Se7en

We live in a time where nothing is questioned and we take everything as being right. What to do in order to change that?

Name: Se7en

Director: David Fincher

Year: 1995

Type: Film

Duration: 128 min

Genre: Crime, Mystery, Horror

Synopsis

It 's the story of two detectives, David Mills and William Somerset, that are in charge of the investigation of a dangerous and intriguing serial killer that bases his crimes on the 7 Deadly Sins.

Review

One of the most critically acclaimed 90 's classics and is, without a shadow of a doubt, a work that every cinema enthusiast must have in their “watched list”. Before I begin this review, I must confess to you that the terror/horror genre and stories related with the psychology of serial killers fascinate me. With that stated, I have watched the film multiple times and it is still one of the best movies I have ever watched.

The film begins with a small introduction of the Detective William Somerset through a new homicide in the city. We immediately realize that his colleagues are very unpleasant and insolent towards someone who in theory holds a higher position. William Somerset is a perceptive, sharp man and is always striving to see beyond the obvious, being criticized exactly for it and he is considered to be the “pain-in-the-neck of the precinct”. Bittered with the toxic society around him, he states that he no longer knows the city where he lives and he wants to retire, making these his last days as a lieutenant detective.

Right after, Detective David Mills is introduced, a young detective that has just arrived in the city after being transferred and clashes with William Somerset’s ideals. The complete opposite of Somerset, he is a reckless, arrogant, impatient detective, desperate to prove his skills and insight on the cases.

The story unfolds around the investigation of these murders as they come up and the search for the culprit. In spite of not wanting to participate in the case, Somerset ends up helping collect information in order for Mills to get closer to the truth behind this serial killer.

A work that is remarkable for its critique of society, for there is a clear link between the killings and the degradation of the city in which they take place.

The movie was the “propeller” of David Fincher’s career. Exemplary work in terms of technical elements, such as risky shots, the scene’s lighting, the photography and the sound editing, that give us the perfect combination for setting the desired environment for each of the film’s scenes.

Whisper of the Heart

When we approach a story that talks about a serial killer, we must first understand what this therm means: a criminal with a psychopathological profile that commits crimes with certain periodicity, using the same modus operandi, and, usually, leaving a signature. In this case, it was the writing of the corresponding Deadly Sin that the specific victim “indulged”.

Another important aspect that we have to explain is that these murderers also have a purpose or motivation that lead them on to commit the crimes, that unleash the hatred and cause them to take revenge on society and people.

In Se7en, what motivates the killer, John Doe, is the toxicity of the society and the people, expressed through the Seven Deadly Sins, in other words, the people that for him deserved to die because they had sinned. However, he also despised people because they knew that evil existed and did nothing to change it.

"We see a deadly sin on every street corner, in every home, and we tolerate it. We tolerate it because it's common, it's trivial. We tolerate it morning, noon, and night. Well, not anymore. I'm setting the example. What I've done is going to be puzzled over and studied and followed... forever."

Which means, besides being revolted towards society, he wants to make his crime an example for the future and for people to follow his philosophy, which, in turn, ends up being another aspect that many serial killers crave: to have another one following in his footsteps.

When I finished watching the film, I came across several questions relating to the society we live in. In fact, John Doe is right, we do live in a toxic society, surrounded by people that live in apathy towards everything and it’s something that needs to be changed, but the method is, obviously, not correct!

On top of it all, with the great technological revolution and social media, which many use for stalking, insulting and humiliating people, little to nothing is done towards fixing these problems, especially legally speaking. Fortunately a few steps are being taken in order to change this reality and, even though some use these means to commit “sins”, other use them to change mentalities, and I am glad these people exist, for they will help to put a stop in our society’s vicious cycle.

To sum it up, anyone that watches this movie cannot remain indifferent because it approaches matters that are still current and apply to today.

I chose this film to be in the Ecletic Heart 30 Post Challenge under the topic “a horror film”, for, in my opinion, it is one of the best in the genre.

Rating - 🟉🟉🟉🟉🟉🟉🟉🟉🟉 (9)