What would you have done if you had Been Mills at the end of Seven ?

[Knightmare]

I recently watched Seven again and it always makes me think how would I have reacted finding out my pregnant wife’s head was in a box and the killer was right in front of me tormenting me to kill him . Im wondering what you guys would have done lock him up or would you have wasted him like Mills does becoming Wrath ? Knowing this was John Does plan from the start . I think finding out she was pregnant would have pushed most people over the edge .I would have wasted him regardless .

 

[batguy]

My thoughts, in order of appearance:

1. Shoot him in some painful & disabling places but try not to kill him.

2. This degree of calculation (on my part) is gonna undermine my temporary-insanity defense.

3. John Doe will probably feel victorious even if he survives. He just wants me to get violent.

4. He may have a fail-safe plan to kill himself (maybe kill me & Somerset too) even if I don't put a scratch on him. What if there are land mines around us right now? Snipers in the distance?

5. For all I know, killing him might be the only way that I survive this. Or maybe NOT killing him is the only way I survive this. Man, there's no telling with this psycho.

 

[bwayne64]

Be a better detective, and find him before he kills my wife and child. Is that an option. If not , probably do the same thing he did.

 

[Knightmare]

Be a better detective, and find him before he kills my wife and child. Is that an option. If not , probably do the same thing he did.

My thoughts, in order of appearance:

1. Shoot him in some painful & disabling places but try not to kill him.

2. This degree of calculation (on my part) is gonna undermine my temporary-insanity defense.

3. John Doe will probably feel victorious even if he survives. He just wants me to get violent.

4. He may have a fail-safe plan to kill himself (maybe kill me & Somerset too) even if I don't put a scratch on him. What if there are land mines around us right now? Snipers in the distance?

5. For all I know, killing him might be the only way that I survive this. Or maybe NOT killing him is the only way I survive this. Man, there's no telling with this psycho.

Y

Be a better detective, and find him before he kills my wife and child. Is that an option. If not , probably do the same thing he did.

I think John Doe choose Mills because he was able to get under his skin so easy posing as a photographer . He figured he will be able to push him to violence with killing his wife and unborn child . You're right though he had his chance to stop him prior . As a detective Mills pretty much sucks IMO . He should have been a regular patrolman . Somerset was the real Detective of the pair .

 

[belloq]

Make my partner face the other way. "Make" the perp grab my pistol and shoot himself in the head. Save the system a million dollars in trying the psychopath. Kidding not kidding.

 

[Moviefreak]

Make my partner face the other way. "Make" the perp grab my pistol and shoot himself in the head. Save the system a million dollars in trying the psychopath. Kidding not kidding.

Hand the perp your loaded gun and tell him to shoot himself... not you... and expect him to listen?

 

[ScourgiousJinx]

What Mills should've done is pull himself together immediately, smile cheek to cheek and nonchalantly say "Are we done here or are we going to cover some of the venial sins next?" Far easier said than done though.

Mills gave him exactly what he wanted- a reaction, his plan to succeed and his death which is stupid. Force him to live the rest of his days knowing his massive plan failed bitterly.

 

[belloq]

Moviefreak, absolutely not. But that would be the report, of course.

 

[Funky]

I would immediately give my sidearm to my partner then I would beat John Doe senseless until back-up got there to pull me away. Would he have survived my beating? Possibly. But it would give me some sort of release. I suspect better than instant death by gunshot.

 

[tcsmit29]

I would immediately give my sidearm to my partner then I would beat John Doe senseless until back-up got there to pull me away. Would he have survived my beating? Possibly. But it would give me some sort of release. I suspect better than instant death by gunshot.

That still would fulfill John Doe's plan though. The last sin was wrath if I'm not mistaken (its been a while since I've seen the movie). So any form of vengeance, anger, or rage would complete the plan.

 

[Funky]

I wouldn't be too concerned about what HE wants. In the moment I would just want some sort of revenge. If he sees my beating the hell out of him as wrath, so be it. I wouldn't care in the least.

 

[Knightmare]

I would immediately give my sidearm to my partner then I would beat John Doe senseless until back-up got there to pull me away. Would he have survived my beating? Possibly. But it would give me some sort of release. I suspect better than instant death by gunshot.

Thats one thing I would have done differently not killed him with the first shot . But if Mills did start taking him apart that could go against him in court if they charged him ? I dont see a jury siding with a mass murderer after what he did to Mills but who knows !

 

[Pepperbone]

Y

I think John Doe choose Mills because he was able to get under his skin so easy posing as a photographer . He figured he will be able to push him to violence with killing his wife and unborn child . You're right though he had his chance to stop him prior . As a detective Mills pretty much sucks IMO . He should have been a regular patrolman . Somerset was the real Detective of the pair .

1. The film gets better with age. I bought a Remastered Bluray about 10 years ago; it looks fantastic.
2. That staircase scene kills me every time. Mills' reaction, the fact that he yells out his name...I shake my head each time that scene comes up.
3. The '95 me (probably) would not have killed him. Especially having gone through the investigation with Somerset, knowing what his grand plan was. That's easier to say than to live through. However the '22 me, older, wiser, and much more aware of how unfair the courts can be, would have likely done what Mills did.

That being said, I do have a question adjacent to the one asked in this thread, if Andrew Kevin Walker and David Fincher were to re-team (they're currently wrapping up The Killer) for a 30 years later sequel: would it work?

I love how the movie ends, and I love how we don't know what happens to these characters. But...I still wonder, what if?

 

[Bigdaddy]

I would do the same thing Mills did, when his wife's face flashes in his mind.... yeah, I don't think I'd be functioning rationally at that point.

 

[The Goon]

Rather than kill John Doe I'd probably inflict some sort of injury that would impact him and cause discomfort for the rest of his life; shooting him in both kneecaps, for example. That way he gets his violence, I'd get it out of my system, and...uhh...Somerset can still say he wasn't directly involved so he, as the superior officer on scene, wouldn't face any disciplinary action.

Nah, scratch that. I'd kill John Doe just as Mills did. Don't **** with family.

 

[batguy]

That being said, I do have a question adjacent to the one asked in this thread, if Andrew Kevin Walker and David Fincher were to re-team (they're currently wrapping up The Killer) for a 30 years later sequel: would it work?

I love how the movie ends, and I love how we don't know what happens to these characters. But...I still wonder, what if?

Meh.

'Se7en' had a lot of potent stuff. But it was pretty much all spent by the end of the movie. The concept, the characters, etc.

Doing a sequel now, they would be starting from scratch in the creative sense. The old movie mainly provides some help at the business end of it.

 

[Pepperbone]

Rather than kill John Doe I'd probably inflict some sort of injury that would impact him and cause discomfort for the rest of his life; shooting him in both kneecaps, for example. That way he gets his violence, I'd get it out of my system, and...uhh...Somerset can still say he wasn't directly involved so he, as the superior officer on scene, wouldn't face any disciplinary action.

That's the thing about that story - and that moment in the story; it doesn't give time for the characters to think.
Mills doesn't have time to process what's been revealed, and even Somerset who's been cool throughout those 7 days (someone who's seen it all) is taken aback at that moment.

In that specific situation, in the middle of nowhere, with Mills' character and inexperience; emptying his gun in Doe's head was the only outcome.

--

Would he ever regret it?
In hindsight, would have preferred putting a round in his neck, then visit him and his wheelchair once a year to remind him that he failed?
I would. For Mills, we'll never know.

batguy
I agree.
It was great. End of story.
What ifs are fun to have.

 

[drusselmeyer]

This was all a Somerset moment. One time where the experienced detective was outwitted by the criminal and had no response. It could have been...

"it's just a mannikin head. It looks a little like Gweneth Paltrow. Nothing to see here."

 

[Bigdaddy]

This was all a Somerset moment. One time where the experienced detective was outwitted by the criminal and had no response. It could have been...

"it's just a mannikin head. It looks a little like Gweneth Paltrow. Nothing to see here."

" Nothin but a jade egg in there"