User:Darkwarriorblake/Seven (1995 film)

Retrospective assessments
In the years since its release, Seven's initial critical acclaim has endured. Richard Dyer featured Seven in the British Film Institute's (BFI) Film Classics series in 1999.

In the 2010s both the BFI and Indiewire identified it as a landmark in the serial killer film genre. In 2011, as part of his The Great Movies series, Ebert upgraded his original score for the film from three-and-a-half stars stars to a full four stars, lauding it as one of the darkest and most ruthless Hollywood productions, anchored by the stellar performances of Freeman and Spacey. Ebert concluded that while Seven may not delve into profundity or depth, its rich mythology and symbolism elevate its impact. Discussing Seven in 2013, critics David Edelstein and Bilge Ebiri acknowledged the film's shortcomings in dialogue and plot predictability, yet praised its compelling portrayal of the city's grim atmosphere and Doe's macabre murders. Edelstein particularly highlighted the shootout scene between the detectives and Doe as one of the most chilling he had witnessed, attributing its impact to the vivid visual imagery and innovative camera angles. A 2014 poll of 2,120 entertainment industry professionals by The Hollywood Reporter ranked Seven the eighty-fifth-best film of all time. In 2015, writer Scott Beggs said Seven remained and would continue to be a powerful viewing experience that is further elevated by its unforgettable conclusion. According to Beggs, Seven's enduring appeal was because it is not solely reliant on its twist or revealing the killer's identity, but the detailed world in which it takes place. That same year, Walker expressed his enduring pride in Seven, despite facing criticism from certain audiences.

Reviewing Seven on its 25th anniversary in 2020, The Film Magazine wrote that it remained relevant and significant as a viewing experience, in part because of the core cast, horror elements, and its tasking of audiences to introspect on their sins. Another anniversary retrospective by The Independent said that Seven remains celebrated for its twist ending, which is among the most well-known twists in cinema, and remained both influential on filmmaking and popular with audiences due to its storytelling, cast, and innovative use of psychological manipulation. Writer Drew Dietsch described Seven as a landmark for film horror, citing its noir, decaying cityscape and philosophical contemplation on evil and justice. Dietsch wrote that Seven was as important to the genre and cinema of the 1990s as The Silence of the Lambs. He tempered his opinion, however, by noting that the sexual misconduct allegations made against Spacey in the intervening years had tainted the viewing experience and made some people hesitant to revisit Seven.

In the early 2020s, MovieWeb and Stuff called Seven one of the most memorable and "quintessential" crime thrillers of the 1990s, representing a high point of the genre and filmmaking for the decade. Assessments by NME and Collider wrote that Seven had an enduring appeal distinct from its contemporaries. This distinction is attributed to its bleak and seldom matched ending, as well as its stylized reality devoid of popular culture references or technological emphasis, ensuring it does not reflect any particular time or place. Retrospectives in years since have continued to discuss Seven as iconic and one of the bleakest and best detective films in modern history, acclaimed for its harrowing visuals, deft blend of thriller and horror genres, and its ending.

Filmmakers and critics have spoken of their appreciation for Seven including: Mark Burg, Babak Anvari, Rüdiger Suchsland, Richard Kelly,, Jorge Ignacio Castillo, Jacob Stolworthy, Lars Ole Kristiansen, and film curation organization, the T A P E Collective.

Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes offers a approval rating from the aggregated reviews of  critics, with an average score of. The website's critical consensus says: "A brutal, relentlessly grimy shocker with taut performances, slick gore effects, and a haunting finale". The film has a score of 65 out of 100 on Metacritic based on 22 critics' reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". In audience-voted polls, Seven has been listed at number15, 30, and 37 on lists of the greatest films conducted by the publications Total Film and Empire. Empires 2008 poll of readers, Hollywood actors, and key film critics ranked Seven at number134 on its list of the 500 Greatest Movies of All Time, while Time Outs 2023 staff poll ranked it number87. Seven is also included in the film reference book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die based on contributions from more than 70 critics.

Re-write
In the years since its release, Seven's initial critical acclaim has endured. Assessments from publications such as NME and Collider wrote that Seven retained a distinct appeal compared to its contemporaries. This distinction is attributed to its bleak and seldom matched ending, as well as its stylized reality devoid of popular culture references or technological emphasis, ensuring it remains untethered to any particular time or place. Writer Scott Beggs said Seven would continue to be a powerful viewing experience that is further elevated by its unforgettable conclusion. According to Beggs, Seven's enduring appeal was because it is not solely reliant on its twist or revealing the killer's identity, but the detailed world in which it takes place. In a 2011 retrospective by Roger Ebert, as part of his The Great Movies series, he upgraded his original score for Seven from three-and-a-half stars stars to a full four stars. He lauded it as one of the darkest and most ruthless Hollywood productions, anchored by the stellar performances of Freeman and Spacey. Ebert concluded that while Seven may not delve into profundity or depth, its rich mythology and symbolism elevate its impact.

That same year, Walker expressed his enduring pride in Seven, despite facing criticism from certain audiences.

Richard Dyer featured Seven in the British Film Institute's (BFI) Film Classics series in 1999.

In the 2010s both the BFI and Indiewire identified it as a landmark in the serial killer film genre. Discussing Seven in 2013, critics David Edelstein and Bilge Ebiri acknowledged the film's shortcomings in dialogue and plot predictability, yet praised its compelling portrayal of the city's grim atmosphere and Doe's macabre murders. Edelstein particularly highlighted the shootout scene between the detectives and Doe as one of the most chilling he had witnessed, attributing its impact to the vivid visual imagery and innovative camera angles. A 2014 poll of 2,120 entertainment industry professionals by The Hollywood Reporter ranked Seven the eighty-fifth-best film of all time.

Reviewing Seven on its 25th anniversary in 2020, The Film Magazine wrote that it remained relevant and significant as a viewing experience, in part because of the core cast, horror elements, and its tasking of audiences to introspect on their sins. Another anniversary retrospective by The Independent said that Seven remains celebrated for its twist ending, which is among the most well-known twists in cinema, and remained both influential on filmmaking and popular with audiences due to its storytelling, cast, and innovative use of psychological manipulation. Writer Drew Dietsch described Seven as a landmark for film horror, citing its noir, decaying cityscape and philosophical contemplation on evil and justice. Dietsch wrote that Seven was as important to the genre and cinema of the 1990s as The Silence of the Lambs. He tempered his opinion, however, by noting that the sexual misconduct allegations made against Spacey in the intervening years had tainted the viewing experience and made some people hesitant to revisit Seven.

In the early 2020s, MovieWeb and Stuff called Seven one of the most memorable and "quintessential" crime thrillers of the 1990s, representing a high point of the genre and filmmaking for the decade. Retrospectives in years since have continued to discuss Seven as iconic and one of the bleakest and best detective films in modern history, acclaimed for its harrowing visuals, deft blend of thriller and horror genres, and its ending.

Filmmakers and critics have spoken of their appreciation for Seven including: Mark Burg, Babak Anvari, Rüdiger Suchsland, Richard Kelly,, Jorge Ignacio Castillo, Jacob Stolworthy, Lars Ole Kristiansen, and film curation organization, the T A P E Collective.

Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes offers a approval rating from the aggregated reviews of  critics, with an average score of. The website's critical consensus says: "A brutal, relentlessly grimy shocker with taut performances, slick gore effects, and a haunting finale". The film has a score of 65 out of 100 on Metacritic based on 22 critics' reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". In audience-voted polls, Seven has been listed at number15, 30, and 37 on lists of the greatest films conducted by the publications Total Film and Empire. Empires 2008 poll of readers, Hollywood actors, and key film critics ranked Seven at number134 on its list of the 500 Greatest Movies of All Time, while Time Outs 2023 staff poll ranked it number87. Seven is also included in the film reference book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die based on contributions from more than 70 critics.

https://www.rollingstone.com/feature/fight-club-20th-anniversary-appreciation-david-fincher-896690/ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/classic-movies/8451540/Why-I-Love...-David-Fincher.html https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/g45723241/david-fincher-movies-ranked/ https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/david-fincher-movies-ranked-including-the-killer/ https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/11/22/seven-platinum-edition https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/5/22/15660296/alien-3-david-fincher-defense https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/david-fincher-fight-club-opening-credits/ https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/revisiting-david-finchers-seven/ https://deadline.com/2022/12/david-fincher-set-for-honorary-cesar-award-global-briefs-1235200876/ https://cinephiliabeyond.org/se7en-rain-drenched-somber-gut-wrenching-thriller-restored-david-finchers-faith-filmmaking/ https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3766266/se7en-4k-remaster-david-fincher-confirms-its-in-the-works/ http://outtakemag.co.uk/features/2020/09/23/seven-david-fincher-brad-pitt/ https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/oct/28/david-fincher-favorite-best-movies-killer-netflix https://www.theringer.com/2020/9/25/21455771/david-fincher-tv-streaming-house-of-cards-legacy https://parade.com/1048720/maramovies/best-directors/