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Se7en
Click Box
cover art above, to purchase this DVD
The Film :
There are three rules of thumb, whenever a marquee reads "Film by
David Fincher." One, the film will be filled with more
edge-of-your-seat thrills than some people can handle. Two, the film will
star several major stars: in this case, Kevin Spacey, Morgan Freeman, Brad
Pitt, and Gwyneth Paltrow (you know, the earlier, "Brad
Pitt's angel" Gwyneth, before she started acting like the Queen of
England). Three: the ending, sad to say, will totally stink. Well, two out
of three isn't bad; making Seven (or "Se7en," as some like to
artfully call it) a worthwhile thriller...if you have the stomach for it.
The story is pretty simple, though; a serial killer
needs to be caught. What is the serial killer's motive for his murders?
The Seven Deadly Sins. This is convenient, for both the
film director (Fincher) and the serial killer (Kevin Spacey). After
all, "gross, pointless, psychotic murder" is not one of the seven
deadly sins, peculiar as that may seem. Meanwhile, petty human emotions
like greed and lust are on the list instead. How very strange! A list of
seven "deadly" sins, that doesn't include murder? Much like this
movie's finale, this makes little sense.
The approach of horror this movie uses --as
opposed to other films of this type these days-- is using imagination over
gore in its murder scenes.
More often the detectives on the case (Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman)
discuss how a victim died, without the viewer seeing it for themselves.
The audience members are allowed to just let their imaginations run wild.
This is an intriguing concept in thrillers of this type: keeping the cheap
tomato paste blood and make-up effects at bay, and allowing the goriest
"scenes" to be played out in the viewers' heads. Intriguing.
However, even when not shown, the
descriptions can be pretty twisted and sick. The description of how the
victim of "lust" was killed is particularly appalling, even when
merely alluded to. It also seems a little unlikely: a man slowly killed a
hooker, hideously, while the serial killer held a gun to his head. Even if
threatened with death, would someone so willingly do something so...sick?
The film wants you to believe they would. As for me, I truly would hope
the strength of the average human spirit is stronger than this...no matter
how "cool" it looks on film to say otherwise.
Of course, the biggest flaw with
this film is yet another attempt at a "Hitchcock plot twist" at
the finale. Don't worry; I won't spoil it for you if you haven't heard it
yet. Suffice to say, though, that this is not my idea of a plot twist. In
fact, while cinematography, directing, and acting are impressive, the
script is an overdone thriller cliché, not unlike most
other "spaghetti thrillers" these days. Fincher's odd directing
in this film seems to want to paint the killer
as a borderline genius, while the "good guys" sit around, scratching
themselves, musing about how elaborate the killer's latest "hit"
was. Add to this some melodramatic rubbish by the killer, once
"caught," of how the media has become so enraptured to violence
lately. I'm sorry, though I'm a little sick and tired of movies filled
with gore and violence, telling me that the problem with the world is that
the media is filled with gore and violence. What stupid hypocrisy! This
all leads to a finale that, no matter how you slice it, is not a plot
twist, as much as a plain-and-simple, bad way to end the film.
I
admit, regardless, the film is excellently directed, filmed, and acted, and for that
reason alone, I'd give it a thumbs-up. On the other hand, to be candid, I hardly had a
good time seeing it, nor am I glad I saw it at all. Others may submit
their own reviews, contradicting this one, via Techtite.com's present offer to
accept multiple guest reviews (even
for films yet to be reviewed here). However, as for me, I can only speak for myself; Seven
was a well-made film that, with all due honesty, I didn't enjoy.
---Techtite
The DVD :
Ready for more honesty, kids? I sure hope so, because here it is: Even though this "Collector's Edition" DVD is two discs in size,
it still is a big let-down. Sure, there is a collection of promotional
material and publicity photos, and if you liked the film that much, hey,
knock yourself out. As for the rest of the discs' content, well...
Before you get all in a twitter over the
DVD's major sales pitch --"alternate endings"-- don't get too
happy about it: there are merely two alternate endings shown, and they
both stink. Again, I can't let anything away about "plot twists"
and what-not, though let's put it this way; these are practically
identical to the original ending! I don't know whose idea it was to label
these as alternate endings, when they involve the exact same final
setting/scene, the exact same characters talking, and the exact same
"revelation" of the two last deadly sins, as concocted by the
psychotic killer's lunacy. If you wanted the ending to be completely
different...sorry, no. All that is shown is a question of
who-does-what-to-whom, which, after the killer has completed his killing
spree, is completely immaterial.
Deleted scenes aren't any better, and are
mostly mere extended versions of the exact same scenes already in the
film! One such scene seems truly laughable as a
"deleted" scene choice, where "Tracy slowly rises from
bed." You see, in the actual film, Gwyneth Paltrow rose from bed in a
shorter amount of time, yet now she's rising from bed slower. Gosh, I
don't know what I would have done if I hadn't seen that! Other deleted
footage includes way too much fuss over the opening credits. Did I miss a
reason to be thrilled at mere opening credits? I hardly wish to pin a
medal on David Fincher's chest just because he made Brad Pitt's name look
kinda spooky. To me, this is hardly a big whoop.
Sadly, "no big whoop" is the best
conclusion for the whole DVD set, knocking this DVD down to the
marginal-thumbs-down category. The truth
is, even if you merely rent it, you'll be quite disappointed. If curious
about the film itself, just rent the regular VHS version. At least then,
you're not teased into thinking that seeing Gwyneth Paltrow stumble out of
bed counts as a "deleted scene." You also don't need to get your
hopes up about alternate endings that aren't really that alternate from
the actual one used. It's hyped sales pitches like this that make you wish
the seven deadly sins were updated to include at least one more:
"False Advertising." It may not be deadly, though it did
cost me a rental fee to find out, and I don't appreciate that.
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Final Rating :
Near Miss.
Many people liked it; I did
not. In fact, I practically hated it. I may be fair and rate it a
marginal thumbs up for top-notch acting and cinematography, though
this is a DVD review, and as such, this disc is one big
disappointment. |
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Burnout
Near
Miss
Small
Crater
Large
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