The heart of a good thriller is in the genre’s name itself. It’s that sense of excitement complemented by a tinge of fear and anticipation for what is yet to come that leaves its audience gripping their seats. In director David Fincher’s “Seven” (1995, stylized as “Se7en”), however, this thrilling sensation is child’s play.
Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, “Se7en” has a lot to unpack and Fincher takes his audience by the hand every step of the way, flaunting a clever storyline. The film is a classic good cop/bad cop plot following two detectives in the heart of a crime-ridden city. As they work together, they slowly unravel the truth behind a series of gruesome murders based on the seven deadly sins.
Known for directing “Fight Club” (1999), “The Social Network” (2010) and “Gone Girl” (2014), Fincher’s technique is as meticulous as it is overarchingly — and at times sickeningly — authentic. “Se7en” follows Detective Lt. William Somerset (Morgan Freeman), an experienced yet aging detective, alongside Detective David Mills (Brad Pitt), a hothead rookie with a good heart. Somerset and Mills flawlessly foil each other and reveal their individual weaknesses just as much as their strengths.
“Se7en” was recently restored and released in IMAX in January 2025. Fincher revealed that artificial intelligence was subtly used during the restoration process to touch up the film. In one shot, the camera panned slightly more than planned, partially overshooting a character. While the performance was executed well enough to make the final cut, Fincher saw the restoration as an opportunity to use other takes of the shot and restore part of a jacket the character was wearing.
Whether this needed fixing or not, using artificial intelligence in the arts has been up for debate ever since its inception. Perhaps it’s unpopular to make this edit from other takes, regardless of how minor it is, but it’s called a restoration for a reason; in Fincher’s vision, this is how best to make that a reality.
“You probably won’t be aware that it’s happened,” Fincher said in an interview with Collider. “But you look at it, and you just think to yourself, ‘It’s so nice that we can fix that kind of stuff today.’”
“Se7en” asks its audience what is worth fighting for in a world infested with crime, while at the same time seeking the reality behind such villains. Each of the seven deadly sins correlates to the seven victims, and with each murder, the detectives discover the nature and motives of the perpetrator who has been pulling the strings.
Andrew Kevin Walker, the screenwriter for “Se7en,” perfects the antagonist behind these murders with such precision, creating a villain who is as nuanced as he is evil. The person behind the murders is, after all, targeting those that represent the seven deadly sins, bringing our intrinsic values into question. What if there is good within those we view as evil or vice versa? A perfect balance of questions and answers, Walker knows how to keep his audience hooked without sacrificing a single detail.
If you’re seeking the thrill of the friends we made along the way, this is not the film for you. “Se7en” brings to light all that delivers us from evil and all that is wrong with the world, yet it finds humanity within such darkness. Somerset and Mills are forced to face anticipation in its purest form, with twists around every corner to keep you invested. This film dives into our very morality and the hearts of those we scorn, all the while urging us to seek the unseeable and question the unquestionable. Now that’s how you find a thrill.
