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For most people, the greatest serial killer flick of all time comes down to one of two choices: Se7en or The Silence of the Lambs. You can’t go wrong either way, but for me, Se7en is far superior to The Silence of the Lambs. It takes the work that Silence began and finishes it in a manner that has yet to be replicated. The film is as dark and brutal as a film can be without showing much actual violence. Most of the stuff in the film is implied, but it’s so damn disturbing that you feel like you actually saw it… and that is the beauty of Se7en.

In case you’ve never seen Se7en (You should be tazed in the genitals if you haven’t.), the plot follows two detectives, a jaded old dude named Somerset (Morgan Freeman) and a hot shot young detective named Mills (Brad Pitt). Mills is new at the department and assigned to Somerset, who reluctantly takes him under his wing. A serial killer starts killing people, and Somerset and Mills must find the insane dude before he completes his plans. The killer has a razor-sharp boner for the seven deadly sins, and his insidious plan is almost too dark to describe… and it would ruin the ending… which is part of why Se7en is the greatest serial killer flick of all time.

Visionary director David Fincher crafts one of the most iconic films of the ‘90s. Fincher’s sepia-toned gloom and attention to detail crafts a film that is visually rich and good enough to watch on its own, without the story. The pacing is excellent, and the way that Fincher applies the “serial killer” formula to the film is adept and fresh enough to leave room for a few surprises. You have to love when a director takes a stock approach to a genre film, but adds enough of himself to make it feel new. Fincher also does a great job of giving us enough clues and information to make you feel like you know what’s going to happen… and then he shows you that you’re a dumbass with one of the greatest movie endings of all-time. On top of that, Fincher’s reluctance to go crazy violent with the film, leaves an air of mystery that frequently evaporates in the third act of most serial killer flicks.

The cast is also pretty good even though it features the uneven acting of Brad Pitt. Pitt is definitely the weak link in the cast, and compared to the perfect performance of Morgan Freeman it’s almost embarrassing. Freeman is awesome, and his smooth performance makes the film. From his mannerisms to his professional delivery, Freeman shows why he is one of the greatest actors in film. Pitt on the other hand oscillates between great and being stilted. There are scattered moments where his line delivery brings the viewer out of the film. Kevin Spacey is perfect as the enigmatic and terrifying John Doe. His serial killer is delightfully insidious and truly one of the classics of the genre. Plus, you get to see R. Lee Ermey as a ball-busting police chief.

The special effects of the film are actually fairly minimal. However, this is one film where that’s not even a problem. Everything else is done so well, that you don’t need to see the brutal truth behind the actions of John Doe. The set design, the direction, and the acting are all great enough to carry the film. The stuff that is there is excellent, and the makeup teams on the film did some truly amazing work with some of the corpses. The corpse of the fat dude and the sloth guy are fucking amazing and revolting.

Se7en is classic in every way. Some people prefer The Silence of the Lambs and its effects can be felt on this film, but Se7en is the film that took the serial killer flick to its ultimate peak. It’s not simply one of the greatest serial killer flicks out there; it’s one of the greatest movies in general. You should definitely check it out if you haven’t seen it.

Final Synopsis: This movie is awesome. You should own a copy of this bastard. Go out and buy it.

Points Lost: -1 for Brad Pitt’s uneven performance

Bonus Points: +1 for one of the most classic movie endings of all time

Lesson Learned: Don’t eat too much or some crazy bastard will kill you with spaghetti.

Burning Question: In Brad Pitt’s voice: “What’s in the box? What in the fucking box!?

Se7en
10/10

Tags: 1995, brad pitt, charles s. dutton, crime drama, crime thriller, david fincher, drama, Gwyneth Paltrow, horror, horror movie, john c. mcginley, kevin spacey, latest movie reviews, leland orser, mark boone junior, morgan freeman, r. lee ermey, recent3, richard roundtree, serial killer, serial killers, thriller, what's in the box?