Why do I keep watching this film?
I will say now that this is an utterly fantastic movie, but I always feel like I have hit rock bottom after watching it. What has the world come to, when someone can think up a plot like this, and write in such a clever way as to make you argue with yourself about the morality of this planet that we live in.
Without delving too deep, the plot surrounds two Police Detectives David Mills (Brad Pitt) and William Somerset (Morgan Freeman), in an average American city, who are assigned to a horrific murder case. As they try to figure out the basics of the homicide, another happens, linking directly to the first. Soon they realise that they have a serial killer on the loose who is killing people in accordance with the seven deadly sins, pride, sloth, wrath, greed, gluttony, envy, and lust. Their killer is precise and exacting in everything that does. As the film progresses, it becomes clear that they are characters in some sort of sick tale that will have people fearing anyone who passes them by. The detectives do not so much find things out about their opponent, as they find out more about themselves, they grow closer together with each murder that takes place (there are quite a few, about seven I would say).
The characters are outstanding. Morgan Freeman plays a man who has seen too much, and no longer understands why the world is the way it is. Lesser colleagues hate him, for his insistence on complicating situations and asking cold-blooded questions in order to find the right answer. He is a lonely man, preferring to spend his time doing his job to the best of his ability and sleeping to the sound of a ticker timer. Morgan shows his innate ability to show no or little emotion and still rouse the emotions of others, then letting go when his companion becomes lost with the harsh reality of this world. Brad Pitt works very well with his acting partner for SE7EN, lightening the situation when needed and providing a younger edge for Morgan to work off. His part in the film is one a new detective to the city, hell bent on making a name for himself and doing the best he can, for him and his childhood sweetheart wife, played by Gwyneth Paltrow (who hates her new home). He is somewhat naive, having spent most of his life outside of the city and doesn’t accept the cynicism of Morgan, which leads to many deep conversations throughout the film between the two of them, not all ending in happiness. His isn’t as academically cultured as his counterpart but he does think about what is happening and helps to figure out the bizarre series of events. His feeling tend to get the better of him at times, helping to understand his very deep love for Gwyneth and his in-acceptance of failure.
Kevin Spacey plays Jon doe, the serial killer, a smug man but not for what he has done. He is very happy with the way he goes about his ‘masterpiece’, showing an utter hatred for those that commit the sins. He talks in a superior voice, believing that God has called upon him to do his work on Earth. You do not see much of him in the movie itself but they are memorable when you do.
All of the actors in the film are excellent. The man linked with lust (if you see, or have seen it, you will know what I am talking about) is superb. Clearly doing the business of playing someone who is way past mentally snapping, and the Police Chief who doesn’t want to stand for nonsense but knows his place when it comes to Morgan.
The director, David Fincher is more than capable of making an excellent film. Just on this movie alone, his credibility with me has sky rocketed. Every shot in this film looks like it has a week thought on it before it happened, exquisite cinematography. The whole movie is a masterpiece of production with each part ingeniously welded together. Everything in it is about disturbing and displeasing you, from the twisted and scratchy opening credits, to the emotionless calculation of Morgan Freeman, to the fact that the weather is nearly always terrible (I love that aspect of the film). The soundtrack is nasty (and I mean that in a good way), and the dialogue morbid at the best of times. My one problem with the script is that Brad Pitt swore a little too much for me. I know that a film needs reality, and it is only for adults, who know how to deal with these types of things, but if it was cut out just a little it would have made me enjoyed the talk a whole lot more than I did, which was a lot anyway. Watch this in the daytime or at night and it will still certainly manage to make you cringe in places.
The impact on me afterwards and during was one of reflection. Things like this do really happen all of the time and all over the world, but when you steady yourself and give it some honest thought, it is very remarkable how some people truly are. Fanatic about their beliefs and they don’t care what happens to other in order to get that message across. To quote Kevin Spacey from one part of the film, ‘In order to make someone listen, you can’t just tap them on the shoulder any more. You have to hit them across the head with a sledgehammer’. Very frightening, but very nearly, very true.