How police are portrayed in the media is often a point of discussion when it comes to how we think about the police force in general. Our thoughts and feelings about what those who are part of the police force do are often dictated based on not only what we see in the media that is close to us (local news), but also the media that is fictitious, such as film and television shows. In Media and Crime in the U.S, the author writes, “But while a specific media effect may be difficult to isolate in a world that is increasingly characterized as multimedia-saturated, we should not dismiss the idea that the media play some part in the distribution of fear. While not reducible to cude causes and ‘effects,’ media consumption is centrally implicated in the routines and practices of everyday life and is inextricably interwoven in people’s biographies and the stories they tell about themselves.” (Jewkes, p. 153) Our view of the police force and those working in it, especially when we, as the audience, are only basing what we know off of what we have seen in the media, often comes into question when we, as a society, discuss topics such as reformation, defunding the police and holding officers accountable when they have done something wrong. In taking a closer look at the films and television shows we watch, we can learn more about how and why we form certain ideas (both positive and negative) about the police.
The film I chose to analyze in order to perhaps further understand some of the thoughts and ideas I have about the police is Se7en (1995) dir. David Fincher. In this film, we follow two homicide police detectives (Detective William Somerset and Detective David Mills) as they attempt to catch a serial killer who is seemingly targeting people he believes to be living sinful lives. As he murders them, he assigns them one of the “seven deadly sins” which correlates to the behavior the killer finds to be sinful and worthy of their death. However, as these detectives continue to try and solve this case together, they begin to bond with one another. Detective Somerset (Detective Mills’ senior) not only becomes closer with his co-worker, but also with Detective Mills’ wife. As the story comes to an end, we see these two detectives catch the killer, however, there is a sort of standoff as Somerset and then Mills both discover that the killer has murdered Mills’ wife. Completing the killer’s plan of exemplifying the seven deadly sins within our own modern society, the killer represents envy as he envied Mills’ life with his wife (his reason for murdering her). Mills’ actions then represent wrath as he shoots and kills the killer after learning what he has done to his wife.
In terms of what frames and narratives are presented within Se7ven via the symbols, language and iconography used, we see that both of these detectives are often wearing suits and trench coats. Their clothing never really appears to make them seem either necessarily ominous or friendly. Instead, they both usually dress in both neutral colors and clothing, making them seem as if they blend into their environment rather easily while still seeming to present to the audience the classic “wearing a trenchcoat and a fedora” detective-look. However, we do see both of them with their suit jackets/trench coats off and they are usually wearing their shoulder gun holsters. In Media and Crime in the U.S, the author states, “How might the police uphold law and order without resorting to violent “dirty” means? Of course, others challenge this view (perhaps beginning with the German sociologist Max Weber in 1918), noting that violence always underlies state power, rendering policing the dirty profession par excellence (Neocleous, 2000). It is no coincidence that Dirty Harry appeared at a time when policing began to noticeably shift, symbolically at least, from police on the beat to aggressive, heavily armed officers who patrol the city from cars and helicopters (Herbert, 1997).” (Jewkes, p. 153) As stated previously, we really only see these detectives in a casual setting with their weapons on them in a few scenes. However, in the action sequences, there are shootouts where the perpetrator is being chased by both of the detectives. Even in these scenes, the detectives’ guns are never made to be the centerpieces of what makes these two “intimidating” and never are we made to feel like they are making the wrong choice in shooting at or chasing the perpetrator down. Instead, the guns themselves seem to be moreso a means to help these men in catching the man they are after. We also see at the end of the film, the detectives and their perpetrator being circled by helicopters as they question the killer about what he is doing/has done. The whole time, the officers in the helicopter are making sure to keep the killer in their crosshairs, with one even being sure to command that no one take their aim off of the killer. This turns into a rather violent confrontation, with the killer being hit across the face and then shot. Though we’re made to believe that these actions are justifiable, we also see Detective Somerset attempting to stop his partner from acting violently towards the killer. In terms of the language used, I noticed Detective Mills use terms such as “son of a bitch,” “sicko,” and “freak” fairly often throughout the film. This gives us a strong sense of how Mills believes that he is better than and more of a “normal” person when compared to the man he’s trying to catch. However, Detective Somerset often corrects Mills’ usage of these terms and reminds him that though the killer is disturbed, he is incredibly intelligent and should be thought of as such. Somerset reminding Mills of this makes him more likable, as he’s attempting to humanize the killer and to truly understand him and therefore, this makes him seem like he is very good at his job.
When looking at the “common” ideologies or values promoted in this film, I would say that we see something prevalent in most films where there are two people working closely together—that these people bond over time and become friendly with one another. Especially considering these two characters in this film start off seeing each other as a challenge and as getting in each other’s way, to see them become close in their work environment and to see this further humanize the two of them makes us not only root for their friendship but for their endeavor to find the killer to be a success. In Media/Society, Croteau writes, “Family and heterosexual relationships are central to the plots of many films, music videos, and television programs, ensuring that women (unlike people of color) are regularly included in these media. However, reviews of the extensive literature on gender and the media reveal an inequality in the frequency of appearance of women and men.” (Croteau, p. 276) As mentioned previously, Mills’ relationship with his wife is central to not only his relationship with Somerset but also the events at the end of the film. However, even though this character is so important, we hardly see very much of her and when we do, it’s always with or having to do with her husband. Even as the film is ending and the main dramatic climax of the film has to do with her death, we never actually see her, only the killer speaking about how her murdered her. Therefore, it’s clear to see that this film appears to promote familial relationships, as Detective Mills, his wife, his unborn child and his new friend and coworker all play important roles in the story, as well as in the case Mills is trying to help solve, even though Mills’ wife is perhaps disproprotionately shown throughout the film.
In reflecting on the following statement, “Police work is commonly said, meanwhile, to be the most overrepresented profession in prime-time television; likewise, the police disproportionately populate the columns of everyday crime news, the chapters of mystery novels, the action-adventures genres of Hollywood film. Not surprisingly, then, an American child’s first idealization of political order, theorists of democratic socialization tell us, is liable to be the mythical beat cop, even ahead of heroic fireman.” (Wilson, 2000, p. 2) I would agree with the fact that police work has seemed to be prevalent in most of the media I have consumed growing up. Especially in prime-time television, I would say that the majority of television shows I watched with my parents were related to the police or crime in some way. I would also say that it often feels shocking to learn that police are not doing their jobs properly, as I was socialized to believe that police are honorable people who will stop at nothing to catch the “bad guy” and make sure that they are brought to justice. I believe that in the film I chose to analyze, Se7en, certainly draws on these ideas and further shines a positive light on the police force. We see the two main characters as an older man about to retire from his job and working hard to solve the case he is assigned (Somerset) and a younger man about to start his own family, eager to solve his first case at his new job (Mills). Both of these characters are incredibly human and at some points, their mortality is tested, as Mills is shot and almost killed in an alley in one of the chase sequences in the film. It’s rather difficult to think of these two as menacing or ominous forces when they seem like they could be someone close to us (the audience) or even us, ourselves.
When reflecting on the media and its influence on our thoughts and ideas about the police force, it is easy to see that in most cases, the police are shown to be “the good guys” more than they are shown to be otherwise. In analyzing Se7en, I felt that I was more aware than ever of how humanized police officers and members of the police force can be and how they are often shown to not only be non threatening, but family men (in the case of Se7en, where both characters are men. I do not recall seeing a female officer in the film at all) who are passionate about their work, intelligent and respect those they are investigating. Even watching them shoot wildly in apartment buildings with tenants inside the building or causing car accidents in their attempts to catch their perpetrator, as an audience, we feel these actions are justified as these detectives are simply doing their jobs. Not only are they doing their jobs, but we feel that we understand their character as people and we can empathize with them knowing that they wouldn’t purposely hurt anyone as they’re causing accidents and shooting down long, narrow corridors. This could easily translate to how we feel about the police force in reality, especially if we have never had much contact with the police outside of what we have seen in films and television. To see an officer abusing their power and doing their job incorrectly is always shocking when we assume that we know these people as characters from the media we have consumed.
Works Cited
Croteau, D., Hoynes, W., & Childress, C. (2022). Media/Society: Technology, industries, content, and users. SAGE.
Jewkes, Y., & Linnemann, T. (2018). Media and crime in the U.S. Sage.