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Quick Review - Se7en

Let he who is without sin try to survive.

Se7en is a 1995 neo-noir crime mystery thriller film directed by David Fincher, written by Andrew Kevin Walker, produced by Arnold Kopelson Productions, and distributed by New Line Cinema. It stars Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman. The film was nominated for Best Film Editing, but did not win.


"What's in the box?" - David Mills

Plot


Detective William Somerset is looking for a way out of the force. When a young rookie named David Mills offers him that chance, the two of them team up for one last case; a violent serial killer that uses the seven deadly sins as inspiration. As the case becomes more disturbing, the mental state of both of the detectives are tested.


My Favorite Thing About Se7en


Se7en has one of my favorite endings in cinematic history. There are great endings...and then there are Se7en-type endings. This movie just pulls no punches, giving you one of the most chilling and horrifying endings of all time. I will not spoil it at all, because it's so shocking, but it's as close as you can get to a perfect ending. Fincher knows exactly how to make everything pay off nicely, but also crafts an insanely intense scene with a great performance from Brad Pitt. Avoid all spoilers for this ending. You need to experience it in it's full capacity. Don't leave this review and look up "Se7en ending". Please.


My Least Favorite Thing About Se7en


I don't think I really got the full experience of Se7en, because I watched it on network TV, which means commercials and all that jazz. I don't even know if I got all the violence. And maybe it was because of watching it like that, but I felt like this movie was very repetitive. For 70% of the movie, it's just Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman chasing down a serial killer and finding bodies every 20 minutes. That's still fun, but it can feel repetitive. Obviously, it's saved by the ending, but it does feel like we are hitting the same beats with the same characters.


Why Se7en Works


This is one of the greatest serial killer movies ever made. When you give this plot to a master director like David Fincher, you are bound to get something great. And, like I said, that ending makes me really, really dig this film. It's a movie that the more I think about it the more I like it. The ending will stick with you for forever.


Final Score


Se7en is great. It's intense, scary, and shocking. It might be a little repetitive, but that doesn't take away from the haunting ending.


I will go Savory here. Age range is 15+.


SWEET N' SOUR SCALE

Sweet (Great)

Savory (Good)

Sour (Bad)

Moldy (Terrible)


"Se7en"


Fun Factor: 8/10

Acting: 9/10

Story: 7/10

Characters: 8/10

Quality: 8.5/10


WHERE TO WATCH

Amazon Prime Video: Available for rent

Apple TV+: Available for rent


Directed by David Fincher


Rated R for strong bloody violence, language, frightening images, disturbing themes, thematic elements


Released on September 22, 1995


2 hours and 7 minutes


Brad Pitt as David Mills

Morgan Freeman as William Somerset

Kevin Spacey as John Doe

Gwyneth Paltrow as Tracy Mills

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