Se7en (1995) Rated R for graphic portrayals of grizzly and unusual murders, and harsh language. ---------- Out of 4 stars: **** (4 Stars)
Starring: Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt, Gwyneth Paltrow.
"I have never seen a film like SE7EN before in my life. I don't think I will see one like it again. SE7EN is not just a film--it is a work of art." My high school drama teacher considers SE7EN the best film he has ever seen. This statement from one of my favorite teachers sparked my interest in this film. I had heard other critics give it great reviews, and then others gave it lesser reviews. However, since my teacher has great taste in film, I decided to see what all the hype was about. My expectations were set very high for this film, and not only did it reach those expectations, but it far exceeded them. SE7EN is definitely one of the best films ever made.
SE7EN is directed by David Fincher, the creator of ALIEN 3, and the new film THE GAME. When first released, SE7EN became an enormous box-office hit because it finally did something most audiences had never seen for a long time: it dazzled us with spectacular visuals, and enthralled us with a frightening story. Not only did it gain popularity with audiences, but it sparked controversy over many of the graphic murders portrayed. If you don't know by now, SE7EN centers its plot around a killer who bides by the Seven Deadly Sins. Sure, this is a very original idea, but we have all seen serial killer movies before. However, we have never seen one done so thoroughly or emotionally involving. Fincher knows exactly how to play with his audience and their emotions. He creates interesting characters that we grow to like, and then he spins the film around and makes us sick to our stomach.
Perhaps what makes SE7EN work isn't necessarily the plot or the characters, but the visual accuity of Fincher. The title sequence has earned praise for the fast editing, symbolism, and foreshadowing involved. But this is just the start. The film opens with a couple moving to New York to begin a new life. Detective Mills (Brad Pitt) and his wife Tracy (Gwyneth Paltrow) move into a good-sized apartment, and Mills goes to work alongside veteran and retiring Detective Somerset (Morgan Freeman). Somerset doesn't exactly take a liking to his new, impatient partner, but he likes Mills' wife. They are sent to a murder scene to investigate the brutal and torturous killing of an extremely obese man. The man was tied with barbed wire to a chair and forced to eat himself to death. The grizzly murder is just the start of an ensuing game of cat-and-mouse, with an undetermined killer as the mouse. Clues around the obese man's home reveals the word Gluttony, the first of seven murders.
As these two detectives investigate the murder, more show up: Sloth, Greed, Lust, Pride. One man was forced to cut a pound of his own flesh off, and another man was tied to a bed and barely kept alive for one year. It soon becomes apparent that the killer might be trying to give a sermon of some kind, and as the two detectives get closer to the killer, they find their own lives getting mixed into the mess. As they get closer to solving the case and catching the killer, the "preacher's" message begins to appear directed more towards Mills and Somerset. Mills' family life is deteriorating, and Somerset gets closer to Tracy, who reveals secrets to him that she hasn't even told her husband. All of this leads up to the inevitable, but shocking conclusion which answers all the questions we have been asking, and gives us something to think about on the way out of the theater. Revealing the ending would be a mistake, and all I will say is that the killer shows up at the police station to turn himself in. Why would he turn himself in without finishing his goal? Has he already done Wrath and Envy? These questions are answered, but the answers may not be exactly what we expected, or wanted.
As I have mentioned above, SE7EN is mostly a film about mood and atmosphere. It rains most of the time, and the sets are dark and dreary. The victims' places are usually lit with dim lights, and shadows are cast all around the place. Many places are only lit by the detectives' flashlights which bounce around the room, illuminating key pieces to the plot of which Fincher wants you to see. As with THE GAME, Fincher is capable of shifting your attention from one thing to another by his camera angles and lighting effects. This is one of those films in which you may only want to see on the big screen, or the letterbox version on video. The big screen holds so many small details which become fuzzy and sometimes unextinguishable on the transition to the small screen. However, if you are able to get ahold of a copy of a letterbox version of SE7EN, I suggest watching it on a big-screen TV, to get the maximum effect. As my drama teacher said about SE7EN, "You can pause this film at any point, take a picture of it, and hang it on the wall." Like TWELVE MONKEYS, SE7EN mixes a fiercely frustrating story with creepy visuals and grotesque murders.
SE7EN does have some minor flaws, although they are hardly noticeable unless you scrutinize over the ending. The first hour and a half, we never know who the killer is, and then he reveals himself in the final thirty minutes. This is extremely well done, because it doesn't rely on the action ending that so many films as this one would use. However, a couple plot holes arise from his appearance, but it's almost pointless to point them out. Besides, Fincher's direction and the star power of Pitt, Freeman, and the mysterious killer (who most of us should recognize nowadays) give the ending enough speed and power to leap over the holes with the greatest of ease. Now that I think about it, I don't even know why I brought this up.
Choosing the correct actors for SE7EN was crucial for the film to work. Brad Pitt will probably draw female viewers, and Gwyneth Paltrow will draw male viewers. However, Pitt gives a stunning and inspired performance, proving that he isn't just another pretty face. Freeman, on the other hand, steals the film as the veteran detective. His poetic dialogue is given an added touch by Freeman's almost monotonous tone which fits the style of SE7EN. Pitt's talkative character gives Freeman the perfect opposite to work with. Paltrow is a key to the plot, but for most of the film, she remains off screen. The mysterious killer, who gave an uncredited performance, is played by an actor who most people know today. However, taking Roger Ebert's lead, I will not reveal his name in my review. Pitt and Freeman are the central characters and they fit in with the atmospheric setting Fincher applies to his sets. Freeman almost blends into the background, while Pitt stands out like a sore thumb. My guess is that this is symbolic because of Pitt's kick-ass style and Freeman's withdrawn but intelligent character.
SE7EN is rated R for graphic afterviews of grizzly and gruesome murders, and harsh language. Fincher has given us a nearly perfect film, and he will most likely become a big Hollywood director. On seeing SE7EN, I almost forgot that it was a commercial film. The depth and layers of the story is usually seen in independent features, but the graphic killings can be too shocking for some viewers. However, despite the graphic nature of this film, most people will look back at this film and remember the ending. Like THE USUAL SUSPECTS, the ending shocks everyone, and usually creates repeat viewings. SE7EN is one of the best films ever made, and will be remembered for a long time to come.
Reviewed by Respect (respect@aros.net) http://www.aros.net/~respect/movies.html
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