Se7en

Alongside The Silence of the Lambs, this is the most powerful psycho-thriller ever. Seven is a gem of the genre in which every filmmaking component is stretched to the absolute limit, along with the viewer’s nerves, emotions and psyche. Darkness that will take your breath away and keep you up at night. (05/06/2006)

An unparalleled experience, a delight. Those who love dark crime thrillers about serial killers will adore Se7en, and so will do those who hate this kind of "entertainment" and laugh at monotonous scripts and shallow endings, because Se7en will shock them, suck them in, make them pant like a dog at the end, and inevitably teach them to love the genre... Impeccable direction that doesn't let up, teeming with creative ideas, and through the all-encompassing thick rain gives us a unique glimpse into the most chilling visual and narrative darkness ever seen on film. A perfect script, believable in its psychology and portrayal of the central characters' relationship, highly clever and subtle in its dialogue and non-violent reflection on the horrors of a society full of violence and murder, and finally shocking and surprising not only in its course, in the agonizing nature of the murders and the flawlessly sketched progress of the investigation, but above all in its twist, so unexpected and, thanks to Fincher's direction and shot after shot, so gripping that I wanted to stand up and scream loudly at the screen during the first two screenings. Perfect cinematography that always finds the right angle (I'm absolutely fascinated by the overhead shot of Pitt climbing a hanging ladder), an amazingly chilling soundtrack and a perfect bet on the eternally malfunctioning switches and the good old flashlights that accentuate all the blackness. A perfect film that cannot and will never be surpassed. 100% is not enough :) (05/02/2011)

It’s not often that you get the chance to write a review of a movie like that on a day like this (7.7.2007). Se7en certainly ranks among the best ten movies I’ve ever seen. A perfect, engulfing atmosphere of a bleak city where nothing good ever happens, with the addition of one deranged psychopath with a strange plan. A simply brilliant screenplay. Great acting performances (especially the unforgettable Kevin Spacey). Fincher’s masterpiece. I don’t want to wallow in superlatives here, so I’m done. (07/06/2007)

The best film in its (sub)genre. David Fincher's camera antics and his ability to depict a depressive atmosphere are exactly what the theme of an elusive brutal killer needs, and it is difficult to find any holes in the screenplay or technical errors. The only thing that bothered me was the occasional fake rain, which was visibly artificial in many places (i.e. raining within a five-meter radius). The acting is flawless. The pair of detectives was portrayed exemplarily, the experience of age versus the fierceness of youth. The only action scene is very gripping, and the coldly depicted city, along with the dark camera filters, beautifully enhance the gloomy atmosphere full of brutal murders, junkies, and decaying corpses. The twist is undeniably brilliant, and even though Kevin Spacey only appears for a few minutes, it is precisely him who delivers the best performance. (11/08/2006)

A slowly flowing depression with a flood of rain, darkness, and uncertainty. A brilliant madman in the background, a silent and slightly shy police veteran, a young hard worker by his side, and his saddened wife. A fatal final half-hour and a finale that seems simple in the first second but gains strength and resonates in the viewer long after the movie ends. I highly recommend a second viewing, where several hints towards the punchline can be found. Jigsaw and other plagiarists can go laugh at themselves. (03/19/2006)