Se7en follows the grim and unsettling investigation of two detectives, William Somerset and David Mills, as they attempt to solve a series of murders connected to the seven deadly sins. Somerset, an experienced and world-weary detective on the verge of retirement, is reluctantly partnered with Mills, a younger and impulsive officer eager to prove himself. Their personalities clash from the start, but they are forced to work together when the first murder hints at a killer with a methodical and symbolic purpose. Set in a bleak, unnamed city plagued by constant rain and decay, the film establishes a mood of hopelessness that mirrors Somerset’s disillusioned worldview.
The first crime scene reveals a victim representing gluttony, a man forced to eat until his body gives out. Soon after, another victim is discovered, this time a wealthy lawyer compelled to carve a pound of flesh from himself to atone for greed. Somerset quickly realizes these murders are part of a larger pattern tied to the seven deadly sins, and he fears the killer has a long-term plan that will be nearly impossible to stop. Mills, dismissive at first, becomes more invested as the brutality of the crimes grows increasingly personal and psychological. Together, they dive into the dark underbelly of the city, trying to anticipate the killer’s next move.
As the investigation progresses, Somerset and Mills face the emotional toll of confronting humanity at its worst. They explore abandoned buildings, meticulously staged crime scenes, and the twisted writings the killer leaves behind. Somerset’s careful research contrasts sharply with Mills’s fiery impatience, highlighting two very different approaches to justice. Still, their partnership deepens as they recognize how much they need each other to face a villain who seems always one step ahead. The city itself becomes another antagonist, smothering them in apathy and violence.
The case intensifies when they discover victims representing sloth and lust, each murder crafted to expose a moral failing with horrifying precision. The killer’s philosophy becomes clearer: he sees himself as an instrument of divine judgment, punishing a sinful world that has lost its moral compass. Somerset tries to warn Mills that they are being drawn into a grander design, but Mills refuses to believe that a single man could control events with such precision. He remains determined to catch the killer and end the nightmare.
Then, in a shocking twist, the killer—John Doe—turns himself in. Calm, composed, and chillingly articulate, Doe reveals that two sins are still unpunished and insists on leading the detectives to the final act of his masterpiece. Against Somerset’s instincts, they agree, driving with Doe to a desolate stretch of land outside the city. There, a delivery truck arrives with a box that Somerset opens in horror: inside is the severed head of Mills’s wife, meant to symbolize Doe’s envy of Mills’s normal life.
Overcome with despair and rage, Mills becomes the embodiment of the final sin—wrath—by killing John Doe in cold blood. The killer’s plan is complete, leaving Somerset to confront the tragic consequences of a world where hope and justice seem painfully fragile. The film ends with Somerset choosing not to retire, clinging to a belief that he must continue fighting, even in a place where darkness often wins.
