Se7en (1995), directed by David Fincher, is a dark psychological thriller that blends crime, horror, and moral philosophy into one of the most chilling films of the 1990s.
The story follows two detectives: William Somerset (Morgan Freeman), a weary veteran on the brink of retirement, and David Mills (Brad Pitt), an impulsive younger detective newly transferred to the city. Together, they are assigned to investigate a series of gruesome murders, each based on one of the seven deadly sins: gluttony, greed, sloth, lust, pride, envy, and wrath.
The killings are staged with meticulous precision by a mysterious serial killer who sees himself as carrying out a “moral” mission, punishing society’s sins in grotesque ways. From an obese man forced to eat himself to death (gluttony) to a lawyer compelled to carve a pound of his own flesh (greed), each crime scene is more disturbing than the last, pushing the detectives into a nightmarish game of cat and mouse.
As the case unfolds, Somerset’s calm, methodical approach often clashes with Mills’s hotheaded temperament. Somerset sees the world as hopelessly corrupt, while Mills still believes in the possibility of justice, even if he’s driven by rage. Mills’s wife, Tracy (Gwyneth Paltrow), provides a brief human respite from the bleakness, confiding in Somerset about her struggles to adapt to the city and a devastating secret she hasn’t yet told her husband.
The turning point comes when the killer, John Doe (Kevin Spacey), calmly turns himself in, covered in blood. He reveals that there are two more victims yet to be discovered, and he insists on personally leading the detectives to the final crime scene. Against Somerset’s instincts, they follow him into the desert.
There, in one of the most shocking and iconic twists in film history, a delivery van arrives with a box for the detectives. Somerset opens it off-screen and recoils in horror—inside is Tracy’s severed head. John Doe explains his plan: he envied Mills’s normal life (envy), and by killing Tracy, he has provoked Mills into becoming wrath. Despite Somerset’s desperate pleas to resist, Mills succumbs to his rage and executes Doe, completing the killer’s twisted vision of the seven deadly sins.
The film closes on a somber note, with Somerset quoting Hemingway: “The world is a fine place and worth fighting for.” He adds, “I agree with the second part.”
Se7en is not just a crime thriller—it’s a bleak meditation on morality, justice, and the darkness of the human soul. Its unforgettable finale ensures its place as one of the most haunting films ever made.
