Modern Horror At Its Best

Rating: 9/10 (18 May 2001)

`Se7en' is all about harsh style and gruesome substance  while it's probably not a film for everyone (particularly the squeamish), it is one of the most moody, memorable films made in recent years. A sense of absolute dread pervades each and every scene, either from the powerful words and deeds of the characters or from the dreary sets and atmosphere created by director David Fincher. There's a quote from the film `The Crow' that goes, `It can't rain all the time' . . . well, in the world of `Se7en', it can  and it does.
`Se7en' is the story of world-weary police detective William Somerset (Morgan Freeman), a man who's probably seen more terror and sadness in his lifetime than any man should ever be forced to see. Partnered with the young cop David Mills (Brad Pitt), Somerset is assigned to find the serial killer known only as John Doe. The horrific crimes of Doe are patterned after the Seven Deadly Sins  for Gluttony, one victim was literally forced to eat until his internal organs exploded; for another, Greed, the victim is forced to cut an actual pound of flesh away from his own body. John Doe is a highly literate, intelligent killer; but so is Somerset, and an astounding game of cat-and-mouse filled with unexpected twists ensues as the hunt for Doe gets underway.
Andrew Kevin Walker's script for `Se7en' is absolutely dazzling. It's smart and powerful, and doesn't pull any punches  the bodies, maimed and tortured, inexorably begin to pile up in graphic fashion, and Somerset and Mills aren't allowed to minimize the horrors they're forced to find. Each new corpse brings a true feeling of revulsion . . . and of dread, as the realization hits that another body will be forthcoming unless John Doe is found. The story is filled with misdirection and red herrings; just as the audience starts to think that the unfolding events of the film are starting to become predictable, the film lurches further into the unknown darkness, keeping the edge of uneasiness that pervades `Se7en' fresh . . . and constant. Kudos also to David Fincher's stylish direction  this may be Fincher's best film to date. The entire look of the film is dark and gloomy, almost a suicidal form of 1940s film noir, evoking a despairing atmosphere that never relents or shows a glimmer of optimism. Combine that with Fincher's knack for turning even the most mundane scene into a nailbiter  `Se7en' features a scene with Somerset and Mills standing together in an empty field, and yet the scene is still incredibly tense  and `Se7en' becomes an exceptionally powerful, disturbing film that's difficult to turn away from.
The cast? Also excellent. Pitt is perfect as the cocky young detective Mills, mixing together the right amount of bravado and testosterone at the start of the film, and then later tempering that swagger with cynicism  and fear  as the movie progresses forward. In a way, Mills is a surrogate for the audience; he starts out thinking that he knows exactly what's going to happen but as events slowly unfold before his horrified eyes, it starts to dawn on Mills that he is mentally unprepared he is for a maniac like John Doe. Pitt handles the decline of Mills from overconfident to completely paranoid with great skill. The killer John Doe (I won't reveal his name here; the actor's uncredited in the film, so I won't mention it either on the off chance that you haven't read it elsewhere) is simply great. He's a quiet, intense figure who is Machiavellian with his calculated words and actions. Many other actors might've just mimicked Hannibal Lecter to portray John Doe . . . but the awesome performance in `Se7en' of the uncredited actor is actually better  and more unsettling  than Lecter himself. The best performance of the film, however, may belong to Morgan Freeman as Somerset. Freeman is perhaps the only person capable to tracking down John Doe, simply because he has seen so much sadness and horror before. Nothing Doe does, no matter how vile, is able to derail the detective's efforts. As Somerset, Freeman imbues the character with a certain tired, weary attitude . . . but still lying somewhere beneath that attitude is hope, and that small glimmer of hope, along with the wisdom of experience, is what prevents `Se7en' from spiraling into complete despair. Somerset's hope, small as it is, becomes the audience's hope as well.
With the possible exception of the very end of the film  for all its daring audacity, Fincher chooses to play it a little too safe at the film's conclusion  `Se7en' proves to be an uncompromising tour de force of modern horror. If you're not easily bothered by graphic horror and gore, then go watch this film. You certainly won't be disappointed. Grade: A