Se7en (1995) ...
Seven deadly sins. Seven ways to die.
| Released: | September 22, 1995 |
| Running Time: | 127 min. |
| Cast: | Brad Pitt Morgan Freeman Gwyneth Paltrow Kevin Spacey John C. McGinley |
| Writers: | Andrew Kevin Walker |
| Director: | David Fincher |
| My Rating | ****1/2 |
A hard hitting and very gritty thriller, Seven is memorable for it's incredible ending and some of the finest performances by it's lead actors, including Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Spacey, who is as nasty a villian as you ever want to see in a reality based movie. Gwyneth's role is a secondary character, playing the wife of Brad Pitt, so it wasn't much of a stretch for her, however, it's a critical part that has major reprecussions on the final outcome of the story.
Se7en (also known as Seven) is a 1995 English language film directed by David Fincher. The story is about two detectives, one new to the district and one about to retire, investigating a series of ritualistic murders inspired by the seven deadly sins. Over the course of the investigation the two try to track down the killer through the bleak streets of the rain-soaked city that is the backdrop of the story. The film was written by Andrew Kevin Walker. It stars Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman as the detectives.
Walker received a BAFTA Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. Film editor Richard Francis-Bruce was nominated for an Academy Award for Film Editing, and Director of Photography Darius Khondji's extensive use of bleach bypass film processing has since been noted as a major influence on contemporary cinematographic technique, especially in the late 1990s. The film was given an MTV Movie Award as best movie.
Gwyneth Paltrow plays Brad Pitt's young wife,
which amounts to a secondary role, however, the character's impact on the plot
proves to be extremely important to the final scene, which provides a
huge shock in a brilliant ending that is both moving and
shocking.
The story unfolds in an unspecified but very large American
city. The city is rainy, and from comments made by Det. Somerset (played by
Morgan Freeman), it is an almost dystopian setting, exhibiting all the worst
aspects of urban life—crime, congestion, inner-city decay, with rampant
depravity, avarice, and generally inimical conduct. Somerset is preparing to
retire from police work after many grueling and unpleasant years of dealing with
the destitution and apathy bred within the grimy and forlorn city.
In his
last week, he is partnered with Detective Mills (Brad Pitt), an idealistic and
much less experienced detective who just transferred into the department from
somewhere outside the metropolis. The two men are at odds with each other almost
immediately; Mills is brash, temperamental, and lets his anger get the better of
him, in stark contrast to Somerset's analytical and introspective personality
and methods.
In dealing with a series of grusome murders, they realize they're dealing with a serial killer, and Somerset makes the biblical connection to the Seven Deadly Sins — 1) Gluttony. 2) Greed. 3) Sloth. 4) Wrath. 5) Pride. 6) Lust. 7) Envy.
If you're not a fan of horror movies, then best to stay away from this one as the plot and many of the sequences feel as if they were taken staight out of a horror film. I'm not a big fan of run-of-the-mill horror films, but when the horror is attached to a real plot and a good story, then I'm on board. Seven fulfills everything you would hope for in a horror/thriller and the performances match expecations, making it must see ... not for the queezy, however.
