Analysis of Thriller Openings - SE7EN

Analysis of 'SE7EN'

Plot: aking place in a nameless city, Se7en follows the story of two homicide detectives tracking down a sadistic serial killer who chooses his victims according to the seven deadly sins. Brad Pitt stars as Detective David Mills, a hopeful but naive rookie who finds himself partnered with veteran Detective William Somerset (Morgan Freeman). Together they trace the killer's every step, witnessing the aftermath of his horrific crimes one by one as the victims pile up in rapid succession, all the while moving closer to a gruesome fate neither of them could have predicted.

The beginning of the opening sequence was of an establishing shot presenting the protagonist William Somerset lying in bed and then beginning to organise his clothes which suggest that he is fastidious and knowledgeable. As well as this, there is clear ambient sound within these shots that highlight the urban location the film is set in. It also illustrates how busy New York is and how the character is unable to comfortably sleep due to the ambience. As well as this, the aural mix is also layered over the rest of the audio and this increases the fact life in New York is straining and distressing. This shot of Somerset laying in his bed allows the audience to judge the character. The long shot illustrates the organised and neat items in his room. It also shows that the house is made just for him, suggesting that he is lonely.

Low-key lighting is also in this shot which allows the audience to understand that it is in the evening. This could be pathetic fallacy as the dim lighting relates to how the character is feeling. Somerset is seen to be an independent man with a routine lifestyle, however, the low key lighting in this shot could suggest that perhaps he is very unhappy with his life in New York. It could also indicate that Somerset's neighbourhood is run down and the opposite of homey. The ambient sound could also link to this as there are many different layers of this including voices, cars, sirens, animal noises and chanting. 

More shots are used such as a close up of Somerset's metronome and another close up of Somerset removing his glasses. These are straight-cuts and are used whilst ambient sound is continuing. A shot-reverse-shot of the metronome is apparent and this highlights a sense of mystery- a common convention used in thriller openings. It could link to Somerset being very introverted and therefore intriguing to the audience. After these shots occur, there is a black cut just after there is a slow tracking zoom onto the metronome. Then all audio stops and a title sequence occurs.

The title sequence is very intriguing and hints at the films' narrative. For example, numerous different shots of objects such as a book, art, blade, and a hand writing are demonstrated on the screen. These images are supposed to intrigue viewers as they hint at the psychological aspect of the film. The titles also highlight crime and they do this by using semantic field. Each of these shots are shaky which would have been edited in. Each shot of a specific object is cut up using black with titles over them. These titles include names of actors and actresses as well as other people who have been involved in the making o this film. The font of these titles appear to look similar to that of handwriting which could link to the clip of the man writing, or a significant part to the film. The white font allows it to show a clear contrast against the black background and makes it easy to read due to the more difficult sans-serif font. The shots of hands could suggest that of the antagonist and therefore increases the audiences' interest in the film and leave them wondering what the film narrative is and have them questioning from the beginning. As well as this, the music over the top is non diegetic and follows a typical convention of thriller films. The soundtrack is percussive and low-pitched. It also has no real rhythm or genre to it which indicates that the film is unique and hides various different parts to it. It could also leave the audience believing that it reflects the antagonist and how they are unstable and perhaps even insane, and therefore having the audience hooked. The music is incidental and the fact that it is unbalanced and even has aspects of screaming allows the audience to understand that the rest of the film will be just as distressing. 


As well as this, there are also various shots of a hand with scissors and cutting up various objects. The dangerous prop used also illustrates the fact that there will be unnerving events occurring in the film and the scissors may be a vital and significant prop used.

More images are displayed over the course of the clip, and one of the most disturbing would be of the blade and the fact it is used so that the potential antagonist can cut themselves with it. This enforces the lack of sanity and the fact that this man is mentally unstable and probably involved in the murder cases. This could potentially trigger audiences as it is very sinister and uncommon for thriller films. However, the close-ups highlight the contrast between this antagonist and Somerset.

Therefore, these disturbing images allow the audience to understand the concept of the film and therefore decide whether to continue watching due to the potential triggering side of it and the psychotic elements. The editing is non continuous and this is utilised to highlight tension and suspense as well as the audio which is high-pitched and percussive.


At the very end of the clip, there is a shot of an outside area with several white buildings surrounding it. This is a clear representation of low-key lighting. This is a convention of a thriller film and is clearly visible in this shot as well as others. This is a mid-shot as it displays numerous different objects. It is a still as nothing moves and it is the first shot before the film really begins. This shot also indicates the fact the urban city New York is full of gritty places, is noisy, and that it is a significant part of the film.




Sequence: