A serial killer is on the loose. That’s never a good thing even at the best of times, but what makes this guy particularly gruesome is that he’s got a gimmick: each of his victims are perpetrators of the so-called “Seven Deadly Sins” (that’s Greed, Sloth, Lust, Gluttony, Bashful, Sleepy and Doc).
Step forward the two detectives out to track down this complete and utter sod before he can complete his dastardly plan. William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) is the grizzled pro, just six days away from retirement and the prospect of heading off to the countryside to work on a farm. David Mills (Brad Pitt) is the new guy in town, juggling his sleuthing duties with living in a vibrating subway-side house with missus Tracy (Gwyneth Paltrow). Both are good at their jobs, both dedicated to the badge, and both insist on using torches whenever they enter a dark room instead of just switching the lights on.
If you’re not one for blood and gore, you’ll want to give this one a wide berth, as director David Fincher doesn’t hold back when it comes to showing us the various victims in all their grisly detail. But regardless of your opinions on being shown that sort of stuff on-screen, it’s worth knowing that it doesn’t ever detract from what is a highly accomplished piece of movie-making. The balance between style, atmospherics and good ol’ fashioned story-telling is just about right, and the performances from all involved (including Kevin Spacey, even though he only pops up for about half an hour) are spot on.
The only part of ‘Se7en’ I continue to find irksome, after repeated viewings over the years, is its ending. It’s oft regarded one of the most memorable climaxes in cinema and, though that is probably true, it just doesn’t seem to fit with the rest of the film. I’d even go as far as to call it a bit of a cop out. But maybe that’s just me.
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