Lucky Number Se7en

Horror in cinema has captured the imagination, and attention, of viewers for generations.  From the natural to the supernatural, movies that invoke fear are among the most memorable of the medium’s history.  But there is a very wide margin between those works and ‘all the rest.’  I don’t think I’ve ever seen a horror movie and thought it was ‘pretty good’ or ‘so so.’  It was either great or it wasn’t.  Why is that?  What makes a horror film great?

Psycho killer movies are usually not among great horror films.  This subgenre has a reputation of being largely trite, formulaic, and predictable.  And psycho killer films that involve a genius killer who leaves clues for law enforcement to follow can be more intriguing than your typical slasher flick, still are more often than not unremarkable.  Yet David Fincher’s Se7en stands out as remarkable, even a classic some might say.  Why?  The tropes listed above are all present in Se7en and some (hot-head rookie cop bites off more than he can chew when he partners with veteran cop who on his last day before retirement takes on the case that ends up being the biggest case of his life.  Whew), yet it stands out as a classic.  So what makes Se7en better than contemporary titles such as The Bone Collector or the Saw series?  Those films employ many of the same tropes, themes, and elements, yet one is better than the others.  What makes this one better? And what does that say about horror?

The biggest factor I believe is theme.  Due to the historical importance and western dominance of Christianity in the last millennia, Judeo-Christian myths are among the most recognizable in the world.  And because of this, many great works of literature either influenced or fueled the myths, and many of those works fuel this film as well.  The seven cardinal, or deadly, sins trace their roots back to early Christianity but were popularized in Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy, a masterpiece of western literature, and more importantly, at least for the film’s success, is a story people are familiar with and interested in.  I would be much more inclined to see a movie regarding the seven deadly sins than a movie about the Arishadvarga passions (Hindu) even though both theologies represent the same thing.  So a movie that explores some of Judeo-Christian’s less, well, Christian side is an appeal.  And the religious subject matter only strengthens the believability of the film as well.  Religious zealotry is terrifying on its own and when it’s combined with murder, especially ritualistic murder in an effort to teach God’s will, is only more terrifying. 

Another factor is atmosphere.  While the atmosphere of Se7en is similar to those of many horror films, it still deserves noting.  Se7en is gritty.  The setting is of the urban underbelly we don’t want to believe exists.  The color pallet is for the large part gray.  It rains most of the film with the exception of the last scene.  Fincher is using setting to reflect what is happening in the plot to great effect.  What would Se7en be like in a sunny suburb?  Probably not as remarkable I can tell you that. 

Another is cast.  The cast, while star studded, deserves noting though I feel like it makes actually little difference.  Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, and Gwyneth Paltrow, play their characters well though are not very memorable (to no fault of their performance, just unremarkable scripting).  Kevin Spacey on the other hand, does a fantastic job as the almost cameo he has as the killer.  Only on screen for fifteen or twenty minutes, Spacey brings the killings to life and really sells the entire picture in a few short lines.

Which brings us to the last factor, and I believe one of the most memorable.  I saved THE END for the end.  The climactic climax of Se7en turns the tropes upside down and really sets it apart from the others.  Spacey’s character, Jon Doe’s, explanation of the murders and what his plan has been the entire time makes the movie live and breathe.  The ninety minutes or so of the film start to feel a little more rounded and it really brings out what happens off screen. 

And it’s with each one of these factors working well together that makes Se7en stand out as a modern classic for other horror films in the same subgenre emulate and aspire to.