Opening two minutes analysis of Se7enStarts with a black screen fading into the film, in an unidentified city with a man at the sink pouring his coffee away . This

gives the impression of him being a working man, and would not connote that the film is a psychological thriller, it represents a normal life as it could be any genre of film – however this is conventional of a thriller as they are normally set in houses in thrillers, as a house is normally a home, and a place to escape, which is the binary opposite in a thriller. The

use of diegetic noise in the background of police sirens and car horns has connotations of hectic everyday life. We can also hear other people’s voices which may resemble that the man lives in an apartment, this does not appear to be a

psychological thriller yet, as usually the characters are in isolation and are separated from everyone else. As soon as we are familiar with the man that we are introduced to, he walks out of the frame. This is useful in a psychological thriller, as the film does not allow the audience close enough to know about the character or inform us about the plot, which makes

the audience feeling uncomfortable, as they are totally unaware of what will happen next and creates tension and suspense whilst watching the film., as the first character we are introduced to is obscured and hidden away from us, we

cannot see where he is going, which creates ambiguity. When the man walks out of the frame, he is unbuttoning his cufflinks – which connotes that he is a working man, perhaps after a long day at work and is needing to unwind. This is

odd in a thriller genre, as usually normality is not portrayed, or if it is, it is to juxtapose against the psychological minds of the characters in thrillers. This could be what is happening in Se7en.

The next scene is of the man at the mirror getting ready to go to work, he is portrayed as being very precise and neat, as if he cares about his appearance. This is portrayed by the slow panning shot of up to his face, the audience gets to know who he is, as thrillers focus a lot more heavily on characters conventionally rather than the film plot.

The next shot is a medium close up, so we as an audience can see exactly what he is doing and we can see that he has ordered everything he is going to take out to work with him and lined them all you up, this shows that he is controlled and organised; and this is also typical in psychological thrillers as it represents the character’s fractured psyche and their states of mind. The film is about murder, so as an audience we assume the murderer could possibly be this man, as because he is so meticulous, it could be useful in carrying out murders as it would cover up the tracks.

It then cuts to a low angle shot filmed behind the man, picking up his suit jacket off of the bed and picking off some fluff or dust. This connotes that he is immaculate and that he is a perfectionist, and that he takes time to do it his way. Throughout the man’s face is obscured from our view, this adds to the ambiguity created by the film not being clear as to what genre it is.

All this seems normal , but when the next scene comes on, we, as the audience start to wonder why the man took so much time and care into his appearance and what he took with him when the next shot presents to us that someone has died. This raises questions why wasn’t the man in a rush, you would think that you would want to get there as soon as possible.

The next shot is a close up of an obese man lying on the floor, and there is a pool of blood around him, due to the dialogue in the background, we assume that the man is part of the police. When the men are talking about a gun, it insinuates the dead man was murdered, this creates tension in the audience which is enjoyable and pleasurable as to what they expect in a thriller. This is effective in a psychological thriller as the film has just started but already there is a death and grotesque images. It makes the audience think and start to wonder who the man is which is also used a lot in thrillers. The use of the canted angle paired with the panning upwards, causes the audience to wonder what they will see in the panning shot, this represents all the connotations of everything not being what they seem or appear, as canted angles are usually used to represent that there is a disequilibrium or a moment of disorientation: this is presented clearly to the audience due to the fact that there is a dead man lying in a pool of blood.

The use of colour is very effective in presenting that it is a thriller, with grim colours used which symbolises the darkness and complexity of the storyline. The blood on the dark floor gives the audience the impression of something really human and destroyable; which makes the audience wary of who to trust in Se7en. The use of the shadows create mystery as it is unknown as to what is in them. This creates suspense in the audience which is successful as a thriller.

When Detective Somerset asks another detective a simple question, he gets very agitated and “Did the kid see it?” “You know we are all gonna be real glad when we get rid of you Somerset.” we as an audience wonder why he is so temperamental and why he’s looking forward to Somerset leaving the force so much. This is a binary opposite of patient and impatient, connoting conflict which then creates tension in the audience.

The next shot is a man running up the stairs, we wonder who he is and why is he used in a psychological thriller as he seems to have casual body language, and posture, and a nonchalant air about him; this is achieved by him smirking and chewing gum whilst talking.

The mise en scene used in Se7en is dark and gloomy with other colours used such as dark green, give the film a really depressing feel to it. The police tape in the background makes it seem official and it is also evident to the audience that it isn’t the usual setting or location, usually psychological thrillers are not set in urban areas, this is not conventional which is what Se7en is trying to achieve; to break all the natural conventions of a regular psychological thriller. When Detective Somerset is talking to Detective Mills about going to the bar, this is also strange in a psychological thriller as there isn’t usually any contact with the outside world, it is a pursuit or a struggle between a few characters.

Mills is also presented as being quite laidback and careless, as he stops and stares and turns around, to watch a woman walk by, Mills smirks and is not paying attention to Somerset, who is more strict and uptight. The juxtaposition between these two characters may symbolise the casual appearance of the film, when there is really something more complex underneath.

Somerset is more superior when him and Mills engage in conversation and audiences can see the contrast between both characters. Somerset walks in front first, leaving Mills to catch up, and he also takes up more of the screen, which asserts his dominance and makes it clear to the audience that he has a higher status than Mills. Mills is very temperamental, and distracted easily whereas Somerset is more focused on his work; this is presented when passers-by barged into Mills, he gets annoyed, and even turns back, which appears confrontational, of which is not conventional of a thriller.

When Somerset asks Mills why he came to work there, and why he chose that place to live, as an audience we start to wonder what’s so significant about choosing to live there, and why Somerset is so adamant that it the unspecified place that they are in, is not a good place to live: “Why here?”. It also raises questions as to why Somerset is retiring.

You actually fought to get re-assigned here” …“You just met me” makes the audience wonder what is so bad about the place that Detective Somerset is trying to dissuade Detective Mills not to stay. At first Somerset has more dominance between the two characters, but then Mills steps forwarding narrowing the difference in power and importance. This may represent what happens in the film also.