seven
(1995) (aka "se7en")
This film is a masterpiece, surpassing even "Silence
of the Lambs" as the best murder thriller ever filmed.
It's stylish with a look of a grainy urban nightmare.
Surely if the term "Industrial film" hadn't already
been coined for an educational, commercial piece, it
would be co-opted to describe the style of this film.
With fantastically grubby sets, locations that look
like they have been festering for decades, dark yet
obtrusive lighting, and perfect direction and editing,
the film never once falters. It doesn't hurt that the
screenplay is a master work of script writing either.
After a brief opening piece that slowly envelops us,
the film's true beginning comes, a wonderfully creepy
opening credits sequence that looks like a music video
and, in fact, really is one. The credits shimmy and
shake as if we are watching one of our dad's old 8mm
home movies down in the rec room. The opening credit's
style and darkness suggest we are watching an avant-garde
student film edited on a chopping block. All of this
is highlighted by the wonderful song by Nine Inch Nails
called "Closer" which is used here. But note that this
is an instrumental remix of the popular tune that only
allows for one line of lyrics. Trent Reznor squawks
at the songs end, "You make me closer to God." It's
the perfect line for the film, as we will learn later,
and one cannot help but think that the song was written
especially for the film. This masterful opening credits
sequence, designed by Kyle Cooper (who does the neat
closing credits as well), sets the tone for the entire
film.
Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman share the screen time
here with both of them in almost every scene as urban
detectives. The juxtaposition of the sedate Freeman
and the jumpy Pitt gives a perfect edge to the film.
Scripter Andrew Kevin Walker helps this contrast by
making Pitt's character Mills a veritable walking time
bomb ever-ready to explode. Freeman's character Sommerset,
on the other hand, is methodical and plotting. It's
no surprise to us when that he uses a metronome, which
tick-tocks at a constant and steady pace, to go to sleep.
Walker also gives the two brilliant dialogue to help
us see where the characters are coming from. Sommerset
speaks slowly, ever seeming to be on guard, methodically
plotting each word he utters while Mills' dialogues
become diatribes peppered with profanity.
Both Freeman and Pitt bring these characters to life
expertly. This is really no surprise from Freeman who
has helped to make films like "Driving Miss Daisy" and
"The Shawshank Redemption" verbal and cerebral masterpieces
before. He is a commanding actor whose characters always
seem to become the focal point of any scene he is in.
He becomes Sommerset here and speaks to us in a whole
new language. He never seems bitter or pedantic yet
there is a subdued cynicism and a hidden intelligence
to every move he makes. Pitt, meanwhile, has what is
probably his best role ever bouncing off the walls and
chewing up the scenery. His minor moments in films like
"True Romance" and "Thelma and Louise" come to mind
rather than his other starring roles. His more enlightened
previous work culminates in a street-wise yet ignorant
character here. Pitt plays Mills perfectly so that the
final resolution of the film here is surprising even
though what happens is comes totally from Pitt's character.
How both actors are able to bring Walker's twisty-turny
script to life is quite commendable.
Walker is somehow able to tie everything together
here while still keeping us guessing. When we are sure
we know what is going to happen next, he fools us and
makes it work. He has us so off-kilter during the exposition
of the plot that we never know what's coming up around
the next corner. When we finally get to a point where
we think we know what is happening, he will fool us
again. Then, when the finale comes, we are so scrambled
that even when we are right in figuring out how the
film is going to end, it still seems like a surprise.
One has to simply sit back and allow the plot to unfold
before them. Still, trying to figure out what's going
to happen here is exhilarating and it becomes orgasmic
when Walker throws all of his devices into the plot.
This film, even when it is moving slowly, never fails
to have us on the edge of our seats.
Walker writes like this. There are pieces of dialogue
that seem meaningless that eventually turn out crucial
to the plot. Note the dialogue about using your gun
on the job that the two detectives have early in the
film. It means something later. Note when Pitt's Mills
ask a suspect "Do you like what you do?" Immediately
the question turns back towards himself without another
word being spoken. And note that the name of the city
in the film is never specifically mentioned. We get
slight clues at times, but the point becomes this: this
could be any city, anywhere in America. Walker's subtlety
is amazing at times.
Much of the film's suspense can be attributed to David
Fincher's consummate direction. Fincher ("Alien 3")
paces the film so perfectly that it's 140+ minutes of
running time never bores us. When he does make us wait
for something to happen, as in the climactic finale,
we are never exasperated but always excited. I found
myself tapping my foot wildly on the floor while riveted
to the screen awaiting some action. But Fincher does
so much more than this. His film is stark yet filled
with trash. And eventually - as it promises, it takes
us out of the darkness and into the light. Fincher gives
us such a visual experience here that we can't help
but notice all his little touches: the never-ending
rain, the cramped corners, the mattress on the floor,
the rancid squalor of the urban landscape, the hermitic
collection of objects. It's as if we can smell this
film. Fincher takes us into the soft white underbelly
of the city and exposes all of the slimy maggots underneath.
It is putrid yet captivating.
Fincher and Walker team up to give the film a marvellous
cohesion. Fincher does everything that he can to make
Walker's little touches shine on the screen. The "seven"
in the title refers to the seven deadly sins, but note
that the title screens also show us that the film takes
place over a seven day period. Walker and Fincher work
to show us this. Fincher works overtime to bring the
never-ending rain and the rank stench, that Walker surely
put on paper, to light. When Walker writes of a cramped,
seedy, underground apartment that is filled with photos,
notebooks, newspapers, bookshelves and garbage, Fincher
makes sure he gives us every little detail on screen.
He never takes a shortcut when bringing us this. One
can imagine him laying out every little piece of property
exactly as he wants it to sit before each and every
set-up. And it works. It's important. His dedication
to his craft shines through in every single sequence
we see.
Sure, there are times where "seven" can seem just
a tad bit too heavy-handed. There are times when, reflecting
on the film, everything seems to fit a little too perfectly,
but this is how Walker writes. This is what makes the
film work. There is a message and a meaning here, more
so than in any other suspense thriller, but that shouldn't
and doesn't distract us from the marvellous ride that
Walker and Fincher take us on. This isn't a film as
much as an experience.
"seven" is one of the best films I've seen in a long
time. It's the kind of film that makes you want to write
screenplays. It's the kind of film that makes you want
to direct. It's the kind of film that puts your faith
back in Hollywood. "seven" is gritty, grimy, gamey and
gory, yet none of this is ever exploitive or unnecessary.
This is a new breed of film. It harkens back to the
"gritty realism" of the 70's while throwing in the dialogue
and mentality of foreign films. It shows us something
we cannot help but watch while saying something we cannot
help but hear. It is like no other American film I have
ever seen. It is a new breed. Witness the introduction
of the American Industrial film. A new genre is born
with "seven."
Note: Music by Howard Shore. Director of Photography
is Darius Khondji.
Opening and closing credits are important and stylish
here. Designed by Cooper, the opening credits use Nine
Inch Nail's "Closer" while the closing credits use David
Bowie's "The Heart's Filthy Lesson," which surely pays
homage to Nine Inch Nails.
John Does' still photographs by Melodie McDaniel.
The Seven Deadly Sins are: Pride, Lust, Gluttony,
Envy, Sloth, Covetousness (called "Greed" here) and
Anger (called "Wrath" here).
Oscar Nominations: Best Film Editing
Review written in 1995
More
of Lodger's reviews indexed alphabetically! Just click
your favorite letter to go there.
a
b c
d e
f g
h i
j k
l m
n o
p q
r s
t u
v w
x y
z
HOME
|
In
Association with:
|
Posters From!
|
|
Please Visit 
|
|
