12 Best David Fincher Movies

'What's in the box?' The film that instantly catapulted Fincher to master director status. Se7en is a chilling, grimy nightmare about sin, moral decay and human horror. Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman form a rock-solid duo, but it's Kevin Spacey's chilling performance that haunts you for years. The atmosphere, the direction, the shocking climax: everything is perfect.

A film that defined a generation. Beneath the rough exterior of soap and punches lies an existential crisis about masculinity, consumerism and identity. Brad Pitt is unforgettable as Tyler Durden, and Edward Norton delivers a tour de force. Ironic, stylish and with a twist that made film history.

If you thought a film about Facebook would be boring, you don't know David Fincher. A bitter, razor-sharp drama about ambition, betrayal and building an empire unfolds at breakneck speed. Aaron Sorkin's brilliant dialogue blends seamlessly with Fincher's tight direction, Jesse Eisenberg is superb as the cool Mark Zuckerberg and the Reznor and Ross soundtrack is legendary.

A film that slowly swallows you. Fincher immerses himself completely in the true story of the Zodiac Killer, building a searing reconstruction of paranoia, obsession and failure. Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr. and Mark Ruffalo shine in a film where every detail is right and which only seems to grow in stature over time.

One of the darkest portraits of marriage in modern cinema. What starts as a whodunit grows into a razor-sharp dissection of media, manipulation and power in relationships. Rosamund Pike is mesmerizing as Amy, and Ben Affleck plays perhaps the best role of his career. Typical Fincher: cool, perfectly directed and ominous until the last second.

Michael Douglas gets caught up in a dark, bizarre game that increasingly takes over his reality. The Game is a brilliantly clever mind-bender full of twists, tension and Fincher's trademark grimness. Maybe not his most famous film, but definitely an underrated gem.

Fincher dives wholeheartedly into the Scandinavian chill of Stieg Larsson's bestseller. The murder case is strong, but it's Rooney Mara's iconic role as Lisbeth Salander that gives this adaptation its power. Gruesome, dark and stylish: exactly what you want from Fincher.

A cold, methodical look into the life of a hitman. Fincher lets Michael Fassbender shine in a minimalist, clinical thriller about control, mistakes and the will to survive. A slow but precise film that keeps itching under your skin.

A technical tour de force with Jodie Foster and a very young Kristen Stewart. Panic Room is tight, claustrophobic and full of visual bravado. Not Fincher's deepest film, but a masterclass in building tension and camera control.

A love letter to old Hollywood and to Fincher's own father, who wrote the script. Mank is a black-and-white gem about egos, politics and film history, carried by a superb Gary Oldman. Different from his other work, but stylistically polished to perfection.

A rare foray into sentiment. Brad Pitt lives his life backward in an epic tale of love, loss and time. Visually impressive, but also a bit distant, especially compared to Fincher's sharper work.

Fincher's directorial debut was a battle with the studio, and it shows. Still, his visual flair and taste for existential despair are already visible. The film is uneven but has moments of dark beauty, and Sigourney Weaver was rarely so intense.