To reign in hell: David Fincher’s enclosed worlds of transgression

Abstract

David Fincher’s films often unfold in a dark environment in which characters confront situations and realities that challenge their idealized perceptions of the world. As a provocateur who likes to exploit the perversions that define humanity, Fincher constantly creates scenarios in his films that are meant to be uncomfortable for the audience. 1 The notion of imminent danger, manifesting in various forms, frequently imperils the very survival of his characters, as abrupt shifts in their perceived reality thrust them into challenging predicaments that ultimately shape their fates. Crossing the boundaries that define collective morality constructs and their materialistic effects on reality, the director’s narrative style is associated with the establishment of barriers that symbolically represent the inexplicable bitter realities of life in their most brutal and unforgiving form. His films juxtapose the classical signs of morality with modern structural institutions to contrast the differences between good and evil, and what is hidden under such a surface layer of representations is a much deeper insight into the uncertainty of the human condition.