What can I say about Se7en that hasn't already been said?  Well, for those who haven't seen it here's my plot summary.  Detective William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) has only a few days left before his retirement in the police department, and a newcomer to this precinct, Detective David Mills (Brad Pitt), is looking for a way in.  Both men are homicide detectives and are investigating a series of grotesque and mysterious murders.  Somerset soon deduces that this killer is using the seven deadly sins as his modus operandi, turning sin against sinner, and now, the detectives are now part of his game.  They must unravel this puzzle before it's too late as three sinners have already paid the price of sinning.  Somerset looks for answers in the library and literature being very methodical and intelligent in his investigation.  Meanwhile, teh young brash Detective Mills is impatient and is convinced this guy simply is a total psycho.  He gives no creedence to the possibility that this serial killer has an intellect, let alone a rationale.  Somerset is a well-seasoned detective, and knows that when a crime has this many layers to it that there is a dangerous, complex mind at work - even if it is that of a twised and homicidal person.  He studies different religons, and the seven deadly sins.  Mills is too anxious and inexperienced.  He is more action than intellect, but Somerset is set on putting Mills on the right track.  As they get closer to the killer, the closer the killer gets to them, and to completing his gruesome masterpiece.  The climax of this film is unforgettable, the acting is superb, and is greatly directed by David Fincher (The Game, Fight Club).

Brad Pitt was definitely a great choice for Mills because his acting is strong and powerful, and he makes the brash and youthful character of Mills a good counterpoint to Somerset's calm, methodical thinking and resourcefulness.  Gwenyth Paltrow portrays Mills' wife, and gives him a loving and emotional counterpart.  As Mills witnesses this investigation unfolding, it becomes more trying to connect with his wife, and they both can only turn to Somerset for counsel as this gruesome and methodical series of murders become only more disturbing by the day.  Morgan Freeman is always a guaranteed great performance.  His brings a sense of crediblity with him to every project, and his sense of humor and charm really brighten the screen - something very important in a film as grim as this.  R. Lee Ermy is another actor who always brings something guaranteed to a role, whatever it is.  He doesn't have as prominent a role as Freeman, but as the Police Captain, he has a sense of humor and authority.  And Kevin Spacey's unforgettable performance turns this film into an undeniable chiller.  I won't speak any more of it for those that have not seen the film.

Furthermore, Howard Shore's score is as much of a masterpiece as you'd expect from him, as evident by films both before and after this one.  The production design and cinematography are captivating and engrossing.  An entire seedy underworld is created on film that you may never have thought was possible, but this set of filmmakers created a breakthrough and revolutionary film.  The settings and the cinematography reflect the entire amtosphere of the film: gritty, grimy, rough, and ugly.  Very much a noir atmosphere about this film.  It's the perfected visual style of filmmaking from director David Fincher.  The signs were seen in Alien 3, and in all his films since this one.  Fincher would push the level of mystery and paranoia even further with his next film, the dark, thrilling, and suspensful The Game starring Michael Douglas and Sean Penn (also HIGHLY reccommended).

One aspect of this film that cannot be left overlooked is the impactful, horrific, and visceral special makeup effects by master Rob Bottin.  What you saw of his work in John Carpenter's The Thing, is a fine preview of the work he did here.  Instead of shape-shifting aliens, he creates gruesome and generally chilling creations.  An obscenely obese corpse, a man that's been nearly starved to death, and such grizzly creations that will frighten you and gross you out.  It's another masterful display of an artist in the disgusting and the horrific by Rob Bottin.

Andrew Kevin Walker produced one HELL of a screenplay, and how it's been translated to the screen is more than any screenwriter could hope for.  Se7en is truly a MUST-SEE motion picture that has a GREAT rewatch value.  The New Line Platinum Series DVD is jam packed with everything you could possibly want to know, see, and hear in association with this film.  Multiple feature commentaries, various featurettes, deleted scenes, detailed production notes, and just more stuff than you could ever hope for!  Anyway, I give this movie the full count because it is just that great!