Se7en is a masterpiece in psychological thillers

@nathanslay6342

Жыл бұрын

Darn right it is!

Fincher has always been one of my favorites. He creates atmospheres unlike any other director can. It feels like he's very meticulous in his directing to the point where you can get a feeling or an entirely different perspective from a camera shot alone. This film is definitely one of my favorites and a film I'll have to watch again sometime soon.

@JacksMovieReviews

7 жыл бұрын

I agree, he really is one of the best working directors. This movie really laid the groundwork for his upcoming projects.

6:30 "...no matter how close they are, he will always be ahead." So will Gwyneth Paltrow!

@matteokarsten7762

3 жыл бұрын

Underrated comment

I still count Alien 3 as the most atmospheric of Fincher's movies. It's bleak, nihilistic and beautiful, and I wish it was more appreciated.

Se7en is one of the greatest films ever made. He created a fantastic atmosphere in the film and it just is spectacular to look at what he created. I just love this film and I think it’s David Fincher’s best film in total.

Excellent dissection. I love how you pick up on things like colour palette and lighting in a way that most of us don't.

@JacksMovieReviews

7 жыл бұрын

IT really has to do with the context in which I watched the movie, I watched it trying to pick up on what makes the atmosphere the way it is.

@TheAgavi

7 жыл бұрын

Jack's Movie Reviews and now I know a whole new way to appreciate what makes a movie tick. Thanks, man.

Awesome movie - and a great dissection as always! This has already the typical "Fincher look", which he now creates in digital post with ultra fine control. At the time (besides meticulously planned set design, lighting and camera work, as you mention) it was all done photochemically to get that fine shadow detail and deep black "chinese ink" look. For all the fellow geeks: it was done with pre-flashing the film stock (raising the dark areas only), then 'silver halide retaining' on the intermediate positive (to close down the blacks completely). Not the first time this was done, but Fincher had it done perfectly to create his signature look. Thanks for another great film dissection! [Edit]: Credit for this highly atmospheric look of course goes to legendary DP Darius Khondji who worked again with Fincher on "Panic Room".

@JacksMovieReviews

7 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching! Fincher's visual style really helps define his work.

@bleedingsun7

6 жыл бұрын

Darius Khondji never worked again with Fincher on a feature film. On Panic Room, that was Conrad W. Hall, son of the legendary Conrad L. Hall. The only cinematographers Fincher worked with multiple times on feature films were the late Harris Savides (The Game, Zodiac) and Jeff Cronenweth (Fight Club, The Social Network, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, & Gone Girl). Also, I would challenge the notion that Fincher "created" his signature look with Se7en, as with Jordan Cronenweth (Jeff's father) he utilized many similar lighting, color, and camera techniques on Alien 3 that would figure heavily into his later films, though with Se7en he had by then perfected his usage of those techniques.

I have always loved the "detective hunting a psychopathic killer" film genre...there's something about going after the "monsters disguised as men" that reflects the nature and psychological cost of the ever ongoing battle of good and evil, but Seven actually did something that many of these thrillers hint at but don't fully commit too...the notion of how this battle can destroy people (good and bad) as well as run them down with how endless it is... John Doe is one of many killers whose goal is to gain an immortality through evil, harnessing evil acts to be their message...they see themselves as heroes in a corrupt and sinful world, even though their actions often contain the same elements they despise... ironically they destroy themselves by their acts of self justified rebellion. John Doe could have found another way to handle the world he hated, but he cannot be a "normal" person becasue he too is corrupt...he can't play family man becasue even as he spouts moral justification for his actions, he is a corrupted being which is why he engineers his own death...his punishment.... Brad pitt's character is also destroyed by Doe, pushed into insanity by evil's envy... and Morgan Freeman's character at the end is run down by the whole affair as the idea of hope and the idea of winning the battle of good vs evil is not a sure thing...

The quote at the end, seriously one of the most powerful quotes I have ever heard. I had intense goosebumps when I first heard it

Seven and everything before and after, is timeless and brilliant filmmaking. Fincher is a master film maker and I wish he would direct more films instead of producing. His fans are hungry to see another fantastic film from him. He's taken the back seat by producing. I wish to see him direct again and again. The folks that love his films deserve to see him deliver another astonishing film through his eyes! Don't leave us wanting! PLEASE direct more films! You're a brilliant Director!

I tell my friends that, that Hemingway quote -- and how Somerset responds to it -- that's the whole film right there.

@JacksMovieReviews

7 жыл бұрын

It's the most important part of the movie.

@lpphillyfan

3 жыл бұрын

@DillyDyson007 Yea. You're right. Ironically the studio forced that part in and Fincher is still pissed about it.

@lpphillyfan

3 жыл бұрын

I love it personally though.

@akk25462

3 жыл бұрын

I remember thinking the quote was a bit out of touch with the rest of the movie. Suddenly there's a voice-over for the first time. And David Fincher didn't want it there himself. But I liked the quote though.

@errwhattheflip

Жыл бұрын

@@akk25462 I think the quote is fitting considering Somerset's change

One of Fincher’s best films, in discussion for the best...

I'm writing a script similar to Seven and this was very helpful, thanks alot

@JacksMovieReviews

7 жыл бұрын

You got it! I'm glad I was able to help!

It's a pleasure to have discovered your channel - already looked at a bunch of your videos. The editing and the audio quality improves with each new upload. But if I may make a suggestion... Please consider working in more moments of silence and reflection in your audio commentary. To let your message get across. No one is chasing you - we're sitting down, listening and learning. Nerdwriter and Lessons from the Screenplay have mastered this with their videos. Thanks and keep up the good work!

@JacksMovieReviews

7 жыл бұрын

Thanks Azad! I'm glad you've been enjoying. I'm always trying to step this up. I think there is a perfect balance of too much silence and not enough, I'll be working to try and include more moments for reflection, thanks for the tip!

Great analysis. As always. One thing that appeared noteworthy to me is that - as you described - the city, the case, John Doe changes Mills - turns him from a person with a positive attitude towards live and the world to a person that acts out its dark side, instincts or emotions - but the events as well as the interaction with Mills and his wife also change Somersets attitude - they make him care again about the world. In the beginning Somerset sees the world as a hopeless place - slightly similar to the way Doe might sees it, even though Somersets acts that develop from this attitude are of course way different. While the movie goes on there are several scene that indicate that Somerset does not encounter the events with the disillusioned attitude he is used to apply. One example might be the scene in which he smashes the metronome - which has kept him distracted from thoughts and strong emotions (i.e. kept him from caring) - and starts throwing his knife at the bullseye - which is a way of acting out his emotions. (Before hand Somerset had disciplined Mills about acting at his emotions in the encounter with the reporter/ John Doe. But in contrast to Somerset, Mills who acts out his emotions - i.e. cares - at this stage can still lay down next to his wife and fall a sleep). There are also positive events that show how Somerset begins to care again, like the diner with Mills and his wife and the knowing about their chance for a fulfilled life. Finally the last quote from Hemingway, to which Somerset adds "I agree with the second part", and the statement that he "will be around" - in other word will not retire or at least not turn his back on the city - appears to me as an important indicator that the events - how horrible they indeed have been - changed Somersets attitude in a positive way. He know cares about the world and is willing to fight for it. To Jack: Thanks for the weekly dissections. It always adds something new to my perception of the movies and made me watch movies in general with a different focus and perspective. Keep up the great work!

@mckenzie.latham91

4 жыл бұрын

I like to look at the film as making a comment on the never ending battle of good vs evil... it can wear down people and even destroy them...the good and the bad What i love about jon doe is despite his moral justifications for his evil...he knows deep down he too is corrupt...he cannot be a normal person...he cannot play the family man becasue he is twisted, which is why he engineers his own death...that's his punishment for his sin, However, good vs evil is unending becasue evil is always corrupting, and Doe's final act is to corrupt Mills, driven to corruption by Evil's envy. the film leaves us with Morgan freeman worn down but not ready to give up the fight...however both him and audience are not reassured by the film or ending that the fight can ever be won, or how high the cost might be...

The one thing I really like about your analysis of films is that not only are you informative, but inspirational to anyone serious about getting into film making. Thanks again.

Se7en gets better on every viewing, and is honestly in my top 10. It's a fantastic movie

I find this to be Fincher's masterpiece. I love all of his movies which includes Alien 3.

Nice choice in Nine Inch Nails songs for the background music!

Subscribed! I have a deep love for this film. I strongly believe, that despite everything... The darkness, the horror in this film, it's still a film about courage and optimism. It says that we shouldn't be apathetic and cynical, the world needs us to fight for good and believe in it, no matter how dark it gets.

Their was tons of atmosphere in this movie!!!!

nice editing and graphic work, among other things. good video

Best choice for mindhunter

Its those little details like @1:25 that sets you apart from the others

@TheLonelysun22

5 жыл бұрын

i dont get it

Finchers are great, long after you don't give a crap about the characters, the dialogue or the plot anymore you can still enjoy them for the meticulous camera work and atmosphere

Keep doing this great job!!, the best channel of movie reviews for sure. Your reviews are amazing especially the review of Shame.

@JacksMovieReviews

7 жыл бұрын

Much appreciated, and thank you, that really means a lot!

Three for three. Wonderfully done.

I love this analysis. One thing I want to point out however: John Doe's crimes _are_ remembered. They are puzzled over and studied ... forever

Great work man, keep it up!

@JacksMovieReviews

7 жыл бұрын

Will do! There is a new video every Saturday!

Subscribed. Great breakdown!

@JacksMovieReviews

7 жыл бұрын

Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed!

I love this channel!

@JacksMovieReviews

7 жыл бұрын

Thanks Daniel! There is a new video every Saturday!

@danielvonrich

7 жыл бұрын

Great! Thank you!

Ernest Hemingway died of suicide by the way. That should put somethings into perspective.

At first glance I thought this was Dexter! xD That'd would be so cool...Darkly Dreaming Dexter...!!!

Yeees! The sight of Black Swan at the end made me quite happy, I'm looking forward to hear what you think.

@JacksMovieReviews

7 жыл бұрын

I'm really looking forward to sharing it!

Interesting about the film's location, i had always pictured it as taking place in NYC, but with the film's final location, it would make more sense that it was more likely LA.

@michaelspears7116

3 жыл бұрын

I think it's meant to be a fictitious city. NYC doesn't add up because it takes them less than an hour to drive to the desert. Sommerset is also perplexed at Mills' decision to get transferred there, saying that he's "never seen it done that way before". If they worked for the NYPD, that wouldn't be the case as they're traditionally swamped with applicants. Finally, a sign shown near the end of the film on the drive to the desert states that the city was incorporated in the 1920's, and has a population of over 8 million. That rules out any city in the US. I'm guessing it was somewhere on the west coast, maybe in California, but a completely fictitious place.

great work again man another movie in which the climate of the movie was used to set and build up the suspense was Prisoners 2013 it was as if despite how happy people are something is always going to go wrong...

@JacksMovieReviews

7 жыл бұрын

That's another great example, here's a link to that video if you haven't seen it. kzread.info/dash/bejne/fmyNs9Oqqs2spLg.html

my favorite movie of all time :D

1:21 I see what you did there ;)

Fincher really put his worldview on the screen with Se7en.

'Great video man! Can you do Irreversible from Gaspar Noe ?

Detectiiiiive!

Not sure if you are still checking on this Review but I just thought I would comment. That was a great Review of the movie ,but you did not mention one of the most important parts of the movie. The fact that the Killer kept hundreds of journals of his exploits written in tiny print. That was definitely the work of a Mad Man , a sadistic Mad Man. It was too bad they did not check out his seedy apartment sooner they might have prevented a few Murders if they did. Thanks

There's always something that is bugging me about that shot in the thumbnail (I think it's the gun flashes)

This movie was set in Gotham City. Somerset is the twin brother of Lucius Fox. Now watch it again.

@michaelspears7116

3 жыл бұрын

Gotham City doesn't have a desert on its outskirts.

So was Mills arrested in the end? I don't get that

@ivanlp4ever

4 жыл бұрын

Yes he was arrested. He murdered John Doe.

There's also a lot of olive drab greens and piss-stain yellows in the film's color palette depending on which version of the film you own (it's really muted and toned-down in the newer Blu-ray releases, which makes me kinda sad because it really added to the film's grittiness) -- you wouldn't think the inclusions of colors like that would work well when placed with the greys/blues (without turning into a murky turquoise), but it surprisingly does at it feels natural and real instead of Matrix-like, whoever was in charge of the color-grading in this film must've been a master at it.

What was in the box?

@territorialtea747

6 жыл бұрын

Ben Quinney Mills wife’s head.

WARNING: This video is NOT intended to glamorize Kevin Spacey. He and his actions are absolutely horrendous and should be looked down upon with the utmost disgust by every sensible human being.

@sickofthelies1627

6 жыл бұрын

That doesn't discredit his performances honestly. Life's disgusting as Fincher has shown. We cleary appreciate disgusting as revered in Se7en.

@sickofthelies1627

6 жыл бұрын

Also, as i've learned from Psychology (and i'm not giving him a pass for his behavior) that people are complicated and shouldn't be reduced to the worse angels of their nature.

@afonsolucas2219

6 жыл бұрын

Funny that Fincher deals with this sort of thing in Gone Girl. Now, SPOILERS, Ben Affleck's character was innocent of killing his wife. Spacey isn't of what he did. But the media portrayed him as a sociopathic monster. When in fact he's a human being. I'm not excusing Spacey. I'm not excusing anyone. They did wrong. Other people suffered. But they are still people. They aren't completely evil nor good. It doesn't work like that. If actions are influenced by brain chemistry and enviroment, then how guilty are they. How are we better. We were born with different genetics and in different places. We could be them. So think next time you call somebody a monster. Hitler is a monster. Spacey was a pervert 30 years ago. Don't know if there's something to be done about him, but for somebody like Winestein... Why doesn't no one press charges?

@seanhamilton7534

6 жыл бұрын

It’s bad when I can’t tell if you are talking about the actor or the character

@YoshiRider9000

5 жыл бұрын

Cringe. Stop virtue-signalling.

What will be your next video?

@JacksMovieReviews

7 жыл бұрын

Black Swan! For future reference, at the end of every video I give you a heads up of what to expect next week!

@taurinserotonin9994

7 жыл бұрын

Can't wait for it

Why do I feel this takes place in Gotham city

:D

I don't know if you're a gamer Jack, but I believe Max Payne was inspired by this movie quite a bit, and Brad Pitt's character specifically

@JacksMovieReviews

7 жыл бұрын

Not a gamer, no, I can easily see it influencing a lot!

@cocainecowboy1717

6 жыл бұрын

How?

I enjoyed Seven but I felt that fincher's Zodiac was far more thrilling, dark and superior.

I honestly didn't understand why this film is so hyped.

I really like this film, but sometimes I feel the soundtrack takes away from the action. It just slams at you, attacks you, it could be more subtle and would still work. Even when Freeman's character is throwing darts, there's music. It could have been a more poignant moment if we could just hear him throwing darts and not the music.

to him, he didnt leave the world a worse place. he believed he was punishing sinners on behalf of god and so was purifying it in fire. making the detective kill him was his mark on the world believing he made someone else like him and do what he was doing. he changed one person and got them to participate in his game.. to take up his work.. whats weird is that his wife wasnt one of the sinners. he killed her and made himself one of the sinners just to further insult the detective like he was berating him in the car about how superior he is. in the end none of what he was doing was about being good or godly. it was all a satanic commentary on catholocism and christian history.. he acted like he was killing for god based on christian values but what he was really doing was mocking them..

@thothheartmaat2833

2 жыл бұрын

this was basically just the most elaborate suicide by cop ever.. a man hates his life and hates god.. hates people, hates religion.. how is the world allowed to be such a terrible place by a loving god? he does research in the library and studies history.. he decides to end his life by pulling a string of murders with a theme that ultimately ridicules god and every single one of us..

I don't know how to feel about this film. I love it, but won't watch it again for a good 10 years

they actually had him he got lucky and got away people have to have fairy tales to spice up existence religion being more harmful than most nicely done you sound a little smug for me but no doubting your critical effort

@mckenzie.latham91

4 жыл бұрын

Yeah but even when they closed in on him he still got the upper-hand in how he had mills at his mercy but chose to corrupt him and make an example instead,

"Se7en" is almost a perfect movie. The only thing that always bothers me is the line from Somerset: "John Doe has the upper hand! John Doe has the upper hand!" It seems out of character, almost like an inserted narration for a dumb audience.

@tremellk

4 жыл бұрын

I have to disagree with you on that. Somerset speaking that line along with the score bottoming out is a clear call to action for the viewer. In a scene where everyone has no idea what is going on from characters to viewers. It is this build up of all senses that has a person watching on the edge of their seat.

Too bad Kevin Spacey ended up being such a pervert in real life.

Saw it when it came out, and very sorry, but found it a bore. Generally speaking, I find the serial killer genre a bore, and consider it an inferior class of crime stories as it requires less imagination than say Maigret or even Miss Marple. There are so many films now of serial killers, it's just too tedious. Predictably unpredictable, yawn; predictably shocking, yawn. Give me Jean-Pierre Melville any day.