Based on a true story, for good or for worse

Rating: 7/10 (30 November 2009)

After millions of thrillers and horrors based on "true" stories, we got Zodiac, which is indeed based on an actual serial killer.
That's a huge plus for a thriller, and knowing the murders were real adds a lot to the psychological tension of the movie, and it helps keeping the curiosity high also during the long and drawing investigation.
The obvious downside is there's little room for embellishments and hoopla, and that, at times, goes to the detriment of the rhythm and of the narrative tension.
Zodiac is more like a movie about the investigation than about the serial killer himself, so it's not everyone's cup of tea. It's not meant to make you jump on your seat, it's meant to make you uncomfortable on a much deeper level. If you manage to sit through the whole movie, of course.