Review of Se7en (1995) by David L — 25 Jan 2014

Getting into the film noir genre was probably one of the best things I've done for myself as a person who loves film. Deep, moody stories all the while being stylish and evoking a despondent atmosphere are definitely my type of movies. Movies that ask important questions of us dealing with our humanity or depicting the ugliest parts of the human psyche that is disturbingly relevant to our modern society shows that movies are more than just mere entertainment. This is everything that makes Se7en a great movie, in my opinion.

I could go on and on about the film, but first I have got to talk about the atmosphere that makes the movie so effective in many ways. It is just pure grit and grime and I love the film's consistency in its tone. Not just through its sets, but also the color tones that were used to enhance every scene makes each scene moody and ominous. These aesthetics definitely make for a lot of great cinematography and there is quite a number of memorable shots in the film. A key scene for me would be all the scenes taking place in the library, which are definitely some of the most beautiful cinematography I have seen in film thus far.

What also makes Se7en stand on its two feet are definitely great performances from Morgan Freeman who makes each movie I've seen him in have depth and character. While Freeman delivered a performance to compliment the film's story, Kevin Spacey was definitely the one to steal the show. To deliver such a disturbing performance that elicits just as much fear as watching Hannibal Lecter on screen was a feat that I didn't even know could be accomplished. I was holding my breath in every scene he spoke to another character. He was that captivating in his acting performance.

I don't know what else to say without spoiling this great movie, other than that anyone who is a fan of the noir genre or just a person who enjoys a good story should definitely watch Se7en. The film is so good that I had to include this on my personal list of my top favorite movies of all time. A pure classic in every way.