Slow burn procedural rewards the patient

Rating: 10/10 (13 March 2007)

The new David Fincher ("Seven") film is as good as you have heard. Based on the book by Robert Graysmith, "Zodiac" is the true story of several San Franciso residents who become obsessed with discovering the identity of the serial killer calling himself "Zodiac." Robert Graysmith--played in the film by Jake Gyllenhaal in a subdued, fascinating performance--is an editorial cartoonist for the San Francisco Chronicle who gets caught up in the hunt after the killer sends a coded letter to his employer.
Also on the hunt are crime reporter Paul Avery--a mesmerizing performance by Robert Downey Jr.--and homicide detectives Toschi (Mark Ruffalo) and Armstrong (Anthony Edwards). Toschi, Avery, and Graysmith each become obsessed with finding Zodiac and this obsession slowly begins to take over their lives and destroy them. Graysmith, while preparing a book about the killer, slips into paranoia. Audiences accustomed to the rhythms of the serial killer film will first accept and applaud Graysmith's paranoia. We know that with just a little more hunting, the vigilant reporter will crack the case. If he can just discover that one clue. We don't quickly realize that Graysmith's obsession and vigilance are unhealthy.
Fincher continually subverts our expectations of the genre. Though like a police procedural--a story about the detective work that leads to capture of the villain--"Zodiac" is the anti-procedural, the anti-"Law and Order". While "Law and Order" makes us feel safe and shows us a neat and tidy justice system that successfully weeds out the guilty from the innocent, "Zodiac" is about the limits of justice, forensic work, questioning, and detection. Sometimes the justice system comes up short. Sometimes we can't detect and ascertain the guilty. And it is this uncertainty that wears on the hunters at the center of "Zodiac".
The film is deliberate and methodical and is going to disappoint those looking for another exploitative entry in the slasher genre. There are several moments of horrific violence in the film that are among the most haunting ever filmed, but this is not a film that gets its jollies from carnage. Instead it shows it an unflinching, efficient, and brutal fashion. These moments, while horrifying, help us understand the fear of the people of San Francisco and the obsession of those who want to locate the killer.
Unsettling, expertly crafted, and full of outstanding performances, "Zodiac" is a drama that respects the intelligence of audiences. It asks us to pay attention, frees itself from genre conventions, and takes its time to tell its tale. Certain to alienate viewers who want a quick bloody thrill, "Zodiac" is nonetheless the year's first great film.