Seven (1995) Review
Written by: BlackTequilaKiss
Stunning darkness how can you be so sweet? This is without question one of the greatest thrillers (with a dazzle of horror) that still remains an old favourite of mine to this day. Stunning and dark it holds everything dear that a movie needs to remain great and fresh even 14 years on. It is unique and doesn’t rely on a tried formula generating fans world-wide including me.
Plotline: Two cops, one a experience veteran about to retire after years of loyal service and the other a ambitious young homicide detective hired to replace him, are bound to together when killings with a symbolic undertone start to occur. As murders start to pile up they are forced to confront a twisted killer who kills using the Seven Deadly Sins as his opus. As the killings become more macabre they are forced to confront the dark manner which beseeches them. With the killer always a step ahead of them it is not till much later in the verge of the film that things come to a head. Neither detective aware they too have fallen into his diabolical scheme, until the truth emerges albeit too late…
To everyone reading this I love this movie!! So much so this is the second review after my original went up in flames. I love it for a variety of reasons.
- The Cast
- The Writing Talent
- Sharp plot
- The Character development
- And the director
1. THE C.A.S.T
Brad Pitt as Detective David Mills is a fantastic portrayal. I admit Pitt is brilliant but that isn’t to say he as had a flawless run in movies. Some terribly in comparison but for the gold he has done some superb films keeping in mind, Fight Club and Sleepers which are wonderful. This is his breakout film, playing a naïve character who lingers between scepticism to believing. To hard and cynical to a breakdown by the end. Credit to Pitt for bringing a character and making the role his own.
Morgan Freeman as Detective Lt. William Somerset is.., well even stunning can’t cover it! This guy is the bread and pudding, the trophy in the cabinet. No matter what he does this guy is beautiful in each role he imbues and once again with this role he takes the character’s dynamics and charges his persona into the life form he is acting. The guy is stunning and the world would benefit from more actors of his calibre. Thank you Freeman for continuing movies that spell-bound us.
Then there is Kevin Spacey as John Doe. My heart does back flips as I think of his amazing road into acting. From the guy who gave me the wonderful K-Pax to the movie after Se7en, American Beauty, there is nothing he cannot put his hands to. Versatile and different he brings such a different aim to the character. Just him speaking down the phone in the movie sent shivers jading up my back. Spacey never stop creating the magic you make when on screen!
The Special FX--
It is a testament to this movie that it doesn’t rely on flashy images or over-the-top CGI moments but more on old style (of which there is little) and are imagination. The greatest tool a director needs. Of course when there are moments of blood, disgust or gore it is done in a tasteful manner and in tone with the movie. I will admit there was a stand alone scene where they find a skeletal body and oh my, it stunned me and then moments later shocked me. The power of this movie is undeniable. Fantastic from start to end.
Ultimately though my main thoughts go towards David Fincher, the director.
From the guy who gave us Fight Club and Zodiac to follow this was his break out success. He does command a movie and his presence can be felt throughout the entire movie. With lighting at its bare minimal but used to empathise the dark, it grips the night mode for much of this film, with stunning results he creates a movie that is all things anyone could want. Dark, surreal but evidently heartbreaking in the last reel. Fincher you are a god among directors, please give us more work of this calibre.
In the end this is a little gem in an archive of many thrillers and stands up to the plate. Dark, broody, unsettling and gloomy this is movie making at the utmost best. Watch, learn and understand what makes a movie sparkle under a dark undertone. This is a movie to love for every scene it imbues. Absolutely stunning & breath-taking!!