most intense, disgusting and intriguing thriller I've seen for a long time. Unlike recent thrillers ("The Bone Collector" instantly springs to mind), it features a killer whose motive murder is believable and understandable, and not completely laughable like "The Bone Collector". He's a man who appears to be as ordinary as the next person, someone whom you wouldn't look at twice on the streets, but underneath that exterior lies a dark side. The film can be looked at an exploration of the darker side of the human mind (which is also what "8MM" did, and it should only make sense, as it is written by the same person), and John Doe is the right person to pick. Throughout history we have seen people like him, the most obvious being Jack the Ripper. For those who are interested, the character of John Doe is able to shed some light on the inner workings of some serial killers and their lines of thought. As twisted and sick as it may be, at least then one'd be able to understand.
Morgan Freeman gave a good performance, but Brad Pitt annoyed me half the time. I liked him a whole lot better in "12 Monkeys" and "Interview With the Vampire". Gwyneth Paltrow...is not an actress I like. Hell, I'm being generous already calling her an actress. Since her character is crucial to the plot, I will just forget I've ever seen her in the movie.
Andrew Kevin Smith is extremely creative, pure and simple. The victims of envy and wrath was just brilliant. I admire him a lot for being able to think of that; it was totally unexpected, and when John Doe utters "become wrath", I felt this intense chill which can only be interpreted as admiration for the writer on my part. The setting, music, lighting, and basically the entire atmosphere of the film fit the tone of the movie perfectly. Some scenes in "Se7en" made me sick to my stomach (rotting and talking corpses, anyone?), but in a movie that deals with a theme like that, those scenes become necessary.
Definitely watch "Se7en", if it's only to witness Spacey's brilliant performance. An amazing thriller.