Se7en
A film about two homicide detectives' (Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt) desperate hunt for a serial killer who justifies his crimes as absolution for the world's ignorance of the Seven Deadly Sins. The movie takes us from the tortured remains of one victim to the next as the sociopathic "John Doe" (Kevin Spacey) sermonizes to Detectives Somerset and Mills -- one sin at a time. The sin of Gluttony comes first and the murderer's terrible capacity is graphically demonstrated in the dark and subdued tones characteristic of film noir. The seasoned and cultured but jaded Somerset researches the Seven Deadly Sins in an effort to understand the killer's modus operandi while the bright but green and impulsive Detective Mills (Pitt) scoffs at his efforts to get inside the mind of a killer...
Despite a moderate budget of $33.0M, Se7en became a commercial juggernaut, earning $327.3M worldwide—a remarkable 892% return.
Nominated for 1 Oscar. 29 wins & 44 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Se7en (1995) demonstrates precise story structure, characteristic of David Fincher's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 2 hours and 7 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 4.2, the film takes an unconventional approach to traditional narrative frameworks.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Detective David Mills
Detective William Somerset
John Doe
Tracy Mills
Main Cast & Characters
Detective David Mills
Played by Brad Pitt
An idealistic young detective who transfers to the city and becomes obsessed with catching a serial killer staging murders based on the seven deadly sins.
Detective William Somerset
Played by Morgan Freeman
A veteran detective on the verge of retirement who reluctantly mentors Mills while investigating the seven deadly sins murders with methodical precision.
John Doe
Played by Kevin Spacey
The brilliant and disturbed serial killer orchestrating murders based on the seven deadly sins to deliver his twisted message about society's moral decay.
Tracy Mills
Played by Gwyneth Paltrow
Mills' pregnant wife who struggles with adjustment to the city and provides emotional grounding for her husband.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Somerset meticulously prepares for his day—setting out his badge, knife, and pen with precision—revealing a man of order and routine in a chaotic world. His solitary apartment and methodical nature establish his isolation and world-weariness before his final week on the job.. The analysis reveals that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 14 minutes when The Gluttony victim is discovered—an obese man forced to eat until his stomach burst. The word "GLUTTONY" written in grease behind the refrigerator signals this isn't a random killing but the work of a methodical killer with a theological agenda. Somerset recognizes the signature of something far more dangerous than ordinary murder.. At 11% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 29 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 22% of the runtime. This reveals the protagonist's commitment to Somerset commits to the case, choosing to spend his final week hunting the killer rather than coasting to retirement. He begins researching the seven deadly sins at the library, actively engaging with evil rather than retreating from it. His choice to fight mirrors the thematic question the film poses., moving from reaction to action.
At 57 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 45% of the runtime—arriving early, accelerating into Act IIb complications. Of particular interest, this crucial beat John Doe's apartment reveals the full scope of his obsession—thousands of notebooks, photographs of victims stalked for years. The detectives realize they're not chasing a madman but a patient, methodical genius who has planned everything. The false victory of finding his lair becomes false defeat: Doe is always several steps ahead., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 86 minutes (67% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, John Doe walks into the police station, covered in blood, and surrenders. His hands are clean of prints—he's sliced off the skin. He offers to lead them to the final two bodies and confess, but only if Mills and Somerset take him alone. The whiff of death: Doe is in complete control, and his surrender is clearly part of his design., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 91 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 72% of the runtime. Mills and Somerset drive John Doe into the desert, leaving the city behind. A delivery van approaches with a package. Somerset intercepts it, finding a box. He opens it alone and discovers Tracy's severed head. The synthesis of the case becomes horrifically clear: Doe has orchestrated his own death as the final sin—Envy—leaving Wrath for Mills., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Se7en's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping Se7en against these established plot points, we can identify how David Fincher utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Se7en within the crime genre.
David Fincher's Structural Approach
Among the 9 David Fincher films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 5.9, showcasing experimental approaches to narrative form. Se7en takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete David Fincher filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional crime films include The Bad Guys, Rustom and The Whole Ten Yards. For more David Fincher analyses, see The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and The Social Network.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Somerset meticulously prepares for his day—setting out his badge, knife, and pen with precision—revealing a man of order and routine in a chaotic world. His solitary apartment and methodical nature establish his isolation and world-weariness before his final week on the job.
Theme
At a crime scene, Somerset asks a fellow officer if the victim's child witnessed the murder. When told the child was removed, Somerset says "Good." The other detective dismisses caring about such details. Somerset's concern versus the apathy around him states the theme: does caring still matter in a world drowning in indifference?
Worldbuilding
The unnamed city is established as a rain-soaked hellscape of urban decay. Somerset counts his final seven days until retirement while Mills arrives eager to prove himself. Their conflicting approaches—Somerset's weary patience versus Mills' aggressive ambition—set up the central partnership and the oppressive world they must navigate.
Disruption
The Gluttony victim is discovered—an obese man forced to eat until his stomach burst. The word "GLUTTONY" written in grease behind the refrigerator signals this isn't a random killing but the work of a methodical killer with a theological agenda. Somerset recognizes the signature of something far more dangerous than ordinary murder.
Resistance
Somerset initially tries to transfer off the case, not wanting to spend his final days chasing a serial killer. The Greed victim (the lawyer) confirms the pattern. Somerset debates whether to engage or walk away, while Mills pushes to take the lead. Tracy invites Somerset to dinner, beginning to draw him back into human connection.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Somerset commits to the case, choosing to spend his final week hunting the killer rather than coasting to retirement. He begins researching the seven deadly sins at the library, actively engaging with evil rather than retreating from it. His choice to fight mirrors the thematic question the film poses.
Mirror World
Somerset has dinner with Mills and Tracy. In their modest apartment, Tracy represents everything worth protecting—warmth, hope, the possibility of new life in a dying city. Somerset and Tracy form a quiet bond. She confides her fears about the city and her pregnancy, establishing the emotional stakes that will be devastated in the climax.
Premise
The detectives investigate the killer's elaborate crime scenes. The Sloth victim is discovered—a man kept alive for a year while wasting away. Somerset uses library records to identify suspects. They raid John Doe's apartment, discovering his meticulous journals and photographs. Doe escapes after a chase where he has Mills at gunpoint but spares him.
Midpoint
John Doe's apartment reveals the full scope of his obsession—thousands of notebooks, photographs of victims stalked for years. The detectives realize they're not chasing a madman but a patient, methodical genius who has planned everything. The false victory of finding his lair becomes false defeat: Doe is always several steps ahead.
Opposition
The Lust victim (prostitute killed by a bladed device) and Pride victim (model given the choice between disfigurement or death) demonstrate Doe's escalating theatricality. Tracy reveals her pregnancy to Somerset, asking his advice—she's terrified of raising a child in this city. The detectives grow more desperate as Doe remains untouchable.
Collapse
John Doe walks into the police station, covered in blood, and surrenders. His hands are clean of prints—he's sliced off the skin. He offers to lead them to the final two bodies and confess, but only if Mills and Somerset take him alone. The whiff of death: Doe is in complete control, and his surrender is clearly part of his design.
Crisis
The detectives grapple with Doe's offer. Somerset warns against it—Doe wants something from this arrangement. Mills is desperate for closure, wanting to end this. The lawyer negotiates Doe's terms. Somerset senses the trap but cannot identify it. They agree to Doe's conditions, driving toward an unknown destination with their prisoner.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Mills and Somerset drive John Doe into the desert, leaving the city behind. A delivery van approaches with a package. Somerset intercepts it, finding a box. He opens it alone and discovers Tracy's severed head. The synthesis of the case becomes horrifically clear: Doe has orchestrated his own death as the final sin—Envy—leaving Wrath for Mills.
Synthesis
Doe reveals he envied Mills' normal life and killed Tracy and her unborn child. Somerset desperately tries to stop Mills from completing Doe's design. Mills, destroyed by grief and rage, faces an impossible choice. Despite Somerset's pleas—"If you kill him, he wins"—Mills executes Doe, becoming Wrath and completing the seven deadly sins tableau.
Transformation
Mills is taken away in a police car, broken and damned. Somerset, who planned to retire into apathy, instead quotes Hemingway: "The world is a fine place and worth fighting for." He agrees only with the second part. The closing image inverts the opening—Somerset chooses engagement over retreat, finding purpose in the face of overwhelming darkness.