Another masterpiece from Fincher

Rating: 10/10 (28 December 2009)

Zodiac is an intriguing film, based on a true story about a notorious serial killer in California during the 1960s and 1970s, who fashioned for himself the name "Zodiac". The film truly gives us a realistic view into how the serial killer terrorized the San Francisco bay area and how people reacted. The film mostly revolves around the political cartoonist Robert Graysmith, solving the mystery of Zodiac's identity becomes an obsession for him.
The acting in Zodiac is impeccable, it's packed with great actors. Gyllenhaal truly manages to capture the soul of Robert Graysmith, and I would say that this is one of his best performances, while Robert Downey Jr and Mark Ruffalo are also at their best.
The script is so well written that you would think you are seeing real life footage from back then. Moreover, Fincher as always, creates the perfect atmosphere, from lighting to music. For instance, the soundtrack really gives that 1960s/1970s feel to it. Fincher's directing style is apparent throughout the film, and like each of his films this is also unique.
Zodiac might be about a psychotic serial killer, but don't expect to see a very violent and scary horror film. There are a few scene that might send chills down your spine, but overall it's nothing like Se7en. Fincher could easily have made a gory film with the killer as the protagonist, but instead he made a complex and ambitious movie, with obsession as the "protagonist". The bottom line is that "Zodiac" is an amazing film that is not only entertaining, but is also a reminder of how each one of us can get carried away with a mystery. This is definitely a mystery film that you can get carried away with.