In this blog post, I’ll focus on David Fincher’s film ‘Seven’ to explore the characteristics of film noir, examine its underlying truths, and discuss the significance of an ending where the criminal triumphs.
Introduction
I don’t remember exactly when I started liking them, but I’ve always loved movies featuring detectives tracking down criminals. Whenever movies were aired in which a serial murder case occurs, detectives chase the culprit, and a breathtaking chase unfolds before the culprit is finally apprehended, I would always lose myself in them and happily watch for hours on end. However, I didn’t have any specialized knowledge about this genre of film. I had never really thought deeply about what these movies I love are actually called, why they’re made, why people find them appealing, or what significance they hold.
Through this course, I learned that the film genre I love is called “film noir” and possesses characteristics that distinguish it from typical thriller films—a discovery that was personally very rewarding. This is because, until now, my understanding of the difference between film noir and thrillers had been somewhat vague. Consequently, the topic of this analysis naturally became “film noir.” I will focus on David Fincher’s 1995 film ‘Seven’, widely regarded as a masterpiece of modern film noir, while also conducting a brief comparative analysis with Bong Joon-ho’s ‘Memories of Murder’.
Before proceeding, let’s briefly define some terms. ‘Seven’, the film I intend to analyze, is often cited as a prime example of “neo-noir.” So, what exactly is neo-noir? Generally, film noir is a genre that was popular in Hollywood during the 1940s and 1950s, characterized by dark, atmospheric visuals and focusing on themes such as disillusionment with American society and human alienation. Subsequently, as various works influenced by traditional film noir emerged, several derivative forms were created, and neo-noir is classified as one of them.
However, I do not believe it is necessary to use the term “neo-noir.” Rather than viewing neo-noir as a separate genre, I consider it more appropriate to understand it as a concept that refers to films that have evolved and developed within the broader framework of noir in response to changing times. Therefore, in this paper, I will use the term “noir film” without making any special distinctions.
The reason I chose ‘Seven’ as my research topic is not only because, as mentioned earlier, it is widely regarded as an outstanding work, but also because it left a deep impression on me personally. I first saw this film when I was in middle school; at the time, my critical eye for movies was less developed than it is now, so after the film ended, I felt a sense of disappointment, wondering, “Why wasn’t the culprit caught in the end?” Nevertheless, I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen.
And now, I would like to attempt to answer that question I had as a child.
“Why on earth isn’t the culprit caught in this movie?”
After all, since the culprit eventually turned himself in to the police, isn’t it difficult to argue that the detectives actually apprehended him themselves? This question is the central theme driving this analysis and, at the same time, a key clue that allows us to classify ‘Seven’ as a film noir.
Main Discourse
The desire to reach the truth is likely a problem as old as human history itself. Consequently, the exploration of this desire has taken various forms. Plato and Descartes emphasized that we cannot assume the reality in which we live is necessarily true. Plato suggested that humans might be beings who merely gaze at shadows within a cave, while Descartes, through his “dream argument,” questioned how we can prove that the reality we currently experience is not a dream.
Furthermore, he raised the possibility that an omnipotent demon might be perfectly deceiving humanity, arguing that even what we believe to be absolutely certain could be an illusion. This line of thought resonates to some extent with the philosophical concerns expressed by Zhuangzi and Laozi in Eastern philosophy. The question at the heart of this is: How can we be certain whether we are a person dreaming of being a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming of being a person?
However, Plato and Descartes ultimately believed that such uncertainty could be overcome through human reason. This is what is known as “rationalism.” In contrast, empiricism, which emphasizes experience, emerged as a counterpoint; later, Kant argued that while both experience and reason are important, truth cannot be reached through experience alone. Although such diverse positions exist in the history of philosophy, what is important is that humans have continuously sought various methods to arrive at the truth.
Furthermore, these differences in approaches to the pursuit of truth are clearly evident in the film ‘Seven’. In a film about tracking down a criminal, what can ultimately be called “truth” is the apprehension of the culprit. From this perspective, the two detectives, Somerset and Mills, approach the truth in entirely different ways.
First of all, their daily routines are in stark contrast. In the scene where they prepare for work, Somerset is portrayed as a very calm and organized individual. His clothes and belongings are neatly arranged, and he calmly puts them on one by one. In contrast, Mills’ morning routine is much simpler. All he does is slip a crumpled, pre-tied tie around his neck and say goodbye to his wife.
This difference is also reflected in their investigative processes. While Somerset quietly observes the crime scene and gathers information, Mills rushes to search the scene based on his own experience. Somerset is also the first to realize that this case is a series of murders based on the seven deadly sins mentioned in the Bible.
Furthermore, the two men display completely different attitudes as they investigate the seven deadly sins. Somerset tries to grasp the essence of the case by finding and reading relevant books at the library. Mills, on the other hand, merely ponders while looking at photographs of the crime scenes. This difference is further emphasized as scenes of the two men are cross-cut against a backdrop of classical music.
The scene where Mills, having taken Somerset’s advice to read Dante’s ‘Divine Comedy’ or Chaucer’s ‘The Canterbury Tales’, eventually snaps and shouts, “Fucking Dante!” clearly illustrates his attitude toward knowledge.
However, in the scene where they come face-to-face with the suspect and engage in a chase, their roles are reversed. Mills is the one taking proactive action, while Somerset appears relatively passive in situations involving physical danger. Of course, Mills also nearly loses his life while recklessly pursuing the suspect.
Similarly, this contrast between the two detectives is also evident in director Bong Joon-ho’s ‘Memories of Murder’. ‘Memories of Murder’ features Seo Tae-yoon, who prioritizes forensic science, and Park Doo-man, who relies on intuition, and the clash between these two characters forms a central pillar of the film.
Seo Tae-yoon is a detective dispatched from Seoul who values systematic investigation and documentation. He holds the belief that “documents don’t lie.” In contrast, Park Doo-man, a local detective, trusts his experience and intuition, sometimes even resorting to coercive investigative methods.
In this regard, one might find certain similarities between Seo Tae-yoon and Somerset, as well as between Park Doo-man and Mills. However, what is important is that both films share the commonality that, regardless of how they approach the truth, the detectives ultimately fail to uncover the complete truth.
In ‘Memories of Murder’, crucial clues keep disappearing. The footprints at the first crime scene are tampered with, and Baek Gwang-ho, a key witness, is killed during the investigation. The case descends into a mystery when it is revealed that the person considered the prime suspect is not the culprit after all.
‘Seven’ takes this a step further. From the very beginning, the killer has incorporated the detectives into his plan, and although the detectives resist in different ways, they are all ultimately driven into a dead end.
In the preceding scene, despite having interrogated those involved in the case, the two detectives find themselves frustrated in their respective spaces, having achieved nothing. This scene shows that even though the two men approach the investigation in different ways, they ultimately run into the same limitations.
Furthermore, the film consistently uses camera angles to imply that the criminal is in a position of superiority over the detectives. In the scene where the criminal attacks Mills, the shot is framed from a high angle looking down on him, while Mills looks up at the criminal through a blurred field of vision. This cinematography visually emphasizes that the criminal is not merely a criminal but a figure who overwhelms the detectives.
A scene that appears particularly toward the end of the film illustrates this dynamic most dramatically. Even though the culprit is kneeling with his hands bound, he is portrayed on screen as an intimidating presence. Although the events, which had unfolded in darkness throughout the film, finally shift to an open space bathed in intense sunlight, the culprit’s dominant position remains completely unshaken.
More importantly, the criminal’s decision to reveal himself is not the result of coercion but a choice he made of his own accord. Throughout the film, he remains one step ahead of the detectives and effectively controls the course of virtually every event.
This kind of ending, in which the criminal triumphs, is a common feature in film noir. One of the film noir movies that left the deepest impression on me was Roman Polanski’s ‘Chinatown’. In this film, the protagonist, Gittes, strives to uncover the truth and protect a woman, but ultimately, his efforts crumble in the face of a tragic ending. The woman dies, and her daughter falls into the hands of the villain. All Gittes can do is walk desolately into the darkness of Chinatown.
When we watch crime films, we naturally root for the detectives. We empathize with them, hoping they’ll catch the culprit. However, when we see the culprit go unpunished and the detectives left frustrated, the audience also experiences a sense of frustration and fear.
The first reason we might consider for this is that the film noir genre reflects the dark realities of its time. As mentioned earlier, classic film noir developed by reflecting the post-war anxiety and social alienation of the era. Even though the genre has evolved over time into what is known as neo-noir, the anxieties and contradictions of human society have not disappeared. Rather, they continue to manifest in new forms.
The city that serves as the setting for ‘Seven’ also illustrates these characteristics well. Although the film does not specify the city’s name, it is consistently gloomy and dim. It rains almost every day, and Somerset, a longtime resident of the city, feels a deep sense of disillusionment with the place. He has even gone so far as to give up his dream of starting a family because he does not want to raise a child in such an environment. In a world like this, an ending where the criminal triumphs actually feels more realistic.
The second reason can be seen as a reaction against the simplistic worldview presented in traditional Hollywood films. In typical crime thrillers, it is often portrayed as though all problems are solved simply by eliminating a villain who suddenly appears in a peaceful society. However, film noir views this approach as an excessive oversimplification of reality.
Real-life criminals may not be extraordinary monsters. On the surface, they may be ordinary people not much different from us. A scene in ‘Seven’, where the killer appears before the detectives disguised as a photojournalist yet no one suspects him, illustrates this point well.
Furthermore, we often believe that an absolute truth exists somewhere in the world. We think there is a firm truth—as emphasized by Plato and Descartes—that will resolve all confusion. This could be religion or a moral code. However, film noir questions that very belief. Does the absolute truth we believe in actually exist? And can humans truly attain it?
Unlike other film noir movies, however, ‘Seven’ does not end in complete catastrophe. The killer’s plan is virtually a complete success, and Mills loses what is most precious to him. Nevertheless, Somerset undergoes a significant change.
Throughout the early part of the film, he had wanted to leave the city after retirement, but at the last moment, he changes his mind. It is unclear whether this is because he realized something while working on the case with Mills, or because of the guilt he feels for failing to stop the killer. But he ultimately declares that he will stay in the city.
And he quotes Hemingway.
“The world is a beautiful place, and it’s worth fighting for.”
Somerset says he agrees with the second half of that statement.
This scene brings to mind the protagonists of ancient Greek tragedies. They suffer crushing defeats in the face of fate, yet they continue to fight to the very end. If we view the criminal in the film as symbolizing an inescapable fate or a divine entity, then Somerset, despite experiencing defeat, is demonstrating his resolve to fight again.
There is still no sign of hope in the city where he lives. Society remains corrupt, and crime will continue. However, he does not turn a blind eye to reality. Rather, having acknowledged reality, he resolves to remain within it and keep fighting.
And this attitude offers a more realistic form of solace than the traditional ending where the culprit is caught and everything is resolved happily. Real-world problems are not solved in a single stroke. That is why Somerset’s choice—to acknowledge the dark side of the world without giving up—comes across as even more compelling.
Conclusion
I didn’t fully articulate my thoughts on film noir earlier, but to me, film noir is ultimately “a genre that lays bare the dark side of reality even more starkly.”
Of course, I also enjoy the glamorous and beautiful films produced by Hollywood. However, film noir reveals the complex realities of life that cannot be explained by such an optimistic perspective alone. Therefore, through film noir, we can rebalance our one-sided perspectives.
Looking back, I tend to watch film noir more often than mainstream commercial films. If I had analyzed what exactly draws me to this genre, this article would have been even more interesting. However, since I cannot yet clearly explain the reason, in this article I focused on examining why film noir often chooses dark endings.
It is regrettable that, while analyzing the film from a genre perspective, I focused too much on narrative characteristics and did not sufficiently address the cinematography and visual aesthetics. This is especially true for a film with such an outstanding visual style as ‘Seven’.
However, from today’s perspective, ‘Seven’ is closer to a modern reinterpretation of classic noir rather than a direct continuation of its lighting techniques. Rather than relying on the traditional high-contrast lighting and deep depth-of-field seen in films like ‘Citizen Kane’ or ‘Chinatown’, it focuses on creating a sense of unease through an overall somber color palette and limited lighting.
The dark visuals that persist throughout the film, the incessant rain, the tension-maintaining score, and the spatial design that exerts pressure on the characters effectively establish the distinctive atmosphere of modern noir. Noir films do not necessarily have to follow the same visual formula, and ‘Seven’ can be regarded as having embodied the genre’s characteristics in its own unique way.
Overall, ‘Seven’ was a very impressive film, but there is one drawback: Tracy, the only significant female character among the main cast, was portrayed somewhat one-dimensionally.
Tracy is portrayed as a character who cannot even bring herself to easily reveal her pregnancy to her husband, so as not to burden him. This characterization might have felt somewhat conservative even at the time, and from today’s perspective, it may appear even more restrictive.
In contrast, the “femme fatale” characters that appeared in classic noir films—though often depicted negatively—sometimes demonstrated a stronger sense of agency in that they actively pursued their own desires and goals.
Of course, it’s possible that ‘Seven’ intentionally positioned Tracy from the perspective of an ordinary citizen and as a victim. However, it remains regrettable that the female character’s inner world and agency were not sufficiently explored.
Perhaps I reacted more sensitively to this aspect simply because I am a woman. Nevertheless, I look forward to seeing more complex and multidimensional female characters in future film noir productions.
