Masterful film making

Rating: 10/10 (4 September 2010)

David Fincher's Zodiac will perhaps not be remembered as his best work. It certainly is not his showboat piece as that is Fight Club. its not his most shocking film which is probably Seven.
In the hands of a less than superior film maker Zodiac could have been an exploitation film. Fincher does not dwell on the murders, sure they need to be seen as part of telling the story but he does not use this as an excuse to feed the gore hounds. Instead he chooses to focus on three people who lost something to the Zodiac other than their lives.
Robert Downey Jr plays Paul Avery, a newspaper reporter who was threatened by Zodiac. Paul, who may have been heading down this path anyway, became lost in drink and drugs. Jake Gyllenhaal plays Robert Graysmith, a cartoonist for the SF Chronicle, who becomes obsessed with solving the case and eventually alienates his family. The most powerful performance comes from Mark Ruffalo as Dave Toschi. Subtle and measured he is outstanding in the role. Toschi was a legendary cop who Bullit was based on -but didn't solve this case.
The real star is David Fincher who puts together a complicated story, makes it understandable and keeps your interest for quite a long film. Also the scene by the Lake is one of the most disturbing I have ever seen. I watch lots of horror films but this scene I find difficult to watch, maybe because it was based on a real poor girl but also as it is directed in such a way to stay with you.
Zodiac at heart is a sober character study. There is no deviation away from telling the story just to appease a target audience. Fincher made this movie to tell the story of Zodiac and the people involved. It does its best to solve the murders but as in real life there is no closure. Some may find this unsatisfactory but thats how it is. Zodiac is not Finchers most remembered film, but for me it remains his best to date.