[9]

Director David Fincher rebounded from Alien 3 with this seemingly innocuous serial killer flick penned by Andrew Kevin Walker. We'd seen buddy cop flicks and killers with gitchy modus operandis before, but characterization and style put Se7en over the edge. It's a deeply creepy and unsettling movie centering around a seasoned detective (Morgan Freeman) and a rookie (Brad Pitt) who are paired in pursuit of a mysterious killer who's patterning his murders after the seven deadly sins. Talk about your horror set-pieces. The scene where the detectives discover 'Sloth' contains one of the most memorable shocks I've ever experienced at the movies, and the way in which 'Lust' is played out also haunts my memories. Freeman and Pitt's performances keep the story well grounded and relatable, while composer Howard Shore washes the movie in a brooding orchestral score that reinforces the film's constantly claustrophobic atmosphere.

There’s a twist ending in Se7en, but unlike so many other gratuitous Hollywood twists, this one stems organically from the story and the characters and makes a fitting, operatic ending to the movie. I also love Morgan Freeman’s closing lines of narration: “Ernest Hemingway once said, ‘The world is a fine place, and worth fighting for.’ I believe the second part.” It’s a grace note ending that ennobles Freeman’s character as he walks into the fog, promising a policeman he’ll be “around”. As dark and oppressive as Se7en is, it’s always great to have a ray of light, no matter how small it may be.

With Gwyneth Paltrow and Kevin Spacey.

Oscar Nomination: Best Film Editing (Richard Francis-Bruce)