A lot of Crime films that feature the villain win prove William Somerset's observation that the world is not such a good place at the end of David Fincher's Se7en right. Speaking of Fincher, he has actually made three crime films in the last thirty years that end with the villain victorious.
Se7en only had one on-screen murder, it disturbed audiences all over the world, and Fincher has continued to do so with several more movies. In particular, Se7en, Zodiac, and Gone Girl stand out as three Fincher movies that feature the villain winning in the end.
David Fincher Has Released Three Great Crime Movies Since 1995 That Have The Villain Winning In The End
Se7en, Zodiac, & Gone Girl Are Amazing Crime Thrillers
Throughout Se7en, detectives William Somerset and David Mills investigate murders that reflect the seven deadly sins. However, before they catch the murderer, John Doe turns himself in. Turning himself in is all part of John Doe's plan, so that he can get Mills to finish his murdering spree at the end of Se7en. By killing John Doe, Mills illustrates wrath, the final deadly sin of the movie.
It's A Relief David Fincher Didn't Direct Mission: Impossible III
Director David Fincher was originally supposed to direct Mission: Impossible III but dropped out. History proves it was the best move for both sides.
12 years after Se7en, Fincher directed Zodiac, in which reporters are also trying to figure out a serial killer's identity. However, unlike in Se7en, the serial killer in Zodiac never reveals their identity. Since Zodiac is based on real-life crimes, it is even more disturbing that the serial killer is never caught. Failing to catch the Zodiac killer means that the characters in the film will potentially be haunted for the rest of their lives.
While Amy Dunne is not a serial killer in Gone Girl, she is undoubtedly the villain of the movie. In the film, Amy tries to paint her husband, Nicholas, as the villain. Amy even manages to successfully manipulate the media at the end of Gone Girl. At the end of the film, after murdering her old friend and creating a false story of rape, Amy threatens that Nicholas' life would be in danger if he ever tried to get a divorce, which hauntingly showcases how she has trapped him.
Letting The Villain Get Away Is What Often Makes David Fincher's Movies So Interesting
Fincher's Films Are So Unnerving Because The Villains Often Win
By so often letting the villain win in the end, Fincher has cemented himself as one of the best thriller directors ever. John Doe, the Zodiac killer, and Amy Dunne all winning in the end makes Se7en, Zodiac, and Gone Girl even more fascinating on repeat viewings. Once everything is revealed at the end of these three films, viewers can go back and watch every scene in the movie more closely to see how it all comes together.
All David Fincher Movies |
RT Critics Score |
|---|---|
Alien 3 (1992) |
44% |
Se7en (1995) |
84% |
The Game (1997) |
77% |
Fight Club (1999) |
81% |
Panic Room (2002) |
76% |
Zodiac (2007) |
90% |
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) |
72% |
The Social Network (2010) |
96% |
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) |
86% |
Gone Girl (2014) |
88% |
Mank (2020) |
83% |
The Killer (2023) |
85% |
While the Zodiac killer remains more of a mystery in Zodiac, John Doe and Amy Dunne shockingly winning at the end of Se7en and Gone Girl have also cemented them as some of the most terrifying villains in cinema history. In many ways, these three films are very uncomfortable and unsatisfying. However, it is hard not to revisit them since they are so impeccably crafted by Fincher.
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Se7en
8/10- Release Date
- September 22, 1995
- Runtime
- 127 minutes
- Director
- David Fincher
WHERE TO WATCH
RENTBUYDavid Fincher's crime thriller Se7en follows the seasoned Detective William Somerset after he is assigned a new partner, the young and idealistic David Mills (Brad Pitt). The two find themselves investigating a deranged killer staging murders inspired by each of the seven deadly sins. On the hunt for the twisted John Doe (Kevin Spacey) before he can kill again, the two detectives soon discover that they're much deeper into the case than they realized.
- Writers
- andrew kevin walker
- Budget
- $33 million
- Studio(s)
- New Line Cinema
- Distributor(s)
- New Line Cinema
-
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Zodiac
10/10- Release Date
- March 2, 2007
- Runtime
- 157 minutes
- Director
- David Fincher
Cast
Robert Graysmith
David Toschi
WHERE TO WATCH
StreamingRENTBUYZodiac is a crime thriller directed by David Fincher, detailing the true story of the unsolved Zodiac Killer case. Centered on journalist Paul Avery, detective David Toschi, and cartoonist Robert Graysmith, the narrative follows their intersecting paths as they attempt to uncover the identity of the elusive murderer.
- Writers
- James Vanderbilt
- Budget
- $65 million
- Studio(s)
- Phoenix Pictures
- Distributor(s)
- Paramount Pictures
-
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Gone Girl
8/10- Release Date
- October 1, 2014
- Runtime
- 2h 29m
- Director
- David Fincher
WHERE TO WATCH
RENTBUYBased on Gillian Flynn's 2012 novel, Gone Girl stars Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike as Nick and Amy Dunne, a couple whose disintegrating marriage is rocked by Amy's sudden disappearance and Nick's suspected hand in it. As evidence begins to pile up against Nick, it eventually becomes clear with a shocking twist that all is not what it seems. Flynn also wrote the screenplay for the film, with David Fincher directing.
- Writers
- Gillian Flynn
- Budget
- 61 million
- Studio(s)
- 20th Century
- Distributor(s)
- 20th Century
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