By Weston Kelly and Blake Kim
Mr. Evans loves to suggest movies, so authors Weston Kelly and Blake Kim are instating a new column: Mr. Evans Recommends! In this column, we will watch and review the suggestions he gives us. Enjoy the first installment.
Se7en, although grisly, is the type of movie that lingers in the minds of the audience after watching. The film follows two detectives, Somerset and Mills, played by Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt, as they track down a serial killer who commits crimes related to the seven deadly sins. The creepy tension builds with each sinful murder—while the rain-soaked atmosphere and the roaring rumble of the subway trains cause even more dread.
This award-winning film kept us on our toes with the many unpredictable plot twists; especially (spoiler alert) as the killer, John Doe, toys with both Somerset and Mills as he leads them through his despicable game. The astonishing ending left us speechless—we won’t be forgetting it any time soon. The conclusion, although semi-predictable, fits perfectly into John’s “righteous masterpiece” by demonstrating the final two sins in full effect: envy and wrath. From an analytical perspective, one of the film’s most important parts is Mills v Somerset’s outlooks. The two dichotomize the reactions one feels when encountering a criminal like Doe. Mills, newer to the job, boils with rage at the sight of the crimes. He is quick to take out his gun, both in the police station and outside the apartment. Somerset, on the other hand, is always hesitant to unholster his weapon, and he openly admits that he’s only had to take it out three times—with no intention to use it. He coldly analyzes the brutal scenes, attempting to prevent the abhorrent acts from lingering in his mind. Somerset constantly talks about the apathy common people show to murders and crime in the city—which parallels today’s world where people move on without care and, unfortunately, are accustomed to crime. Tragically, desensitization is even more ordinary nowadays with the prevalence of shocking acts appearing on the internet.
Overall, we were extremely impressed with this film and very grateful to Mr. Evans for the recommendation.