Typical. Stylized, but typical.

Rating: 7/10 (19 January 2004)

I really respect David Fincher as a director. For starters, Alien3 wasn't his fault and this film shows what his prowess can do under better circumstances. He might be the new Kubrick, who knows?
This is your only spoiler warning...
What has surprised me the most about Fincher is his ability to make success out of downbeat films, just as Kubrick did. In Alien3 it was the death of Ripley. Here it's the final confrontation between Mills and Doe. This tradition continues with The Game, Fight Club, and Panic Room. In all these cases, Fincher works with typical cliched material that shows its influences all-too-well. Only Fight Club is the most original in conception.
Pitt shows his usual excess dedication into a role, Freeman's boredom makes all his roles indistinguishable. Harrison Ford has the same problem, that's why he relies on wardrobe changes to make a different face to the audience.
The whole concept of serial killers is like comedies and action movies. Always trying to hustle one more surprise on the audience. This is better constructed than 'The Usual Suspects', more stylized than 'Silence of the Lambs', but less human. It's the 'Hunt for Red October' of the detective genre.
This would be Fincher's "commercial" film of the three types I've listed. The most useful element is the design of the murder scenes and the twist involving classic literature.
Final Analysis = = Midrange Material