David Fincher Series: Se7en

Ahh, The Serial Killer film, if theres one genre in film history that has been done to death its the Serial Killer. America’s fascination with the serial killer has its roots all the way back to the end of the 19th century with Englands Jack The Ripper and has kept on peaking our interest. And has continued to be one of the most popular subjects among modern Television, Books, and Film.

There have been plenty of films within the past 15 years to deal with the topic of serial killers, most are cookie cutter films (Along Came a Spider, The Watcher, The Bone Collector), and then there are some filme that elevate the genre to greater heights (Man Hunter/Red Dragon, The Silence of the Lambs, Kiss The Girls). And of course the reason why were even reading this review, David Fincher and Andrew Kevin Walker’s “Seven” (or Se7en).

The Movie

The most viscerally frightening and disturbing homicidal maniac picture since The Silence of the Lambs, Seven is based on an idea that’s both gruesome and ingenious. A serial killer forces each of his victims to die by acting out one of the seven deadly sins. The murder scene is then artfully arranged into a grotesque tableau, a graphic illustration of each mortal vice. From the jittery opening credits to the horrifying (and seemingly inescapable) concluding twist, director David Fincher immerses us in a murky urban twilight where everything seems to be rotting, rusting, or molding; the air is cold and heavy with dread. Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt are the detectives who skillfully track down the killer–all the while unaware that he has been closing in on them.

Rating: 9 out of 10

The Transfer

What can I say, New Line knows how to make quality transfers, remastered from the films original film negatives this 2.40:1 anamorphic transfer is pristine and is as perfect as you’ll ever see. The Blacks are truely black (and there is a lot of BLACK used in this movie), and the rest of the colors are muted and washed out (but thats the way its suposed to be, I mean its raining for most the damn movie).

Rating: 9.5 out of 10

The Audio

Again props to New Line’s home video department they truely know how to treat the dvd format, and knows to give you exactly what dvd lovers love. You get both Dolby Digital 5.1EX and a discreet DTS 6.1 (can be auto downmixed to 5.1) sound mix that really makes all the difference and is my prefered soundmix when watching the film. You also get English and French subtitles.

Rating: 10 out of 10

The Extras

David Fincher has got to be one of the Kings of dvd, with the exception of “The Game” all of his films have had incredible dvds and this one is no slouch either: You get 4 feature-length audio commentaries featuring Director David Fincher, actors Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman, and other collaborators on the film. On disc 2 you get deleted scenes and alternate takes, alternate endings shown in storyboard form. An exploration of the opening title sequence from multiple video angles with various audio mixes and two commentary tracks. Multiple animated galleries featuring production design stills, crim scene photos used in the film, “John Doe’s notebooks, photos, and more. The Original theatrical trailer and electronic Press Kit. As well as some very interesting DVD-ROM content!!

Rating: 10 out of 10

Overall

One of the 90’s best films gets the treatment it so deserves, with great performances all across the board. This is a movie that no one should miss seeing from one of the greatest directors of our time.

Overall Score: 9.5 out of 10

Se7en
Movie: 9
Transfer: 9.5
Audio: 10
Extras: 10
Overall: 9.5
Director: David Fincher
Format: 2.40:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1EX, DTS 6.1
Rated: R
Genre: Thriller
Studio: New Line Cinema
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