Se7en (1995): Moral decay and apathy in the pouring rain
1995 • David Fincher • 2.39:1 • Jump to Gallery ↓
Directed by David Fincher, Se7en follows two homicide detectives, one a seasoned veteran nearing retirement and the other an ambitious newcomer, as they investigate a series of meticulously staged murders inspired by the seven deadly sins. As the investigation progresses, the killer’s crimes reveal themselves to be part of a carefully orchestrated design that draws the detectives into a confrontation that extends beyond conventional criminal procedure.
Reinventing the police procedural as a suffocating neo-noir horror nightmare set in a city where it always rains and apathy is slowly consuming everybody’s humanity, the film sets the definitive aesthetic standard for 1990s thrillers. With its deep blacks, heightened contrast and desaturated colours, it feels as if the filth of the city is seeping through the screen, while the oppressive score and omnipresent sound of hammering rain inexorably build the pressure towards one of the most famous endings in film history.
A modern cinematic masterpiece that remains as relevant and stunningly disturbing today as when it was released, Se7en established David Fincher as one of the greatest directors of his time. With its stark contrast between Morgan Freeman‘s resigned wisdom and Brad Pitt‘s raw vulnerability, this dark tale about the cost of indifference in a crumbling world will never cease to fascinate.
Technical Specs:
- The Story: A cynical detective nearing retirement and his idealistic new partner hunt a meticulous serial killer who stages murders around the seven deadly sins, leading them into an increasingly harrowing confrontation with evil.
- Actors: Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kevin Spacey, John Cassini, R. Lee Ermey, John C. McGinley, Peter Crombie, Reg E. Cathey.
- Director: David Fincher
- Year: 1995
- Cinematographer: Darius Khondji
- Origin: American Cinema
- Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
- Genre: Crime & Mystery
