Complete Breakdown of Se7en (1995) – Ending Explained
Complete Breakdown of Se7en (1995) – Ending Explained
You have already heard about one thing of Se7en and that is not a typical crime thriller. It is shocking, dramatic and lingers in your head days after days. I will always remember when I first viewed it. I simply sat there a few minutes after the closing scene. No background music. No phone scrolling. Just silence.
In this blog, we will begin to deconstruct the movie in a simplistic manner and have a clear idea of the conclusion. There is nothing to worry about — I will tell you everything.
Summary of the Story That You Are in a Hurry to Read
The novel narrates the adventures of two policemen:
Detective Mills (Brad Pitt) young, emotional, aggressive.
Detective Somerset (played by Morgan Freeman) experienced, calm, and practical.
They are attempting to hunt a serial killer who is killing individuals according to the Seven Deadly Sins:
- Gluttony
- Greed
- Sloth
- Lust
- Pride
- Envy
- Wrath
Every killing is symbolic and planned. This is not random killing. The murderer is interested in teaching the society something.
The big question is — why?
Who Is the Killer?
It is the murderer John Doe (Kevin Spacey). But what is different about him amongst villains?
He is calm. Soft-spoken. Not shouting. Not angry.
It is what makes him even more terrifying.
John Doe assumes that there is moral depravity in society. In his opinion, sins are disregarded by people on a daily basis. And thus he chooses to play punishments on them in a very severe manner.
He does not think he is evil. He is carrying out the work of God in his head.
Such attitude is extremely harmful.
Comprehending the Seven Murders
And how, to our haste, each sin is demonstrated:
- Gluttony -A fat man is compelled to feed to his death.
- Greed -A attorney has no choice but to chop flesh off his body.
- Sloth - One year is spent when a man is bound to a bed.
- Lust- A terrible forced crime using a lethal machine.
- Pride - A woman prefers to die than live with her disfigured face.
Now we have but two remaining sins, Envy and Wrath.
And this is when the actual shock commences.
Why Does John Doe Surrender?
This is the part that is surprising the most.
John Doe does not take flight, he walks into the police station and makes a surrender. Calmly.
He tells him that he will take the policemen to the last two corpses.
Now think about this. A murderer who has spent several months planning it all stops? Something feels wrong.
And something bigger is on hand.
Desert Scene- Step-by-Step Breakdown
The last scene takes place in a deserted desert region. There is only Mills, Somerset and John Doe.
A delivery truck comes with a small box.
Somerset opens it.
His face changes.
He looks shocked.
We don’t see what is inside. That is very important. The director fails to demonstrate to us. He leaves our imagination at it.
Then gradually Somerset discovers the fact.
The box holds the head of his wife, Mills.
Yes.
John Doe killed her.
What Made John Doe Kill the Wife of Mills?
The most potent twist is now to come.
John Doe confesses that he had an envy over the normal life of Mills. He envied his happiness. His marriage. His simple life.
That is the sixth sin — Envy.
The very person of John Doe is turned to Envy.
Still he wants the seventh sin Wrath.
And he desires Mills to do it.
The Final Choice
Mills is broken. Angry. Crying. Shaking.
John Doe keeps provoking him. Serenely repeating that he was jealous of his life.
Somerset tries to stop Mills. He informs him that in case he kills him, he will win.
This is not only a revenge moment. It is about control.
By shooting John Doe, Mills would turn into the last sin - Wrath.
Unless he shoots, the plan of John Doe fails.
During some moments, we believe that Mills will restrain himself.
But he cannot.
He pulls the trigger.
Multiple shots.
John Doe falls.
And there goes the murder scheme of the murderer.
What Is the Ending All About?
This is such a strong ending in that:
The villain wins.
The hero loses control.
There is no happy ending.
Typically the films are characterized by good prevailing over evil. In this case, evil fulfills its task.
John Doe was interested in designing a message, which people will never forget.
And really we did not forget it.
The movie concludes with Somerset citing:
It is a nice place to live on the world and worth fighting over... I agree with the second part.”
Something important is demonstrated in this line.
Somerset believes in a battle that is good to fight in no matter how horrifying it is to the witness. It is that faint hope that shines through this gloomy movie.
What Is So Effective about Se7en?
Se7en is refreshing and unsettling even after several years.
Here’s why:
The gloominess of the environment makes you uncomfortable.
The wetness of the entire movie makes the atmosphere of the area depressive.
The bad guy is a smart and emotionally restrained man.
The ending is unpredictable.
I have seen a lot of thrillers, yet so few of them made me think this much. This film does not provide readily available solutions. It compels you to sit uncomfortably.
And maybe that is the point.
Instantaneous Description of the Conclusion
John Doe murdered 7 people and this symbolized the 7 deadly sins. The two latter were the sin that he committed on himself by killing the wife of Mills. Then he turned Mills to be like Wrath by pushing him to murder. The killer had his complete plan by shooting Mills.
That’s it.
Simple. Brutal. Effective.
Final Thoughts
Se7en is not just a crime movie. It is a psychological adventure. It demonstrates that anger, ego and emotions are capable of ruining good individuals.
The most frightening part? Super powers were not used by John Doe. He used human weakness.
And it is what makes this film unforgettable.
Also, don’t forget to subscribe to this blog for more deep movie explanations, hidden details, and thriller breakdowns. I will be writing more articles on dark cinema and psychological movies soon.
Tell me in the comments —
Did Mills make the right decision? Or should he have controlled his anger?
Let’s discuss 👇
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