The word "classic" is overused, but if the gumshoe fits... Not for the faint-hearted, but if you can handle the graphic material, you will be rewarded. Fincher, Freeman, and Pitt at the top of their game, and my favorite third-act of any film. Inventive, disturbing, brilliant.

Seven is one of the more disappointing horror films in a long time. It aims incredibly high in its moral thinking, but the majority of the seven "sin killings" lack any real visceral imagination. Either they're contrived and impossible, or not really that imaginative to begin with. It's been over sixty years since Freud died, and somebody still thinks a knife strapped to your penis is creative? And so we follow two detectives (Freeman and Pitt, very good actors who try very hard to keep this melodramatic massacre afloat) across various overly art-designed murder scenes. There is no deep moral thinking behind the murders, so much as there is shock value. These scenes are so contrived that we arrive at most after they are done, to spare us from seeing the director try to suspend our disbelief in depicting them. Still we march, hoping to catch the killer, pretending this movie will really end with him caught when only three or four of the eponymous seven plots have been carried out. It builds to the point when we finally get to meet the killer and hear his reasoning, which sounds like it could have been written by a jaded teenager. By this point you've been beaten over the head with so much forced atmosphere and disgusting imagery that you either give in or leave. It's got all the grit, grime and hopelessness post-modern cinema demands, but if you can enjoy it, you may belong on John Doe's list.… Expand

Well then alex, maybe you should accept the fact that not everybody puts the plot before the blood! we noticed the lack of story, but we DIDN'T CARE, because we LIKE the blood enough to forgive it i rate this a 10 because i loved it, so go sit on a flagpole.

One of the best films of the 90s.Thrilling,outstanding with beautiful perfomances by Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman.It's really disgusting,blood packed but it doesn't fail to impress with its well crafted and clever plot.A real classic!

A true original. Great acting from Pitt; probably the role that launched him into the bigshot he is today. The whole thing is creepy. It's not meant to be Saw. Man, people are dumb.

A masterpiece! In an industry where sperm in a woman's hair is considered clever, David Fincher brings back the classic film noir in an unsettling, powerful way. One the finest films EVER made and one of the finest directors working today.

A great serial killer movie. The perp in the crimes uses deadly sins to act out his crimes. His identity is a mystery only to be revealed in the final scenes of the film, but the killer becomes interesting quickly. Some of the gore scenes went a little far, so I gave it lost a ranking for that. Otherwise, a fabulous movie.

A thrilling movie that raises questions about morality and sin. Although the concept is not original it Seven manages to present a unique, philosophical spin on evil. Unlike other films belonging to the same genre, it does not depend on blood and gore to create suspence and keep the viewer intrigued.

The Best what I seen before.

The only bad thing about "Seven" is that damned annoying way of writing the title: "Se7en". Like a "7" looks anything like a "v". Look, it's not really the title, it's just a way of making it look weird in the title sequence. It's called "Seven." call it "Seven". Not "Se7en." That's stupid. It's embarassing, not only to me, not only to David Fincher, not only to Morgan Freeman. It's embarassing to yourself. "Seven".… Expand

AWESOME - without a doubt the greatest serial killer/suspence film of the 90's, if not all time. Dark, grim and atmospheric, this film is definately not for the fainthearted. Morgan Freeman, was fantastic as the weatherbeaten cynical old detective; Kevin Spacey gave THE performance of an outstanding career; and even Brad Pitt managed to put in a half-decent performance!!!! If you like good thrillers then i dare you not to love this film. … Expand

One of the most unsettling neo-noir movies I have seen in recent times. Excellent!!

Certainly not dull but is incredibly slow. Some sequences test your patience. But good performances and a surprise end succeed in keeping your interest. Spacey is brilliant in his small role as John Doe. Morgan freeman gives a great performance and Brad pitt is cool. Gwyneth Paltrow is sexy as well as gives a good performance.

This Movie Rocks. Even after having seen it many times, it still gives me the chills. The plot sucks you in, eventually causing transference onto the character... pull the trigger.

Who's writing all those sparkling reviews, come on like seriously give me a break. I rated Se7en a good 2 because really, I don't see the point to all of these grisly and disturbing murders, it just doesn't make any sense. Morgan Freeman always gives a good hint of magnificence in his stellar performances and roles, but in Se7en he doesn't even try. Didn't get very much out of him. And Brad Pitt, whoa!!! Too fast and too furious with his minor act as his character flew out the window and got me flying in the sky feeling very comfortable for about a second until I lost it, right when the lightning smashed into the white and dull sky. I was hit with disappointment and totally heartbroken. Nobody really actually acts in this movie, they just go with the flow what David Fincher, the Director, tells them to do. And as you're reading this review, you're going to be wondering why I rated Se7en a good 2 instead of a fat 0. I'll tell you why, because truly it was a film to like but not to enjoy for sure. I liked it, just watch it once and don't watch it again because after watching the film you read all these dazzling reviews thinking that it wasn't that bad. Well, that's why you say you liked it, but seriously, you wouldn't enjoy it what so ever. It's so boring. I fell asleep the second time watching it. Although the film gave a huge amount of detail and material that was so fascinating. I couldn't breathe for moments. All the gory murders and suspenseful grisly afterview tapes got your spine tingling. That was really the only entertaining part about the movie. It's one of those teenager violent/horror films to laugh to in a group type of film. But since I've overgrown that stage and matured, I think of it quite differently. A nasty film may be funny to some, but gruesomely dull for those who care to notice.… Expand

One of my favorite movies. Great acting (one of Morgan Freeman's best) and an amazing atmosphere. I get sucked in every time.

Some moments were useless and sometimes boring. But the acting is really good and the end of the movie is simple, yes, but great.

Was a brilliant film until the killer gave himself up, the plot was obvious from then on. The ending was clever but tired, lacking any real action, The background to the film was great, morbidly and raining all the time. Morgan freeman was good but not great and brad pitt was awful in some parts of the film, talking stupid most of the time and overacting his part as a frustrated young cop.

Good performances, intelligent directing but another disgusting and sensationalistic serial killer movie with no other purpose than to tiltillate and shock.

Could've been f..king great, but I think Fincher's ending was unimpressive.

All of the gore only a Hannibal Lecter wanna-be can provide, without the introspection of how you can avoid your own personal bogeyman after the film ends. Instead, psychic disfigurement of the pursuing law enforcement agent is the overall goal. Deserves credit for pointing out that the seven deadly sins really can be grosser than the disposal of their advocates.

If a film this good came out every year, boredom wouldnt exist.

[***PLOT REVELATIONS***] As terrifying as it is brilliant! This is a disturbing, wonderful and morbidly shocking thriller not to be missed! This is David Fincher's best film (out of 5). This is just such an excellent thriller. One of the best points of this film is Fincher's supurb and stylish directing making him the next Tarantino. Even though I think Tarantino (Quentin) is a better director, Fincher has more stylish camera angles and great flashy cinematography. The story is very dark, and only for the very strong-stomached. Do not, and I'll repeat, DO NOT WATCH THIS WHILE YOU EAT! DO NOT WATCH THIS WHILE YOU EAT! The premise is about a smart-mouthed, cocky young cop (Brad Pitt) who gets assigned to work with a smart, veteran cop (Morgan Freeman) on a case where the killer is basing murders on the seven deadly sins - 1) Gluttony 2) Greed 3) Sloth 4) Lust 5) Pride 6) Envy 7) Wrath. The killer ends up being none other than Keyser Soze himself, Kevin Spacey! Kevin Spacey gives another excellent performance that should be remembered as one of his best! The story is paced well, the ending is interesting, the acting is great, I love this movie! I recommend this film to anyone who loves scary thrillers and has a thing for violent, gritty, graphic and frightening crime scene investigations! (21 February 2003)… Expand

Not perfect, it's actually quite dull in parts, but the directing is superb and it's a very entertaining film.

This film is nothing short of brilliant. It is dull in parts but this is made up by the sheer brilliance of the plot unfolding and the greatest twist to a plot I have ever seen. 10/10

It's not that it is a film that has twists or turns or anything like that.. its a film with structure that flows seamlessly, with great cinematography, performances and writing, fincher creats an atmosphere that has substance its a movie that everytime I watch I forget how great it is.

Um, no, to all those out there who loved the ending, I hate to disappoint you but it was much too predictable. The premise is very interesting to be sure, but I cannot see why all these people are so caught up in the ending when it became obvious about thirty minutes before the actual ending.

Best film ever, in my view. This is at least in part because it had the courage to deliver a totally unsentimental and bleak ending.

Lousy and vile.

Fincher at his best, he crafts Se7en into a relentlessly damning thriller that leaves you on the edge of your seat to the very end. But the fact that he manages to do this without having to show much graphic violence is what separates this film from others in the genre. Even if you think this movie is too dark, it still manages to shake you to your core. And there's no denying that.

How this movie is only a 65 is beyond me. One of the greatest films of all time. Seriously.

The movie is so self indulgent and preachy that it forgets to even name the place it takes place, let alone develop its cliche characters. The people who gave it a 10 were too busy enjoying the blood and Brad Pitts bad acting to notice the lack of story.

Wow! after watching first watching zodiac, i though David Fincher wasn't meant for directing mystery movies. but then i watched this one and it made me think different. sev7n is about 10 time better than zodiac for many reasons. first of all, you actually care about the characters. and second of all, the killer in this movie is someone pretty interesting who's actually there unlike zodiac. and third, the investigators actually put there lives on the line, which made pretty suspenseful, once again, unlike zodiac which was very boring the whole way thru.… Expand

Terrific story.

Overrated, nihilistic and surprisingly predictable.

I thought the movie was very well down. Fincher did an excellent job making this movie and i think the performance by Morgan Freeman was once again top notch. I was disappointed with the ending however. It just kind of fell. Instead of any real closure or resolution following the ending it just kind of, well, ended. Other than that a fabulous movie that is well worth the watch.

This movie is a pure masterpeice. Some seem to be disappointed with the ending but that is the thing that makes it run through your head over and over- without the ending it would destroy sevens perfection.

One of the scariest movies I have ever seen. Kevin Spacey encompasses everything someone from America's Most Wanted should encompass. Brad Pitt is surprisingly good at playing a man who trys to keep his emotions in check. Morgan Freeman stands as the foundation of the film, and all of the actors feed off of the obviously stellar direction of David Fincher, whose camera work is showcased magnificently in this film.… Expand

I don't mind the blood, gore, or language. The reason I gave this movie such a low score is because it was BORING. It was very hard to sit through and I got tired of watching it right away. Skip this and watch "Zodiac", the superior of Fincher's two serial killer movies.

"Se7en" will have you trembling, a bleak, gruesome, lightless thriller, just the way I like it.

Everything that the Saw movies want to be: Creepy, sadistic and thrilling. Enjoyed it quite a bit, although I was disappointed by how the killer ia revealed in the final third (although Edward Norton pulled off a pretty damn creepy performance). The ending, although pretty shocking and original, seemed anticlimactic, making what could have been a great film merely a good one.

I honestly don't understand people who are calling this "a classic" "brilliant" or "best film ever." Se7en is not a bad film, technically speaking. It certainly hits all the required marks as far as cinematography and scripting go. However, it's ultimately an unlovable and dare I say unmemorable film. To be sure, there was some morbid creativity to the kills. But they lacked any real "bite," being presented in a dull, almost routine fashion. The same could be said for the film as a whole. There is no tension, no drive to the entire thing. Rather, Fincher heaps piles and piles of dark oily angst on the viewer, seemingly in hopes that the result will equal a thrilling, gritty story. Instead, 'Se7en' feels bogged down by its own narcissism; So buried in nightmares and horrifying imagery that nothing else can possibly leave a lasting impression on the viewer. And in the end, I do have to admit that it is quite effective at creating an atmosphere of horrible, rotting apathy. It's certainly up there with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Eraserhead in that respect. And I suppose I can understand seeing it just to see its unique visual style. And of course Morgan Freeman is always fun to watch. Unfortunately, as good as the atmosphere is, Se7en fails as a thriller, and even as a quasi-horror film. It lacks tension, drive, and cannot even deliver the sort of boorish "gut-punch" that can (on a very basic level) save films like this. Not a terrible film, but far from classic caliber.… Expand

Its not good but its not bad. Brad Pitt does a suprisingly bad job in this film and overacts quite a bit, Morgan Freeman is generic as well (neither good nor bad). Overall the film is a little interesting but its not that good.

Yes the acting by Brad Pitt is pretty bad but beyond that this movie is great. Freeman, Paltrow, and Spacey deliver. It does have a great story. To me it is more of a suspense thriller than horror film. To me it speaks of how society is and what evil even innocent people are capable of. All people sin even to the extent of the seven deadly ones.

Based on the Seven Deadly Sins, this movie is sinfully entertaining, holding your attention til the end. Dark at times, "Se7en" keeps you interested from frame one. The movie is honest in its portrayal of each crime, delivering visual evidence of each sin...one by one. The criminal's maniacle plan lays out with one unfold after another. Cleverly wrapping the audience in a shroud of character comfort, this movie takes you where you never thought you would go.… Expand

From the director of the 1992 Alien 3 comes a dark, highly disturbing and gruesome film that is most certainly not for the faint of heart. The film focuses around two New York detectives trying to catch a religious serial killer who bases his murders on the seven sins; lust, pride, greed, wrath, gluttony, envy and sloth. Each murder leaves a clue to the next and this man is highly intelligent in how he plans out his acts of atrocity. However, what really cements the movie is the climax, where one of the detectives has to become one of the sins mentioned above ( No, I am not saying which one it is ). All in all, a horrifying and genuinely scary film that rivals the Sixth Sense in its final twist.… Expand

Seven makes for a diverting, if rarely entertaining crime-thriller. The plot held so much promise - a film about a deranged serial killer basing his elaborate murders around the seven deadly sins could have been really interesting and really memorable. As it is, Seven is always technically flawless, with atmospheric lighting, well-framed shots and a gritty noirish feel to the whole film (a testament to David Fincher's skill as a director even this early in his career), but it's just not particularly engaging. The story moves at a snail's pace, with lengthy and clunky exposition and extended philosophy-heavy dialogue scenes linking together the discoveries of each of the victim's brutalised bodies. Morgan Freeman is at his very best playing good-natured and by-the-book, but and frustrated police detective William Somerset, and Kevin Spacey makes a creepy, emotionally detached killer. Brad Pitt, however, is not on form. If you compare Detective David Mills to his most prominent roles just before and just after Seven (True Romance and Interview with the Vampire, and Twelve Monkeys) Pitt's performance just looks lazy, smug, and under-developed. Gwyneth Paltrow as Tracy, Detective Mills' wife, makes little impact whatsoever. My main problem with Seven is that it seems to think that it's exceedingly clever, when in fact it's rather dumb. A relatively well-written script by Andrew Kevin Walker cannot hide a paper-thin plot which gives the film one point to make, over and over again - that the world isn't a very nice place. Well, duh. I can still see Seven's influence on crime and horror films, but I really think similar material has been handled far better, and far less pretentiously in recent years (the first Saw for instance, I find far more engaging, entertaining and memorable). At least the film has a now iconic, and well-crafted finale - and I think Fincher owed us that after making us sit through a very long, quite boring piece of mock-intellectual schlock. Seven may look good, and Freeman and Spacey are great, but the rest of the cast, the lazy and plodding story, and film's misplaced feel of smugness in its own brilliance really let it down. And people who spell the film "Se7en" make me want to think up my own cruel and unusual punishments...… Expand

Powerful, captivating and gruesome. Se7en plays out at an accelerating pace, drawing the viewer in more and more. As Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt put aside their differences and piece together the mystery, we're presented with (crime)scene after scene filled with brutal, intricate murders, each pertaining to the seven deadly sins. Fincher's direction is masterful; the visual atmosphere created by the dark lighting and aesthetics are complemented perfectly by the chilling soundtrack. Freeman and Pitt are both great, playing complex characters, and the character development and interaction was one of the best features of the film. Se7en is truly a classic thriller, and something recent horror films such as the SAW franchise owe a lot to.… Expand

Se7en starts out by painting the world of this nameless city in perfect relief, gathering details and herding them into your senses until they reach overload. Once this atmospheric phase ends, the plot begins to take shape methodically and carefully, giving time to every faint thread in its massive and twisted web. The characters become more than just people on a screen; they become so real that you need to remind yourself that characters are all they are. Finally, as it nears its conclusion, Se7en pulls you into an emotional roller-coaster until its dark, macabre, and heart-wrenching ending.… Expand

It was ok. I was suprised by Pitt though, He was bad in the film. Some serious over acting by him and it ruins quite a few scenes (mainly the ending). Freeman was ok in it, Rather generic considering his other performances. Spacey was great though, Super creepy in his role and he played it perfectly. Overall though the entire plot was too straight forward and really had no imagination to it. Seriously overrated imo.… Expand

First off I would give this a 9.75 out of 10. Near perfection. Well acted by both Morgan Freeman and brad pitt. Story is great. It's so suspenseful wondering what'll happen next. Score is outstanding. Adds to the intensity. Overall this is probably one of the greatest underrated thrillers ever. You need to see this movie.