Zodiac

Rating: 6/10 (27 May 2011)

I heard about this film a reasonably high amount at the time of its release, mainly because of the cast and it being directed by David Fincher (Se7en, Fight Club, The Social Network), so I had to try it. Based on the true story, during the late 1960's and early 1970's there is a serial killer terrorising the San Francisco Bay Area, calling himself Zodiac, taunting the police with details of his victims and their bodies, and leaving cryptic messages at the scene of the crime. These letter are in a way clues as to his crime plans and his identity, and in this slightly fictionalised vision of events, we see the press and investigators trying to solve the case of this murderer. We see the investigations by crime reporter Paul Avery (Robert Downey Jr.) and police Inspector David Toschi (Mark Ruffalo), both not really getting anywhere, and then of course there is cartoonist San Francisco Chronicle worker Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal). He has a high interest in solving puzzles, e.g. crosswords, so with maybe a little help from the outside he sees it his mission to break the cryptic clues and catch the Zodiac killer, much to the annoyance of now alcohol drowning Paul. He obviously gains some support from David, and he also comes into contact with other people working on the case, such as handwriting expert Sherwood Morrill (Bruce Almighty's Philip Baker Hall), Linda del Buono (The Astronaut's Wife's Clea DuVall) who knew one of the Zodiac killer's victims, and key suspect Arthur Leigh Allen (Volcano's John Carroll Lynch). Of course the investigation becomes an obsession for Robert, so much so that he neglects and loses his wife Melanie (Chloë Sevigny) and family, as well as his job, but he continues nevertheless, the ending makes it unclear whether the investigation into the Zodiac is truly is over. Also starring Top Gun's Anthony Edwards as Inspector William Armstrong, Brian Cox as Melvin Belli, Who Framed Roger Rabbit's Charles Fleischer as Bob Vaughn, Zach Grenier as Mel Nicolai, Elias Koteas as Sgt. Jack Mulanax, Donal Logue as Captain Ken Narlow and My Best Friend's Wedding's Dermot Mulroney as Captain Marty Lee. I will admit I got lost slightly in a couple of places, and I think it could have been improved a little with more murders featured, but Gyllenhaal does well, Downey Jr. isn't bad, and Ruffalo gets his time, and of course the director does his best, it is in moments an engaging real life story, a watchable crime drama based on a true story. Good!