Saturday, October 11, 2014

Horrors of October - Seven (#11)



Seven (1995)

Detective Somerset (Morgan Freeman) has to put up with his replacement David Mills (Brad Pitt) for one week of duty before he can finally retire from the force. Ironically for him, and not the screenwriter, an unidentifiable serial killer presents a dead body every one of those days, each of them related to one of the seven deadly sins. The worst thing I can really say about this re-watch is the movie's official name: SE7EN. I have always hated that form of the title, especially since it helped bring about the rise of semi-leet titling (TAK3N, anyone?). Other than that, I'm really glad I checked this great movie again. I fondly remember how big and off-putting the movie was at the time and how I desperately wanted to see it, despite my parents' disapproval. It along with PULP FICTION and SCREAM were my top three must-see rated-R movies, and if you know the connection between those three, you sir or madam are a 90's kid. I eventually did get my chance to watch it, albeit with the famous twist already spoiled by pop culture, but this fresh viewing truly made me love this flick. I adored looking over the humongous amount of little details at the crime scenes, which director David Fincher just hangs on briefly in order for the viewer to be jumbled up in the dark chaos; look no further than the deliriously loud sex hotel scene. While I was too concerned with Nine Inch Nails and Gravity Kills' contributions the first go-around, I was more moved and unnerved by Howard Shore's masterful score here (Bach helped as well for one sublime sequence!). The Captain America spirit possessed by Pitt makes the pic far more tragic than I realized. But the biggest surprise is that of all of the fantastic scenes in the film, my absolute favorite moment didn't go to the sight of air fresheners or the apartment chase, but to the scene where Somerset and Mill's wife (Gwyneth Paltrow) have a heart-to-heart talk. Everybody needs to stop being a total bro, throw out their worn-out copies of FIGHT CLUB, and pick up this terrifying classic right now.


FINAL REVIEW: 5 / 5

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