David Fincher was made for 4K the way he embraced darkness in an oft imitated, rarely equaled way. But on 4K UHD, Se7en shows it’s not the cliche of dim scenes we see too much now.
The offices of Somerset (Morgan Freeman) and Mills (Brad Pitt) and their superiors are strategically lit, as are the graphic crime scenes they investigate. Light comes from lamps and you can see the room, but not everywhere is brightly lit. Of course, the light isn’t only from the lamps in the frame, but the movie lighting simulates the source.
The sharpness of Se7en is like when we saw DVDs for the first time. It’s really a beautiful film despite its grim subject matter. The rain soaked streets are palpable and highlight the contrast when the sun comes out on Sunday.
Silhouettes embody pure shadow when DA Talbot approaches a news conference or when Somerset chases a suspect down a stairwell. The well-known “What’s in the box?” finale features taut early morning backlight.
Surround sound effects contribute to the atmosphere with airplane and helicopter flyovers and the subway near the Mills apartment. Gunshots vibrate.
The 4K UHD still includes all the extras from the original New Line Platinum Series DVD. That means four commentaries, deleted scenes and behind the scenes looks at the film.