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Zodiac [2007]
from Warner Home Video
starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Elias Koteas, John Carroll Lynch, Dermot Mulroney, Donal Logue
directed by David Fincher

Features:

• PAL

Editorial Review:

Watching Zodiac with Se7en and Fight Club in mind might disappoint those expecting a typical David Fincher movie, but his exploration of a serial killer’s reign across 70s San Francisco is highly rewarding, provided you’re willing to put in the (2 and a half) hours. The Zodiac killer submitted citizens of California to everything from fear to mild bemusement for the better part of a decade with his media-baiting ciphers and acts of terrible violence. Meanwhile reporters, police and an obsessed cartoonist named Robert Graysmith spent those years trying and ultimately failing to put a face to the name. Fincher’s own fascination with the case really comes across here, and while he doesn’t shrink from the horror of the murders, this is his most traditional, but most accomplished feat of storytelling to date.

The pin sharp dialogue and perfectly paced story is accompanied by a first rate cast – most notably Robert Downey Jnr’s hack Paul Avery and Mark Ruffalo’s dogged homicide detective David Toschi. The story veers away swiftly from standard serial killer fare to intense procedural, focussing on the obsession of the men trying to stop Zodiac. And the real accomplishment here is that audiences will feel their regret, because to this day, the killer has never been caught. Despite this and the intimidating running time, those with the patience will be rewarded with one of the best crime thrillers in years. -–Luke Mawson

David Fincher's (FIGHT CLUB, SE7EN) adaptation of the Robert Graysmith book masterfully transports viewers to the Bay Area in the 1960s and '70s by drawing on actual case files from the notoriously unsolved Zodiac killer mystery. As a murderer with seemingly random targets starts sending terrifying threats and cryptic codes to police and publishers all around San Francisco, fear and paranoia descend on the city. Through slow pacing, Fincher creates an effectively chilling atmosphere in which he spins a thick web of character-driven plotlines. Early scenes depicting the Zodiac's first-known murders vividly capture the victim's fear and agony and will leave viewers haunted. When the Zodiac’s ciphers arrive at the San Francisco Chronicle, they spark the interest of Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal), a young cartoonist with a penchant for puzzles. As the former Boy Scout earnestly tries to decode the messages, eccentric reporter Paul Avery approaches the case from a career-boosting angle. Meanwhile, a string of investigators from four jurisdictions carry on a complex and unsatisfying search for the elusive killer. Inspectors Dave Toschi (Mark Ruffalo) and Bill Armstrong (Anthony Edwards) at times collide with Avery and Graysmith, whose interest in the case extends long after most have given up. Even at two-and-a-half hours in length, this dense murder mystery should manage to keep its audience riveted throughout. Paired with stellar performances from Ruffalo, Downey, Gyllenhaal, and countless others, a clever script produces well-developed characters, and the film's art direction, music, and costumes all combine to create an authentic sense of time and place. The sombre tone of the atmospheric thriller gives the film a documentary-like aesthetic at times, lending weight to the story’s facts while never relying on cheap tricks. Unlike murder mysteries such as THE BLACK DAHLIA, ZODIAC invites viewers to develop theories of their own, allowing them to come to their own conclusions.

Customer Reviews:

• Avg. Customer Rating: 3.5 / 5.0

• Obsessed Cartoonist
  "Zodiac" is a moderately interesting but overly long film about a serail killers reign of fear in the San Francisco area in the late Sixties/early Seventies. It starts off with several vividly captured and realistic murder scenes before descending into the dense realms of a police procedural and highlighting an amateur investigation by an earnest, obsessed newspaper cartoonist ,played by Jake Gyllenhall."Zodiac" is based on a true story and the facts are that this perplexing case has never been solved over... more info

• Boring
  I waited - and waited (a long time - 2hours 30 mins)for this film to kick off - and then the credits rolled!
  Nice cinematography. Where was the Director when the editing was happening? Pity about the mumbled dialogue.
  Fascinating? - Yes. Entertaining? No. Was this a thriller or a true-crime re-enactment? It failed on both counts.
  Don't watch after dark - its easier to stay awake while watching during the day.

• My eyes are burning...
  I was very keen to watch this film.
  I had no idea it would be so long.
  Congratulations on adhering to the book by Graysmith.
  Please can I have those few hours of my life back?
  After watching this, I felt like I was in a horrible, gloomy coma. It was grim. Not because it struck me successfully, I just could not take any more.
  It's my nature that I would've watched this film regardless of anyone's criticism beforehand, however, I am gutted I did. I feel horrible.

• Fascinating look at the hunt for a serial killer
  The Zodiac was a real life serial killer that killed without detection for over a decade and this is the story of those that tried to find him.
  I didnt know what to expect from this movie, I hadnt seen any reviews or write ups, so I came into this film with a complete open mind. After the film was over it took me a while to decide what I thought about it. Now that Ive had some time to think on, I have decide that this was a quality film and a fascinating look into the hunt for a notorious serial killer... more info

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