Se7en (1995)
Let’s
get the particulars out of the way first - While Se7en didn’t win any Oscars,
it did win 3 MTV Movie Awards, so there’s that.
Se7en
basically launched David Fincher onto the scene; prior to this he had only
directed documentaries and shorts. Not only was this pretty much his feature
film debut (if you don’t count Alien 3, and you shouldn’t), he almost single
handedly redefined the art of the opening title sequence. Please watch the sequence in the YouTube clip
above and you’ll understand. Designed by Kyle Cooper, this is widely regarded
as one of the best and most revolutionary opening title sequences ever and the
2 minute intro might have a more lasting impact than the film itself.
The
cast in this film is anchored by Brad Pitt, Kevin Spacey, and Morgan Freeman. I
don’t know how you can mess up a film with that trio of actors, and none of
them disappoint. Each plays their roles perfectly and it is their performances
that suck the audience into a film with very disturbing context and imagery.
As
for the film itself, we have an imaginative, sometime gruesome, but well
written narrative – this is not a film for the faint of heart. Fincher gives us
a wonderfully dark and suspenseful thriller that is fast-paced, gritty, and
immaculately edited.
The
best thing about this movie is that it doesn’t fall trap to the usual plot
devices that most suspense thriller/horror movies do. The movie is less about
who the killer is and more about what is he going to do next and how will he do
it. This is a smart movie about a smart killer, and the movie is better because
of that fact.
**SPOILER
ALERT** (But seriously, if you haven’t seen this film yet, it’s almost been 20
years get on it)
The climactic scene at the end of the movie is an all time
great. It puts the viewer into a moral quagmire and elicits the wide range of
emotions in the audience that any good thriller should. Brad Pitt
finds out Kevin Spacey has killed is wife and put her head in a box, while also
discovering his wife was pregnant. The audience is instantly dealing with what
they would do in that situation, all the while wondering what Pitt’s character
actually will do. Anger, Sadness, Vengeance, Shock, Disgust, all of
these emotions, and probably more that I couldn't think of, run through the
viewers mind at once. And that emotional clusterfuck is the perfect payoff to a
well crafted thriller.
I
love this movie, and to sum up my thoughts, I’ll leave you with some parting
words from Ari Gold “Anyone that puts Gwyneth's head in a box is
okay with me."
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