‘Se7en’ by David Fincher: A Film Steeped in Dystopia Essay

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Introduction

‘Se7en’ is a film steeped in dystopia. Director David Fincher portrays the fundamental features of dystopia brilliantly and shockingly, employing spectacular visuals to thrill its audience with a frightful tale. The plot, set in New York, revolves around a serial killer Jonathan Doe (Kevin Spacey) who commits brutal murders and defends them because he has made the world a better place by exposing its unawareness and unspoken toleration of the Seven Deadly Sins. In Doe’s words: “We see a deadly sin in every street corner, in every home, and we tolerate it because it’s common and trivial. We tolerate it morning, noon, and night. Well, not anymore. I’m setting the example.”

Description of film

The film begins with Detective David Mills (Brad Pitt) and his wife Tracy (Gwyneth Paltrow) moving to New York to start a new chapter in their lives. Mills starts work with veteran Detective Lt. William Somerset (Morgan Freeman). They are despatched to check out the killing of a morbidly obese man (Bob Mack) who was tied to a chair and force-fed spaghetti till his stomach exploded. The first of Seven Deadly Sins, GLUTTONY, is scribbled in grease on the rear of the refrigerator. Soon, other murders start cropping up. A famous lawyer Eli Gould (Gene Borkan) is killed in his office and GREED is scribbled in blood on the carpet. Regular sexual offender and drug dealer Victor (Michael R. Mackay) is found bound to his bed for a year, nearly dead due to atrophy. The word SLOTH is smeared in feces above his bed. The dead body of a prostitute (Cat Mueller) is found bound to a bed; her death was caused by forced brutal sex with a customer who, forced by Doe, used a sharp strap-on dildo on her. The word LUST is etched on the door. A professional model (Heidi Schanz) is found dead in her bed with her nose cut off, a container of sleeping pills in one hand, and a phone in the other; her death was the result of a drug overdose perpetrated by Doe. The word PRIDE is scrawled in lipstick on the headboard.

The next part of the film is significantly more alarming due to the way it leads to the triumph of evil in the end. Although Mills and Somerset succeed in capturing the killer, it is Doe who emerges as the one in control. Doe taunts them that he ‘let’ himself be caught. Pointing out that only 5 of the Seven Deadly Sins have been exposed, Doe admits to having succumbed to ENVY at the happiness in Mills’ married life by murdering Tracy and cutting off her head as a souvenir (which he presents in a box). Doe seals Mills’ destiny as a victim of WRATH, as the detective, maddened with rage and sorrow on seeing his dead wife’s head, fires at Doe and kills him.

What makes the film stand apart from other serial killer films is Finch’s ability to titillate his audience and their emotions so well that they become emotionally enthralled in the movie. The film’s title sequence has been highly praised for the quick editing, artistic use of symbols, and astute foreshadowing. The cinematography is dark but lovely; it is either raining or night in most of the scenes. The conclusion marks a unique, brilliant portrayal of dystopia whereby a murderer shrewdly and deviously controls the detectives, makes them yield to his will, defends his brutal killings as instruments to expose sin, and until death remains steadfastly faithful to his purpose. Finch provides a sobering touch in the last scene where Somerset muses: “Ernest Hemingway once wrote ‘the world is a fine place and worth fighting for.’ I agree with the second part.”

Conclusion

David Fincher, director of hit films like ALIEN3 and THE GAME, has given us another masterpiece in SE7EN.

References

Fincher, David. “Se7en.” IMDB Movies. 1995.

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Narendra, C. “Pakistan: Election Results Vindicate Chief Justice.” Mynews.in. 2008. Web.

Robinson, B.A. Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance. 2003. Web.

Wolff, Jonathan. “An Introduction to Political Philosophy.” USA: Oxford Press. 2006.

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IvyPanda. (2021, September 29). ‘Se7en’ by David Fincher: A Film Steeped in Dystopia. https://ivypanda.com/essays/se7en-by-david-fincher-a-film-steeped-in-dystopia/

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"‘Se7en’ by David Fincher: A Film Steeped in Dystopia." IvyPanda, 29 Sept. 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/se7en-by-david-fincher-a-film-steeped-in-dystopia/.

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IvyPanda. (2021) '‘Se7en’ by David Fincher: A Film Steeped in Dystopia'. 29 September.

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IvyPanda. 2021. "‘Se7en’ by David Fincher: A Film Steeped in Dystopia." September 29, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/se7en-by-david-fincher-a-film-steeped-in-dystopia/.

1. IvyPanda. "‘Se7en’ by David Fincher: A Film Steeped in Dystopia." September 29, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/se7en-by-david-fincher-a-film-steeped-in-dystopia/.


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IvyPanda. "‘Se7en’ by David Fincher: A Film Steeped in Dystopia." September 29, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/se7en-by-david-fincher-a-film-steeped-in-dystopia/.

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