Zodiac is a taut and thrilling film that examines the lives of the detectives and reporters involved in the notorious case more than the actual murders themselves. David Fincher’s masterly direction keeps you completely immersed in the careful progression of the case, from the initial attacks to the threatening letters and ciphers, to the abandonment of the case in the early 80s. Thought-provoking and sagely constructed, this superbly acted thriller is perhaps the first of its kind since The Silence of the Lambs.

In July of 1969 in California, a serial killer emerges, randomly striking out at isolated people, and leaving no evidence behind for the police. The local newspapers receive threatening messages from a man who claims responsibility for the killings, and demands that his notes and ciphers are published - or else more victims would be found. Cartoonist for the San Francisco Chronicle, Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal) becomes engrossed in tracking down the murderer over the course of the next decade, even after the police discontinue the search due to insufficient evidence. Paul Avery (Robert Downey Jr.), a writer at the Chronicle, begins a descent into alcoholism during his involvement with the case, and Dave Toschi (Mark Ruffalo), the detective heading up the case, becomes disenchanted after all of the jurisdiction and regulation predicaments, and the inability to properly interrogate prime suspects.

While most people are familiar with the Zodiac killer and the idea that it is supposedly an unsolved mystery, few realize just how close the detectives came, and the fact that overwhelming circumstantial evidence points to a very likely candidate. But for the film, actually catching the culprit is not nearly as important as the thrill of the hunt, or witnessing the effects of the case on the reporters and detectives who devoted so much time to investigate it. Robert’s family life slowly deteriorates because of the outrageous dedication he has to the case, despite his wife’s pleading to preserve their family and the lengthy segments of inactivity from the killer. Paul is also negatively affected, although his digression seems less related to the investigation and more about making poor decisions, especially concerning alcohol. Dave is the only one who keeps a sense of proportion when dealing with the Zodiac, although he does overstep some boundaries in getting Robert information that leads him closer to the truth – but this makes for quite an absorbing account for adaptation into film.

Some people were scared by the Zodiac and his threats on school buses and children, and others scoffed at the ridiculous ciphers and menacing warnings. But for a city that was presumably well informed of the various murders, several citizens behave like stereotypical teenagers in slasher flicks. A woman pulls over her car on a deserted highway in the middle of the night to allow a complete stranger to help fix her tire. Then she bums a ride with him with her newborn child after her car becomes immobile. Could this have been an actual act by a grown woman, or were a few creative liberties taken? The Zodiac killer goes so far as to claim several unrelated murders as his own, which makes it apparent that what he really seeks is the publicity, which he amply received, and yet people still remain careless. Perhaps these actions are a primary source of schlock film research for fanatical screaming teens-butchered-by-a-killer realism.

The violence in Zodiac is toned down for a typical David Fincher film, and it helps commendably, because the anticipation of what might be shown far outweighs the shock of anything displayed onscreen. The few scenes of violence do wonders for the pacing, which somehow keeps you on the edge of your seat, despite the fact that the film runs nearly three hours. Since the film covers a large amount of time from 1969 to 1983, timeframes are flashed onscreen constantly to alert the audience of the passing time. Oftentimes the gaps in time are only a few hours, or a few days. And while it may get tiresome to try and keep track of the constantly shifting time, it's another effect that actually aids in better pacing. The director's cut is only a few minutes longer than the theatrical version, so having two cuts seems hardly worthwhile – but both versions are equally entertaining and entirely worth watching.

- Mike Massie

 

Disc 1:

Commentary by Director David Fincher, and a second commentary track by Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr., Brad Fischer, James Vanderbuilt and James Ellroy.

Disc 2:

Zodiac Deciphered: An exhaustive behind-the-scenes documentary on the making of Zodiac

The Visual Effects of Zodiac

Previsualization: Split-screen comparisons between animatics and finished film for the three murder sequences.

This is the Zodiac Speaking: A feature-length documentary (produced and directed by David Prior) covering every aspect of the investigation, including interviews with the original investigators and surviving victims.

His Name Was Arthur Leigh Allen: The truth about the prime suspect in the Zodiac case from people who knew him and the police who investigated him.

 

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