To become the best, we have to learn from the best.
Se7en is one of those films you look at in awe because of the gorgeous cinematography and think about for days after from the compelling story. A serial killer kills off people according to their sin, leaving a message at each murder scene, the veteran and new detective must catch the mad man before all seven victims are killed.
Let's begin breaking down some of my favourite frames from the film which encapsulate what I think are some of the pivotal points of importance in the story.
Let's begin!
One of the first thing we see in this film is a metronome. We find it is in the room of the older detective. It shows us so much about this film it's hard to contain in this little paragraph. His life is repetitive, the same day in day out like a metronome. The film is about a running out of time, a kind of ticking clock incident will occur.
Here our new detective face come face to face with the start of a series of brutal and horrific killings and I sense he feels out of place and in over his head. Not only this but the killer is sending a message and the detective is apart of that message, they are apart of the plan and are unwittingly playing along. They are apart of this scene now.
As the older detective goes over to the younger detective's house for dinner, they are framed in this dark doorway. It gives a deep sense of foreboding as if you've seen the ending or know of it, they will all end up worse off and destroyed by the sins of the killer.
As the case seems all the more unsolvable he is seen framed in this long corridor. The lines and symmetry in the corridor combined with the moodiness make for a very dark and gritty shot. To me it says: Isolation, a long journey ahead, playing by the rules, the unknown, walking in the dark and a lack of knowing what will happen next.
Who is this walking into the police building? Why do we only see his waist down and from behind? Well firstly, we aren't supposed to see him because there will be a big reveal and the audience asking those questions is exactly what the director wanted and also, this long angle and framing is something we don't usually see, it shows a sort of reality distortion.
The killer has finally presented himself and has literally shown himself. He is the central villain in the film with a sort of biblical complex so the light filtering through on the right work well with his hand position in that of perhaps Jesus Christ or some other biblical figure. He suffocates the frame with his presence, he overpowers everything.
The sun directly behind his head in this scene when he has played his final play of the film, the delivery of the young detective wife's head in a box. This shot is how he sees himself, as a sort of fallen angel almost in his portrayal as a divine being, the embodiment of jealousy. He is dark (mainly because of exposure differences) but it works to show his inner darkness.
They are out in the bright sunlight yet the detective in emotional turmoil at the news of his wife's head in a box darkens his heart. The killer wants him to become wrath and shoot him to complete the seven deadly sins. We don't care about his wife, all we care about is his decision. Will he kill him and do what he wants? Will he let him go? Don't do it!
Se7en is an amazing film and is truly original. The cinematography is breath-taking and the story is incredible. It is an absolute must watch in terms of any movie discipline minus special effects or visual effects because of how well it is filmed. Do I even have to mention the most quotable line from the film at the very end? "What's in the box?! What's in the box?!".
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