Best Movies like Se7en (1995)

Zodiac follows the investigation of a serial killer whose cryptic crimes consume detectives and journalists over years, drawing connections to the methodical, obsession-fueled hunt found in Se7en, with both films centered on uncovering the identity and motives of sadistic murderers in urban environments.

Over the course of a decade, editors of the San Francisco Chronicle entice themselves in the murders of the Zodiac Killer. However, as time runs its course, interest in the case dwindles in the eyes of the professionals. The Killer stops interacting with the public. However, believing he has the answers, an amateur cartoonist from the initial sightings races against time to prevent what he believes is another murder. Zodiac is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 37m runtime, released in 2007 with an average rating of 7.5 by 11,714 people. The movie made an estimated total of $84,785,914 in the box office.

Prisoners involves a tense investigation into abductions and the psychological toll on detectives, paralleling Se7en's focus on personal cost, procedural methodology, and the moral struggles faced during the pursuit of a dangerous criminal.

After his six-year-old daughter is abducted, a desperate father takes justice into his own hands when he loses faith in the detective leading the investigation, setting both men on a collision course as the search descends into obsession and moral compromise. Prisoners is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 33m runtime, released in 2013 with an average rating of 8.1 by 13,302 people. The movie made an estimated total of $122,127,446 in the box office.

The Silence of the Lambs delves into the pursuit of a serial killer through the perspective of law enforcement, echoing Se7en's focus on profiling abnormal criminal minds and the challenging interplay between officer and perpetrator amid gruesome crimes.

Clarice Starling is a top student at the FBI's training academy. Jack Crawford wants Clarice to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a brilliant psychiatrist who is also a violent psychopath, serving life behind bars for various acts of murder and cannibalism. Crawford believes that Lecter may have insight into a case and that Starling, as an attractive young woman, may be just the bait to draw him out. The Silence of the Lambs is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 59m runtime, released in 1991 with an average rating of 8.3 by 18,250 people. The movie made an estimated total of $272,742,922 in the box office.

Memories of Murder depicts detectives grappling with an elusive serial killer and their growing desperation and frustration, mirroring the structure and emotional progression seen in Se7en's portrayal of a taxing criminal investigation.

A sadistic serial rapist and murderer of young women terrorizes a small province in 1980s South Korea. To prevent further crimes, three increasingly desperate detectives with conflicting methods race against time to unravel the violent mind of the killer in a futile effort to solve the case. Memories of Murder is a movie from South Korea in Korean, with a total 2h 11m runtime, released in 2003 with an average rating of 8.1 by 4,706 people. The movie made an estimated total of $26,000,000 in the box office.

Insomnia centers on homicide detectives working in unfamiliar, challenging settings as they pursue a murderer, emphasizing the psychological strain and ethical dilemmas that also define Se7en’s narrative.

Two Los Angeles homicide detectives are dispatched to a northern town where the sun doesn't set to investigate the methodical murder of a local teen. Insomnia is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 58m runtime, released in 2002 with an average rating of 7.0 by 5,410 people. The movie made an estimated total of $113,714,830 in the box office.

The Bone Collector traces the hunt for a serial killer through an investigative framework that combines deductive reasoning, partnership between detectives, and a succession of ritualistic murders similar to Se7en.

Lincoln Rhyme was the department's top homicide detective and leading expert in criminal forensics until an injury left him paralyzed, depressed, and incapable of working. But when a gruesome murder in Manhattan leaves detectives baffled, they call on Rhyme to help solve the mystery. Amelia Donaghy, a rookie cop whose quick thinking preserved a gruesome murder scene, is enlisted by Rhyme to be his on-the-scene forensics expert. With Amelia reluctantly acting as Rhyme's able-bodied go-between, the pair piece together cryptic clues the killer leaves behind at the scene of the crime, hoping to catch the grisly serial killer. The Bone Collector is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 58m runtime, released in 1999 with an average rating of 6.8 by 3,941 people. The movie made an estimated total of $151,493,655 in the box office.

Angel Heart shares Se7en’s noir-infused approach to a criminal case, immersing its protagonist in a dangerous quest involving layered secrets and a series of symbolic clues leading to disturbing revelations.

A down-and-out Brooklyn detective is hired to track down a singer on an odyssey that will take him through the desperate streets of Harlem, the smoke-filled jazz clubs of New Orleans, and the swamps of Louisiana and its seedy underworld of voodoo. Angel Heart is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 53m runtime, released in 1987 with an average rating of 7.1 by 1,764 people. The movie made an estimated total of $17,185,954 in the box office.

I Saw the Devil explores a relentless pursuit between a detective and a serial killer, focusing on vengeance and the psychological toll of confronting evil, elements integral to Se7en's investigation-driven structure.

Kyung-chul is a dangerous psychopath who kills for pleasure. Soo-hyeon, a top-secret agent, decides to track down the murderer himself. He promises himself that he will do everything in his power to take vengeance against the killer, even if it means that he must become a monster himself. I Saw the Devil is a movie from South Korea in Korean, with a total 2h 24m runtime, released in 2010 with an average rating of 7.8 by 3,092 people. The movie made an estimated total of $12,966,357 in the box office.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo revolves around solving ritualistic murders within a dark and conspiratorial atmosphere, employing investigative partnerships and cryptic clues reminiscent of Se7en’s central premise.

Disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist investigates the disappearance of a weary patriarch's niece from 40 years ago. He is aided by the pierced, tattooed, punk computer hacker named Lisbeth Salander. As they work together in the investigation, Blomkvist and Salander uncover immense corruption beyond anything they have ever imagined. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 38m runtime, released in 2011 with an average rating of 7.4 by 7,707 people. The movie made an estimated total of $232,617,430 in the box office.

The Pledge involves a detective promising to solve a disturbing child murder before descending into obsession, echoing Se7en’s exploration of personal fixation and the cost of trying to bring justice to an enigmatic killer.

A police chief, about to retire, pledges to help a woman find her daughter's killer. The Pledge is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 4m runtime, released in 2001 with an average rating of 6.6 by 1,237 people. The movie made an estimated total of $29,419,291 in the box office.

The Night of the Hunter explores the psychological pursuit of children by a killer, with a haunting sense of menace and cat-and-mouse dynamics parallel to the moral ambiguity and danger present in Se7en.

In Depression-era West Virginia, a serial-killing preacher hunts two young children who know the whereabouts of a stash of money. The Night of the Hunter is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 33m runtime, released in 1955 with an average rating of 7.9 by 1,865 people.

Manhunter follows an investigator delving deeply into the mind of a serial killer, employing psychological profiling and methodical case work that aligns closely with the investigative and atmospheric elements in Se7en.

FBI Agent Will Graham, retired after catching notorious cannibal Hannibal Lecter, returns to duty to engage in a risky cat-and-mouse game with Lecter to capture a new killer. Manhunter is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 0m runtime, released in 1986 with an average rating of 7.0 by 1,561 people. The movie made an estimated total of $8,620,929 in the box office.

Copycat centers on the pursuit of a serial killer who mimics infamous murderers, involving law enforcement figures caught in a web of psychological cat-and-mouse, much like the pattern-driven investigation in Se7en.

An agoraphobic psychologist and a female detective must work together to take down a serial killer who copies serial killers from the past. Copycat is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 4m runtime, released in 1995 with an average rating of 6.5 by 1,317 people. The movie made an estimated total of $32,000,000 in the box office.

Mr. Brooks explores the complicated duality of a seemingly ordinary man concealing a serial killer identity, tying into Se7en's preoccupation with hidden depravity and the implications of criminal compulsions.

A psychological thriller about a man who is sometimes controlled by his murder-and-mayhem-loving alter ego. Mr. Brooks is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 0m runtime, released in 2007 with an average rating of 6.9 by 1,916 people. The movie made an estimated total of $48,443,734 in the box office.

The House That Jack Built presents the story of a methodical serial killer, offering an episodic exploration of gruesome crimes that probe the killer’s twisted logic, reflecting Se7en’s structure of themed murders and philosophical inquiry.

Failed architect, engineer and vicious murderer Jack narrates the details of some of his most elaborately orchestrated crimes, each of them a towering piece of art that defines his life's work as a serial killer for twelve years. The House That Jack Built is a movie from Denmark in English, with a total 2h 32m runtime, released in 2018 with an average rating of 7.1 by 3,105 people. The movie made an estimated total of $5,566,776 in the box office.

End of Watch follows police partners closely as they confront violence and confrontations with criminal elements, highlighting camaraderie and moral challenges in law enforcement, much like the detective partnership at the center of Se7en.

Two young officers are marked for death after confiscating a small cache of money and firearms from the members of a notorious cartel during a routine traffic stop. End of Watch is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 49m runtime, released in 2012 with an average rating of 7.4 by 3,701 people. The movie made an estimated total of $55,078,146 in the box office.

Silence immerses viewers in a drama of spiritual and existential struggle, echoing Se7en’s thematic concern with good and evil, though approached through different circumstances and investigative dilemmas.

In the 17th century, two Portuguese Jesuit priests travel to Japan in an attempt to locate their mentor, who is rumored to have committed apostasy, and to propagate Catholicism. Silence is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 41m runtime, released in 2016 with an average rating of 7.1 by 3,359 people. The movie made an estimated total of $23,834,809 in the box office.

The Vanishing (1988) addresses the obsessive quest to unravel the fate of a missing person, presenting an unrelenting investigation and psychological suspense that align with Se7en’s structure of escalating clues and haunting consequences.

Rex and Saskia, a young couple in love, are on vacation when they stop at a busy service station. Saskia is abducted in broad daylight and three years pass with no answers or closure surrounding her disappearance. Rex has nearly given up all hope when he suddenly begins receiving letters from her abductor. The Vanishing is a movie from Netherlands in Dutch, with a total 1h 46m runtime, released in 1988 with an average rating of 7.4 by 842 people.

Gone Baby Gone unfolds as a moral and procedural police investigation into a child’s disappearance, presenting detectives with difficult ethical choices and layered mysteries in the spirit of Se7en's engrossing urban casework.

When 4 year old Amanda McCready disappears from her home and the police make little headway in solving the case, the girl's aunt, Beatrice McCready hires two private detectives, Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro. The detectives freely admit that they have little experience with this type of case, but the family wants them for two reasons—they're not cops and they know the tough neighborhood in which they all live. Gone Baby Gone is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 53m runtime, released in 2007 with an average rating of 7.3 by 4,253 people. The movie made an estimated total of $34,600,000 in the box office.

Fallen features a detective tracing a series of ritualistic murders, combining supernatural undertones with the persistence and darkness of a case that tests the limits of those involved, akin to Se7en’s thematic territory.

Homicide detective John Hobbes witnesses the execution of serial killer Edgar Reese. Soon after the execution the killings start again, and they are very similar to Reese's style. Fallen is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 4m runtime, released in 1998 with an average rating of 6.8 by 1,638 people. The movie made an estimated total of $25,232,289 in the box office.

M is centered on the citywide pursuit of a serial child murderer, spotlighting the tension between determination and uncertainty in criminal investigations that also form the backbone of Se7en’s story.

In this classic German thriller, Hans Beckert, a serial killer who preys on children, becomes the focus of a massive Berlin police manhunt. Beckert's heinous crimes are so repellant and disruptive to city life that he is even targeted by others in the seedy underworld network. With both cops and criminals in pursuit, the murderer soon realizes that people are on his trail, sending him into a tense, panicked attempt to escape justice. M is a movie from Germany in German, with a total 1h 50m runtime, released in 1931 with an average rating of 8.1 by 2,501 people. The movie made an estimated total of $35,274 in the box office.

Wind River presents a procedural narrative as investigators unravel a crime in a harsh environment, capturing the step-by-step uncovering of motives and suspects found in Se7en's depiction of methodical detective work.

An FBI agent teams with the town's veteran game tracker to investigate a murder that occurred on a Native American reservation. Wind River is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 47m runtime, released in 2017 with an average rating of 7.4 by 5,866 people. The movie made an estimated total of $44,998,252 in the box office.

From Hell leads viewers through the investigation of a series of gruesome murders inspired by infamous cases, intertwining historical context with a detective’s pursuit, a structure reminiscent of Se7en's successive crime scenes and elusive culprit.

Frederick Abberline is an opium-huffing inspector from Scotland Yard who falls for one of Jack the Ripper's prostitute targets in this Hughes brothers adaption of a graphic novel that posits the Ripper's true identity. From Hell is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 2m runtime, released in 2001 with an average rating of 6.7 by 3,052 people. The movie made an estimated total of $74,558,115 in the box office.

Death Note revolves around a series of meticulously planned murders investigated by determined law enforcement, built around cat-and-mouse dynamics and intellectual battles that reflect the investigative and thematic intensity of Se7en.

Light Yagami finds the "Death Note," a notebook with the power to kill, and decides to create a Utopia by killing the world's criminals, and soon the world's greatest detective, "L," is hired to find the mysterious murderer. An all out battle between the two greatest minds on earth begins and the winner will control the world. Death Note is a movie from Japan in Japanese, with a total 2h 6m runtime, released in 2006 with an average rating of 7.1 by 806 people. The movie made an estimated total of $29,667,169 in the box office.

Nightcrawler presents a dark vision of urban crime, focusing on the exploitation and documentation of violence, paralleling Se7en’s preoccupation with grim city settings and moral ambiguity.

When Lou Bloom, desperate for work, muscles into the world of L.A. crime journalism, he blurs the line between observer and participant to become the star of his own story. Aiding him in his effort is Nina, a TV-news veteran. Nightcrawler is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 58m runtime, released in 2014 with an average rating of 7.7 by 11,877 people. The movie made an estimated total of $47,425,835 in the box office.

Schramm investigates the disturbed psychology of its violent protagonist, drawing the viewer into the mind of a killer, a thematic thread also explored in Se7en through the eyes of both detective and adversary.

Lothar Schramm is a simple man with complex problems, yet he seems like such a nice guy. He works as a taxi driver and lives by himself where he is happy to answer his door to strangers and kill them outright. As with many shy loner types he has a problem dealing with women so he drugs them and photographs their nude bodies for sexual stimulation. He then murders his helpless victims and so goes the life of a deranged serial killer. Schramm is a movie from Germany in German, with a total 1h 5m runtime, released in 1993 with an average rating of 5.8 by 84 people.

Red Dragon involves a psychological battle between an investigator and a serial killer with ritualistic tendencies, sharing Se7en's focus on understanding criminal pathology and the trauma experienced by those in pursuit.

Former FBI Agent Will Graham, who was once almost killed by the savage Hannibal 'The Cannibal' Lecter, now has no choice but to face him again, as it seems Lecter is the only one who can help Graham track down a new serial killer. Red Dragon is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 4m runtime, released in 2002 with an average rating of 7.0 by 4,778 people. The movie made an estimated total of $209,196,298 in the box office.

Blood and Black Lace offers a string of stylish murders within a defined thematic pattern, using broad motifs and investigation, drawing a parallel to the methodical and motif-driven rampage in Se7en.

Isabella, a young model, is murdered by a mysterious masked figure at a fashion house in Rome. When her diary, which details the house employees' many vices, disappears, the masked killer begins killing off all the models in and around the house to find it. Blood and Black Lace is a movie from Italy in Italian, with a total 1h 28m runtime, released in 1964 with an average rating of 7.3 by 476 people.

Snowtown immerses viewers in the real-life aftermath and perpetration of serial murders, paying close attention to psychological manipulation and communal complicity, themes that echo the dark social explorations of Se7en.

Based on true events, 16 year-old Jamie falls in with his mother's new boyfriend and his crowd of self-appointed neighborhood watchmen, a relationship that leads to a spree of torture and murder. Snowtown is a movie from Australia in English, with a total 2h 0m runtime, released in 2011 with an average rating of 6.3 by 361 people. The movie made an estimated total of $1,349,387 in the box office.

Mystic River unravels the emotional and investigatory consequences of a heinous crime within a close-knit community, evoking the persistent moral reckonings and haunting aftermaths central to Se7en.

The lives of three men who were childhood friends are shattered when one of them suffers a family tragedy. Mystic River is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 18m runtime, released in 2003 with an average rating of 7.7 by 7,577 people. The movie made an estimated total of $156,800,000 in the box office.

Cure explores a series of unexplained killings investigated through psychological and procedural means, weaving in hypnotic suggestion and the question of motive, closely reflecting Se7en’s intertwining of crime-solving and probing human darkness.

A frustrated detective deals with the case of several gruesome murders committed by people who have no recollection of what they've done. Cure is a movie from Japan in Japanese, with a total 1h 51m runtime, released in 1997 with an average rating of 7.6 by 832 people. The movie made an estimated total of $234,821 in the box office.

Night Moves details a detective’s attempt to unravel a complex case clouded by secrets and personal frustrations, tapping into the investigative setbacks and brooding atmosphere found in Se7en.

Private detective and former football player Harry Moseby gets hired on to what seems a standard missing person case - a former Hollywood actress wants Moseby to find and return her daughter. Harry travels to Florida to find her, but he begins to see a connection between the runaway girl, the world of Hollywood stuntmen, and a suspicious mechanic when an unsolved murder comes to light. Night Moves is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 40m runtime, released in 1975 with an average rating of 6.7 by 370 people.

The Chaser focuses on the escalating search for a serial killer, blending procedural urgency with personal stakes for the investigator, much like the driven pursuit and thematic escalation in Se7en.

Joong-ho is a dirty detective turned pimp, who's in financial trouble as several of his girls have recently disappeared without clearing their debts. While trying to track them down, he finds a clue that the vanished girls were all called up by the same client, whom one of his girls is meeting with right now. The Chaser is a movie from South Korea in Korean, with a total 2h 5m runtime, released in 2008 with an average rating of 7.8 by 1,580 people.

10 Rillington Place reconstructs the methods and psychology behind real-life serial murders, offering a slow reveal of events centered on the interplay between criminal and investigation, matching Se7en’s careful structuring.

The story of British serial killer John Christie, who committed most or all of his crimes in the titular terraced house, and the miscarriage of justice involving Timothy Evans. 10 Rillington Place is a movie from United Kingdom in English, with a total 1h 51m runtime, released in 1971 with an average rating of 7.3 by 219 people.

The Vanishing (1993) examines the psychological torment and relentless searching experienced after a mysterious disappearance, paralleling Se7en’s themes of obsession and the cost of pursuing justice.

The boyfriend of an abducted woman never gives up the search as the abductor looks on. The Vanishing is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 49m runtime, released in 1993 with an average rating of 6.2 by 571 people. The movie made an estimated total of $14,543,394 in the box office.

Summer of Sam dramatizes a community’s unraveling amid a serial murder spree, focusing on the pervasive atmosphere of dread and the ripple effects on both investigators and citizens, much like Se7en’s city-wide tension.

Spike Lee's take on the "Son of Sam" murders in New York City during the summer of 1977 centering on the residents of an Italian-American Northeast Bronx neighborhood who live in fear and distrust of one another. Summer of Sam is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 22m runtime, released in 1999 with an average rating of 6.5 by 541 people. The movie made an estimated total of $19,288,130 in the box office.

Jagged Edge involves a legal investigation of a violent crime, highlighting procedural uncertainties and moral complexity during efforts to determine the truth, sharing thematic ground with Se7en’s exploration of justice and doubt.

After a wealthy heiress is murdered in her beach house, her devastated husband becomes the prime suspect. He hires a lawyer who hasn’t taken a criminal case in years, and as they work together, a complicated romance develops amidst the trial. Jagged Edge is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 48m runtime, released in 1985 with an average rating of 6.3 by 294 people. The movie made an estimated total of $40,491,165 in the box office.

L.A. Confidential traces the web of corruption and investigation in a major city’s police force, employing layered characters, intertwined cases, and shifting motives that echo the structural and thematic complexities of Se7en.

Three detectives in the corrupt and brutal L.A. police force of the 1950s use differing methods to uncover a conspiracy behind the shotgun slayings of the patrons at an all-night diner. L.A. Confidential is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 18m runtime, released in 1997 with an average rating of 7.8 by 5,634 people. The movie made an estimated total of $126,216,940 in the box office.

Bad Lieutenant involves a police officer’s confrontation with crime and his own downward spiral, tackling themes of morality, faith, and corrupted authority also interwoven into Se7en’s depiction of law enforcement struggles.

While investigating a young nun's rape, a corrupt New York City police detective, with a serious drug and gambling addiction, tries to change his ways and find forgiveness. Bad Lieutenant is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 36m runtime, released in 1992 with an average rating of 7.0 by 977 people. The movie made an estimated total of $2,019,469 in the box office.

The Boston Strangler charts the pursuit of a notorious murderer by detectives, capturing the procedural and psychological elements underlying Se7en’s case-driven storytelling.

Boston is being terrorized by a series of seemingly random murders of women. Based on the true story, the film follows the investigators path through several leads before introducing the Strangler as a character. It is seen almost exclusively from the point of view of the investigators who have very few clues to build a case upon. The Boston Strangler is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 56m runtime, released in 1968 with an average rating of 6.6 by 255 people.

Righteous Kill follows experienced detectives piecing together a string of murders, pairing themes of policing, loyalty, and the dangers of obsession that similarly emerge in Se7en’s exploration of detective work and morality.

Two veteran New York City detectives work to identify the possible connection between a recent murder and a case they believe they solved years ago; is there a serial killer on the loose, and did they perhaps put the wrong person behind bars? Righteous Kill is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 41m runtime, released in 2008 with an average rating of 5.9 by 1,373 people. The movie made an estimated total of $79,498,846 in the box office.