Seven
3.5/4
Starring: Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt, Gwyneth Paltrow, R. Lee Ermey
Rated R for Grisly Afterviews of Horrific and Bizarre Killings, and for Strong Language
"Seven," also called "Se7en," is a demented and bizarre chiller that starts in hell and only falls further. This is a truly grim and creepy movie, and not for the faint of heart. This is no ordinary "serial killer" movie. It goes far beyond that, and enters "The Silence of the Lambs" territory.
The film takes place in an unnamed city (probably New York). It's a depressing place; it's always raining, everyone huddles under their jackets and no one cares about anyone else. World weary Detective William Somerset (Freeman) is six days from retiring. Until that time, he is paired up with a hotshot new detective from upstate, David Mills (Pitt). But now, they're faced with a threat they've never seen before: a madman is using the Seven Deadly Sins as a way to kill people. He is one dangerous man; in Somerset's words, "he is methodical, exacting, and worst of all, patient." It will take everything they have to catch him before he finishes his "masterpiece."
The film's look is its strongest quality. The cinematography by Darius Khondji is so strong that it completely draws you in. From frame one, you are right in the middle of this hellish story. And yet it never overshadows the actors or the plot. Like the best visuals, it enhances the story and the characters. Part of the reason is that the story is so compelling, is intelligently written, and the two leading actors are in top form, and more importantly, have enough screen presence to stand out from the background (there are a lot of talented actors who don't hit it big because they can't draw the viewer's attention).
Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman are two electrifying actors and they give strong performances. Freeman plays Somerset as a man who has spent his life wading through the muck and evil of humanity and has carried every last bit of it on his shoulders. He's tired of all the violence and sickness and wants to get out. He may get his wish, but it probably won't offer him much relief. Pitt is the exact opposite as Mills. He's arrogant and jittery; he thinks he knows the ropes and the rules, but he's from upstate, where life is far different than the hell that is the city. Gwyneth Paltrow is effective as David's high school sweetheart wife Tracy, but she could have used a little more idealism and naivete.
It's kind of amazing that David Fincher got this directing job. His first feature was "Alien 3," which was savaged by critics and audiences. Normally, that means that the director's shot at superstardom is over, even if it was taken out of the director's hands by the studio (which is what happened with "Alien 3"). It's a good thing that Fincher got a second shot because his work here is his best ever. It takes a lot of talent to make a truly chilling movie, and Fincher does it. The pacing may flag a little here and there, but not very much.
The film is famous for its unforgettable twist ending, and unlike many films that employ this, it is earned and makes perfect sense within the context of the movie. Sadly, someone gave away the ending for me before I saw the film for the first time, but I'm not going to do the same to anyone else, so don't ask. Just watch the movie with the lights out.
Starring: Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt, Gwyneth Paltrow, R. Lee Ermey
Rated R for Grisly Afterviews of Horrific and Bizarre Killings, and for Strong Language
"Seven," also called "Se7en," is a demented and bizarre chiller that starts in hell and only falls further. This is a truly grim and creepy movie, and not for the faint of heart. This is no ordinary "serial killer" movie. It goes far beyond that, and enters "The Silence of the Lambs" territory.
The film takes place in an unnamed city (probably New York). It's a depressing place; it's always raining, everyone huddles under their jackets and no one cares about anyone else. World weary Detective William Somerset (Freeman) is six days from retiring. Until that time, he is paired up with a hotshot new detective from upstate, David Mills (Pitt). But now, they're faced with a threat they've never seen before: a madman is using the Seven Deadly Sins as a way to kill people. He is one dangerous man; in Somerset's words, "he is methodical, exacting, and worst of all, patient." It will take everything they have to catch him before he finishes his "masterpiece."
The film's look is its strongest quality. The cinematography by Darius Khondji is so strong that it completely draws you in. From frame one, you are right in the middle of this hellish story. And yet it never overshadows the actors or the plot. Like the best visuals, it enhances the story and the characters. Part of the reason is that the story is so compelling, is intelligently written, and the two leading actors are in top form, and more importantly, have enough screen presence to stand out from the background (there are a lot of talented actors who don't hit it big because they can't draw the viewer's attention).
Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman are two electrifying actors and they give strong performances. Freeman plays Somerset as a man who has spent his life wading through the muck and evil of humanity and has carried every last bit of it on his shoulders. He's tired of all the violence and sickness and wants to get out. He may get his wish, but it probably won't offer him much relief. Pitt is the exact opposite as Mills. He's arrogant and jittery; he thinks he knows the ropes and the rules, but he's from upstate, where life is far different than the hell that is the city. Gwyneth Paltrow is effective as David's high school sweetheart wife Tracy, but she could have used a little more idealism and naivete.
It's kind of amazing that David Fincher got this directing job. His first feature was "Alien 3," which was savaged by critics and audiences. Normally, that means that the director's shot at superstardom is over, even if it was taken out of the director's hands by the studio (which is what happened with "Alien 3"). It's a good thing that Fincher got a second shot because his work here is his best ever. It takes a lot of talent to make a truly chilling movie, and Fincher does it. The pacing may flag a little here and there, but not very much.
The film is famous for its unforgettable twist ending, and unlike many films that employ this, it is earned and makes perfect sense within the context of the movie. Sadly, someone gave away the ending for me before I saw the film for the first time, but I'm not going to do the same to anyone else, so don't ask. Just watch the movie with the lights out.
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