Stylish, compelling, gripping work

Rating: 8/10 (12 July 2007)

David Fincher attempted to comprehend the mindset of the serial killer in his 1995 hit serial killer movie Seven. Zodiac  his latest film  focuses much more intently on those obsessively attempting to hunt the killer down. Based on the true story of the "Zodiac killer" of the late 1960s, Zodiac stars Jake Gyllenhaal as cartoonist Robert Graysmith, who really worked for the San Francisco Chronical in the late 1960s, and throughout the 70s. After a teenage couple are brutally attacked and shot by an unknown assailant in the quiet outskirts of Vallejo, California, a coded letter is sent to both the San Francisco Chornical and the police. Unable to decrypt the enigmatic letter, top crime beat reporter, Paul Avery (Robert Downey Jr.), is helped by political cartoonist Graysmith who, despite not being directly involved in the Zodiac story, has a varied knowledge of puzzle solving, and manages to recognise the letter from old zodiac signs. Meanwhile, the Zodiac killer begins a year long murder spree, in which at least five people died at his hands, all the while taunting police and the media through his ciphered letters. The investigation is led by Dave Toschi (Mark Ruffalo), who engulfs himself knee-deep into the case, before realising he is following a cold trail. It is at this juncture, that Graysmith decides to follow his own in-depth investigation, much to the anguish of his wife and family.
Although the movie starts by showing us the grizzly series of murders, Zodiac very quickly settles down to explore the lives of those who become obsessed with capturing the enigmatic serial killer. At times the movie focuses on the reporting side of the story, and then quickly shifts to the case itself, involving the detectives hunting him down personally. When the case becomes stagnant, and Avery loses his grip on the job, only Graysmith continues to fight for any semblance of a revelation. Day and night, he entraps himself in a world of clues and codes, turning his back on his family, his job and even his own sense of reality.
David Fincher's film does an excellent job of asking the question of at what point does intrigue become obsession. Although it doesn't appear to be as flashy and stylised as Fincher's previous work, his clever use of CGI and editing techniques are every bit as nuanced as the likes of Seven and Fight Club. There is one terrific scene where we follow a cab through the streets of San Francisco, pre-murder - from the birdseye view. Fincher's use of music also contributes to both the atmosphere of the piece, and the cultural era we venture back to. Fincher moves tautfully from the late sixties, right through to the seventies, with verve and cultural awareness for the times we re-visit. But for all of Fincher's neo-auteuristic flourishes, the other major factor that sets Zodiac above any other crime film this year is its fantastic cast. Jake Gyllenhaal may be the future of Hollywood, but he has already conquered the here and now for intellectual, unorthodox leading men. Mark Ruffalo once again shows everyone just why he is so underrated as an actor. And a whole host of supporting players, including Brian Cox, Elias Coteas and Anthony Edwards ensure there are few gaps left to fill. The only damp spot would be Robert Downey Jr., whose showy performance as Paul Avery is far too often given the Downey Jr caricature treatment that effects so much of his work. But for the most part this is grade A stuff all round. At two and a half hours it is a long ride, but at no point did I feel the running time. Seven was his breakout, Zodiac is David Fincher's monolith.