Review of Se7en (1995) by Manicure — 22 Nov 2020

David Fincher’s direction always shines with thrillers, and “Se7en” is one of the most outstanding examples. Aesthetically one the best thrillers of its generation, the cinematography is so slick and tasteful that it could pass as a recent film.

I also liked the dark and gritty atmosphere of rainy Los Angeles, with old and dirty apartments and oppressively dim lights. In particular, the crime scenes are elegantly designed to reflect the poetic overtones of the killer’s project.

The screenplay is generally solid with the dialogues, the literary references and the way the relationship between the two leads develops, but the final twist and ending felt way too underwhelming if we consider the engaging premise.

Brad Pitt’s acting sometimes kills the mood, but Freeman and especially Spacey are at their best here and help to balance him off decently.