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Seven
(***1/2)
Morgan Freeman is perhaps one of the greatest actors working today. Never is that so evident than in "Seven". Freeman is Detective William Somerset, a world-weary police officer about to retire and get away from all the madness and corruption in the city. On the other end of the spectrum is Detective David Mills (Pitt), an incoming replacement for Somerset. During Mills' first week, he and Somerset coexist on what should be a simple week on the job. Instead, it turns into a gruesome reminder of how sick people can be.
It starts with an obese man found dead in his house. He's a shut-in, and they assume he's just a heart attack victim. Then a lawyer is killed in his office, and Somerset puts the two crimes together. A killer is on the streets, and he is meticulously planning murders to illustrate the Seven Deadly sins. As Mills quickly finds out that simply being a good cop doesn't cut it here, Somerset begins showing him how to find the killer.
I think I've painted it as being a little too simple. It's much more than what I can give in a two-sentence synopsis. Whenever I watch a movie, my first thought tends to run towards something like "what is this movie saying?" Mills and Somerset are two different people. Mills has a loving wife (Paltrow), while Somerset is a lifelong bachelor. Mills is a darker guy, but he's an incurable optimist. He feels it's his job to go out there and stop the few sick people so that the majority of the good citizens can be safe. Somerset sees the whole world as sick and ignorant.
But there's a certain connection in the two men. Does Somerset see himself in Mills? Has a life in that city really changed him so much? Whatever their connection, they're drawn closer as they witness the depths that "John Doe" sinks to in preaching his message. I would not give away the gut-wrenching final half-hour without a hefty monetary compensation.
David Fincher is a natural; this is only his second feature (Alien 3 was his first), and he's already shown a real talent at this point for crafting a fine motion picture. Although "Seven" lacks some of the power that Fincher's later effort "Fight Club" exudes, it's still a deep and powerful experience. I feel like I'm doing a disservice to Seven by saying it's inferior in some way. But competent direction and some great acting by two very capable actors have made an experience I do not want to forget.