Se7en

I saw this was leaving HBO in April and just had to pay respects and give it the worthy bump to 5 stars. One of first crime films I ever saw and arguably one of the best. Nihilistic display of society that is a gut wrenching thriller right at two hours. Viewed The Batman last night which is just one of the countless films that gained inspiration from much of what “Se7en” created. Second Feature film from David Fincher reshaped the frame of multiple genres including crime and neo-noir. “Se7en” takes the viewer on a dark showcase of crimes that push our main characters to their absolute limits. The increase in studios gambling with graphic or gory crime scenarios was exponentially increased of the film’s release. Now iconic performances from Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman trudging their way through a rain soaked city fighting through their different shortcomings amidst chasing this inhuman killer.  Detective Mills (Brad Pitt) enters as Detective Somerset’s (Morgan Freeman) replacement as his retirements fast approaching. Their relationship begins complicated at best with Somerset ready to escape this life that has no choice but to wear you down. Mills hasn’t necessarily had this effect yet and actually wanted to get reassigned to this city to make an impact. Chilling opening credits provide the last warning to any indication of what the tone of the film will be. Their is a dynamic study of men being a product of the environment and displaying the cost of resilience of the place you’re living in.  Everything is crafted at the highest level. A flood of details is bestowed upon the viewer causing the mind to grab straws early and often about what’s happening. The diversity of camera shots is remarkable with the dialogue being the stand out. Characters are often given a unique angle when delivering some sort of news or unthinkable message. The score is a perfect match enhancing the thrilling mystery and Se7en is one of my first time noticing background sound effects creating a true sense of uneasiness even when it was calm.  The lighting is classic Fincher even in his earliest stages. If he’s not utilizing the city under a gray torrential rainfall then the characters are within different green and yellow accented rooms. A clear emotional weight is held through the slow budding relationships and guidance of Somerset towards the Mills family. This ultimately makes the conclusion the devastating gut punch that it is. The final scene which is now etched in history is thrilling filmmaking at its finest elevated by incredible actors in the scene.  David Fincher was able to establish himself as a supreme new-coming talent in 1995 with Se7en. This remains arguably the most impressive within his filmography given the time period and his experience level at this point. Blanketed with an unmatched level of coldness displayed through society this film will stand the test of time. I would commit seven murders to own this on Criterion.