Entertainment
The 30 Best Movies Like ‘Se7en’ For More Psychological Horror
Se7en is such a dark and effective crime thriller that it’s very easy to overlook how silly the title is, given it replaces a “v” with a “7,” and so is seemingly pronounced “Sesevenen.” It was arguably David Fincher‘s first great film, and has a plot that follows two detectives going after a dangerous serial killer who appears to be committing a series of murders that are each based on one of the seven deadly sins.
It’s the sort of movie that’s proved to be influential and remarkably popular in the years since its release (even getting a 4k remaster), and at the same time, it’s possible to see certain titles released before Se7en as influencing it and its dark neo-noir narrative. The following movies all have certain similarities to Fincher’s 1995 film and are worth checking out for fans of dark, twist-filled, and sometimes stomach-churning crime, thriller, and mystery movies.
30
‘Resurrection’ (1999)
One of the many abstract police procedural films of the ’90s that were directly influenced by and inspired by the success of Se7en, Resurrection adds a layer of biblical allegory to its string of mysterious homicidal murders. The film sees a jaded detective set to take down a ruthless killer in Chicago, leaving behind ironic bible quotes alongside his mutilated and dismembered victims. The Easter-centric horror crime film is pretty compelling in its execution, even if far from the most original story being told.
Resurrection proves to be so similar stylistically and conceptually to Se7en to the point where it could be considered a ripoff, yet considering just how masterful Fincher’s magnum opus is, even a ripoff manages to feature some compelling attributes. There’s a pretty effective cast, with the likes of Christopher Lambert, Leland Orser, and even David Cronenberg in a rare acting role putting in a great performance. —Robert Lee
29
‘Strange Darling’ (2023)
One of the greater strengths of Se7en is how the complete picture of its narrative and wider messaging makes the earlier entries all the more beautiful and impactful with this newfound context, a facet similarly shared by modern cult classic Strange Darling. The film purposefully keeps information hidden from the audience through its non-chronological story, telling its chapters out of order for maximum impact in its story of a one-night stand turning into a deadly chase through the woods.
Strange Darling succeeds thanks to the core strengths of its two leads, with Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner giving exceptional, layered performances that evolve and change perspective as more information and knowledge is gained while watching the film. It makes for a highly entertaining mystery thriller that gets the audience hooked early on before delivering some truly great twists. The indie film made a large splash when it first released, with it easily being one of the best horror thrillers of the 2020s so far. —Robert Lee
28
‘The Bone Collector’ (1999)
Combining the absolute star power of Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie to create a pretty underrated crime thriller, The Bone Collector is about as classically executed as psychological crime thrillers get. The film sees Denzel as Lincoln Rhyme, a top homicide detective who is made incapable of working due to an injury that left him paralyzed. However, after a gruesome murder leaves other detectives without answers, Rhyme teams up with a rookie cop (Jolie) to put together the cryptic clues left behind at the crime scene to catch the serial killer.
“Se7en but paralyzed” doesn’t exactly seem like the kind of film that would be that exciting, yet the screen presence of Washington and Jolie, combined with an array of effective twists that play into the inability of Rhyme to actively see these crime scenes in person, makes for a pretty memorable watch. With an exceptional supporting cast rounding out the film, including the likes of Queen Latifah, Michael Rooker, and Bobby Cannavale, the film is easily one of the more underrated Denzel Washington films. —Robert Lee
27
‘Faces of Death’ (2026)
The original Faces of Death was one of the most controversial horror releases of all time, with its quasi-documentary style and sickening usage of real-life death footage making it an infamous icon of the era. However, in the modern era of social media, where users are subjected to horrifying gore and death and have grown completely desensitized to it, this modern reimagining of the classic film evolves it into a new beast entirely. It largely follows a slasher plot, with a serial killer recreating scenes from the original film with his victims and posting them online for massive notoriety, with a local content moderator setting out to stop his conquest of murder.
This type of socially aware messaging on social media in film has often times failed due to feeling half-baked in their execution and like the ramblings of an old person simply not understanding the digital age. However, Faces of Death is instead scarily tapped into the sickening details of social media culture and the gross part of human nature where users actively seek out such sickening material. Combined with an effective game of cat and mouse and some memorable twists, Faces of Death is a must-watch psychological horror film for the modern age. —Robert Lee
26
‘Fallen’ (1998)
Yet another underrated police procedural psychological thriller from the 90s with Denzel Washington in a leading role, Fallen certainly has much more abstract, fantasy elements than The Bone Collector. The film sees Washington as a homicide detective witnessing the execution of a serial killer, only for his murders to mysteriously continue. While initially believing it to be a copycat killer, they soon realize that something much more sinister and demonic is at play.
Combining together demonic possession and police procedurals doesn’t necessarily seem like it would be an effective combination, yet Fallen soars thanks to some truly memorable twists and turns and an exceptional cast who delivers across the board. Washington himself is great, yet it’s the support of John Goodman, Donald Sutherland, James Gandolfini, and more that truly turn Fallen into a horror fantasy gem of the era. The film also features an amazing twist ending that sticks with the audience, much like how Se7en‘s ending leaves such an undeniable impact. —Robert Lee
25
‘Frenzy’ (1972)
While Alfred Hitchcock made most of his movies at a time in history when there were certain restrictions in place content-wise, he was still able to craft his fair share of dark, morbid, and violent films. Frenzy, one of his last ones overall, did have the benefit of being made at a time when you could get away with showing a little more, ensuring that much of it still packs a punch 50+ years later.
There is a dark sense of humor to be found at the heart of Frenzy, but it is still pretty bleak and intense overall, following a chaotic chase to find the serial killer behind a series of murders targeting women in London. It’s worth a watch for anyone who likes a good crime/thriller flick and doesn’t mind the idea of things getting a little mean-spirited (again, in a somewhat funny way, at least at times).
24
‘Longlegs’ (2024)
Scratching the same sort of crime/thriller/horror itch that Se7en does, Longlegs is perhaps one of the more interesting horror flicks of the decade so far. There is a familiarity with the core premise, which involves the tracking down of a dangerous criminal, but there’s a good deal more to it than that, with various revelations made in the back half that help Longlegs get a little weirder and less predictable.
It’s also a movie that benefits from having a very strange Nicolas Cage performance, and he’s used the perfect amount here for the kind of character he plays. Elsewhere, Maika Monroe is very good in the lead role, and writer/director Osgood Perkins injects the whole thing with a ton of energy from a stylistic viewpoint. It’s an odd sort of blend of horror and crime, but a largely compelling one overall.
23
‘Spiral: From the Book of Saw’ (2021)
While it’s unlikely to be anyone’s favorite entry in the series, Spiral: From the Book of Saw is a bit over-hated. Yes, being on board with the fact that this is a Saw movie starring Chris Rock can be a bit of an obstacle, and there is a twist here that’s probably the least surprising of any Saw movie twist… but there’s an element on the police procedural side of things that helps it stand out.
In Spiral: From the Book of Saw, there are still some grisly traps and moments of ultra-violence, but it’s also a little like the first movie in that the investigation occurring around the traps/murders proves arguably more important than the other stuff. When the conclusion to the mystery underwhelms, it does hurt the movie overall, but before then, there’s a sense of brazenness and grit to this one that makes it more than watchable.
22
‘No Country for Old Men’ (2007)
A crime movie where there’s an intentional focus on those outside the law, and an emphasis on how those on the “right side” can’t do much, No Country for Old Men is as stunning as it is bleak. It’s all about the aftermath of a drug deal gone wrong, with one man stumbling across the site and taking a large quantity of cash with him, which makes him the target of a relentless assassin tasked with getting that cash back.
Even if you know how it ends, No Country for Old Men is unwaveringly intense for almost its entire runtime, with a central villain who’s a big reason for that continued sense of dread and/or outright terror. It’s not a feel-good movie by any means, but it is a remarkable film, and likely the best film adaptation of a Cormac McCarthy story to date.
21
‘8MM’ (1999)
Another film starring Nicolas Cage, alongside a noteworthy supporting cast that includes the likes of Joaquin Phoenix, James Gandolfini, Peter Stormare, and Catherine Keener, 8MM works fairly well as a dark and dingy mystery/thriller flick. Cage plays a surveillance specialist who comes across a reel of plastic film and discovers its contents might point to something incredibly disturbing. This, naturally, sets him off on a surprising investigation.
There is an element of traveling further into an off-putting underworld as 8MM goes along, and it can be fairly involving and suspenseful at times. The acting is also quite strong, at least compared to how the film’s written and directed… in those areas, 8MM can be a little disappointing. It doesn’t come together quite well enough to be a masterpiece by any means, but the stuff that works is generally strong enough to make it recommendable for those who like their crime/thriller movies dark.
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