Movie Review: Zodiac (May, 2007)

During the late 1960s and ‘70s, Northern California was gripped by the ongoing investigations surrounding the notorious Zodiac killer. To this day the elusive serial killer remains unapprehended and the case was reopened in March of this year despite being marked as ‘inactive’ since April 2004. Great material for a slow burn thriller then and who better than David Fincher, who has previously brought visceral cops versus killer thrills to the big screen with Se7en (1995) to bring the story to vivid life. Fincher’s latest foray into the serial killer genre is a taut, atmospheric picture evoking such a strong sense of time and place that it’s impossible not to be instantly drawn in. Those expecting the glossy thrills of Se7en may feel slightly short-changed however as Zodiac is a movie that revels in the intricacy of details and authenticity, having more in common with films like All The President’s Men (1976) or LA Confidential (1997).
Zodiac is the darkest treat of the year, a film punctuated by starkly chilling murder sequences, real and spontaneous in their depiction of violence, they manage to be both minimalistic and shocking, the antithesis to the gratuitous, desensitising brutality portrayed in the likes of Hostel or Saw. In other words, effective in their own stripped down, perfunctory way.
At the heart of the movie are the fantastic central performances from the stellar cast. Mark Ruffalo is fantastic as the harried cop on the Zodiac case, Inspector Toschi, enveloped in the complex assignment to bring the killer to justice. Anthony Edwards offers solid support as his long-suffering partner, Inspector Armstrong. Robert Downey Jr. is typically reliable as acerbic journo, Paul Avery but best of all is Jake Gyllenhaal who is outstanding as the man who provided the movie’s inspiration with his brace of books based upon the Zodiac investigation, Robert Graysmith. Graysmith is a man who managed to be completely consumed by the Zodiac case, marginalizing his family and risking his own life, unearthing clues in an attempt to unravel the Zodiac killer’s identity. We’re there the entire way alongside him; helpless voyeurs watching a man and his family slowly fall apart as his obsession escalates. We’re there for the entire ride, through media hyperbole, red herrings, possible suspects, all leading up to the inescapable conclusion.
Zodiac may confound your expectations being unlike any of Fincher's previous work. It’s a deep and meticulous exploration of the men’s lives that were adversely affected by the eponymous killer. Two of these men, San Francisco Chronicle journalist Avery and editorial cartoonist Graysmith are brought to the fore as the recipients of the Zodiac’s infamous, menacing letters. Poorly spelt, boasting letters that ensured the Zodiac’s place in history despite committing just five confirmed kills. It was his taunting relationship with the media that perpetuated the ongoing myth of the Zodiac killer leading to numerous copycats, faked correspondence and movies like Dirty Harry (1971), which featured a maniacal sniper named ‘Scorpio’, based upon the Zodiac killer.

Zodiac is a spectacular achievement, Fincher dispenses with his trademark flashy directing style to deliver a master class in suspenseful moviemaking. Not only is it an ambitious and fully realised piece of cinema, but it is both challenging and enthralling as well as beautifully shot and flawlessly acted. At two and a half hours long it should feel like a draining slog yet it never does, thoughtfully slow-paced it still manages to effortlessly keep you hooked for the duration. Riveting.
****

Zodiac is out on DVD in the UK on 24th September.