Seven

Seven is an all-around excellent film.  It starts with a great premise:  what if a serial killer decided to target victims based on the seven deadly sins (as in the sins that early Christianity deemed Hell worthy).  Throw in a well-thought screenplay, great acting, great direction, and a stylistic film noir feel and you have all the makings of a great film.  I’m sure I’m preaching to the choir for many of you, but this film is 15 years old (hard to believe, I know) and is worth revisiting for those of you who haven’t seen it for over a decade or those of you too young to have heard of it.

Director David Fincher (who apparently is a big Brad Pitt fan seeing as how he directed him in this film as well as Fight Club and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) directs an excellent film.  He presents an interesting visual style:  sprinkling in dirty shots (shots in which something is out of focus in the foreground) and interesting angles, particularly with close-ups.  Rather than just filming what you see, he adds some interesting visuals to enhance the story.  He also uses a unique, semi-noir style.  The film cannot be classified as a true film noir since there is no “femme fatal”, however, the film has a bleak, dreary, colorless look to it and several shots have distinctive contrast between dark and light, which are trademarks of film noir.  This very interesting visual style works in accordance with the themes of the film and contributes to its dark mood.

The cast is excellent as well.  As I mentioned earlier, Brad Pitt stars alongside Morgan Freeman (and his voice, I swear I could listen to that man read the dictionary), but the big names don’t end there.  Supporting them are Kevin Spacey, a young Gwyneth Paltrow, and several excellent, recognizable character actors (like Dr. Cox from Scrubs).  Much of the character development of this film (especially Brad Pitt’s character, David) is accomplished through dialogue, which requires good acting to be effective.  Fortunately, that acting is present and the characters’ feelings (mostly those of Pitt and Freeman) shine through conversation (most often through the subtext).

The idea that the characters develop heavily through dialogue in an action/thriller may seem odd, but that is directly attributable to the story being more than just action.  The film has its fair share of suspense and a well-crafted story with several twists, but it’s clear that the murders and action are meant to be more than just entertainment. It’s meant to make you think.  I mean, why else would you choose a premise with such a heavy religious overtone?  Ultimately, as the detectives proceed through their investigation, we are left wondering, ‘Are these the desperate, meaningless actions of an attention-seeking psycho, or can they actually be considered justifiable by even the slightest amount?’ If the seven deadly sins are a direct ticket to Hell, does it give someone the right to stamp that ticket a little early?  These are obviously dark, morally ambiguous ideas, but interesting to consider in a fictional setting. 

Driving these ideas home is the intermittent conversations between the detectives.  Somerset (Freeman) being the one who won’t just write off the killer as being entirely insane and without purpose and David (Pitt) being the detective who cannot find reason or logic in such heinous crimes. Their banter throughout the film helps to raise many of the aforementioned questions, and, just in case you didn’t pick up on the theme throughout the film, its conclusion drives the point home.  While there’s some forced dialogue preceding it, the conclusion is an excellent twist and a great, fitting end to the film.

This film is fantastic.  It executes its premise masterfully and really maximizes the potential of the story in my opinion.  It’s entertaining, but also works on a level beyond shear entertainment, which at times approaches being a little forced but is saved by the acting.  If you haven’t seen this film, rent it. It’s easy to sit down to watch and very enjoyable, regardless of your religious views. If you’re not Christian/Catholic, there’s enough exposition to explain what’s going on, and if you’re like me and you don’t think we should kill everyone who makes a mistake, well, I still liked it, so there ya go.  If you have seen it, maybe it’s time to pop it in your DVD player again for another viewing.  I did, and it didn’t disappoint.

Scale: 

1-  Lots of Better Movies at Blockbuster   

2-  Might Be Worth Renting If You’re Bored

3-  Rent It When You Get to It

4-  A Must Rent, at some point

5-  Put It in Your Queue NOW!

My Rating: 4.5

If you like this, check out:  Boondock Saints (Unrated Special Edition) or The Silence of the Lambs [Blu-ray]

Buy Seven (Single Disc Edition)