# 4 - zodiac

Zodiac (2007)

Director:  David Fincher

Actors:  Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Edwards, Robert Downey Jr, Brian Cox, John Carroll Lynch, and Chloe Sevigny

Let me preface my review by saying that I am no Roger Ebert or Peter Travers.  I am not claiming to be a connoisseur of horror movies, nor am I suggesting that I am worthy of rating films for a renowned publication.   I’m simply a person who loves movies and who likes to write about “stuff”.  If you are not interested in scary movies or if you don’t like reading… then delete this immediately.

The movie is Zodiac and chronicles a faceless/nameless serial murderer that terrorized Northern California in the late 1960’s and 1970’s.  The self-proclaimed Zodiac killer sends a series of notes/ciphers to local publications, in hopes of garnering notoriety for his brutal homicides.

The case seems to go on to infinity (we are given date markers throughout the film to prove this point)…and in fact, it remains unsolved to this day.  If you love CSI, Law & Order, Without a Trace, Cold Case Files, or any of the other hundreds of forensic crime solving shows… you will be in 7th heaven with Jessica Biel and Reverend Camden.

The story is mainly told through the eyes of the investigators and journalists.  Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal), a cartoonist for the San Francisco Chronicle, is fascinated by the Zodiac case and becomes obsessed with capturing the elusive villain.  Robert Downey Jr. plays Paul Avery, an alcoholic reporter at the Chronicle who garners his own notoriety through his involvement in the case.  And the cast is rounded out by top-notch performances from Mark Ruffalo and Anthony Edwards as lead inspectors David Toschi and William Armstrong.  “All-Star Ensemble” is a gross understatement for this film.  Every single character is flawless and brilliantly acted.  Ruffalo and Gyllenhaal are great, but Robert Downey Jr. is absolutely exceptional.  (RDJ for President.  Seriously.  JFK, FDR, LBJ.  RDJ… coincidence?  Can’t be.)      

David Fincher directed a jewel of a film.  I wouldn’t expect any less considering the masterpieces he has delivered in the past… Fight Club, Seven, The Game.  Um… hi, hello??  If you haven’t seen all of these movies, I’m begging you to buy a ticket and get into the best-movies-of-all-time game.  He also directed the soon to be released film The Social Network, a story about the founders of Facebook and is on board for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Really, my only complaint about Zodiac was the length.  The running time is 162 minutes and I think they could have easily delivered the same product within 2 hours, certainly 2 1/2.  But that is nit-picking considering the strength of the pic as a whole.  The pacing and suspense are great and the movie is solid from start to finish.  For a film without a true ending (where loose-ends are not tied up), I was more than satisfied.  Fincher’s Zodiac is a journey, not a destination… buckle up folks, it’s worth the ride.

Was Zodiac scary?  No

Jami’s Rating:  4 ½ out of 5 stars

Would I recommend this movie:  Yes