David Fincher's Seven (1995) follows two detectives David Mills (Brad Pitt) and William
Somerset (Morgan Freeman) as they investigate a series of gruesome murders. One of the most
acclaimed films of the 1990s it explores themes of moral decay human darkness and the
blurred lines between good and evil. Richard Dyer's study of the film unpacks how its
cinematography sound and plot combine to create a harrowing account of a world beset by an
all-encompassing irremediable wickedness. He explores the film in terms of sin story
structure seriality sound sight and salvation analyzing how Seven both epitomizes and
modifies the serial killer genre which is such a feature of recent cinema. This new edition
includes a new afterword by the author re-assessing the film's lasting impact and influence
over contemporary filmmaking aesthetics.
