Terrific!

Rating: 9/10 (21 January 2014)

Based on one of San Francisco's most infamous unsolved crimes, 'Zodiac' re-tells the horrifying true-story of a serial killer who created a havoc in the U.S in the late 1960's. Prolific Filmmaker David Fincher handles this nail-biting thriller with brilliance, while the Performances & the Screenplay are solid.
'Zodiac' Synopsis: A San Francisco cartoonist becomes an amateur detective obsessed with tracking down the Zodiac killer.
'Zodiac' is engrossing, intense & disturbing. The journey of the unknown serial killer is nightmarish, but it unfolds fabulously on celluloid. This rather under-rated film narrates a story of crime & mercilessness with detail & concern. There is hardly a dull moment in the narrative. However, the excessive running-time of over 151-minutes, needed some trimming.
James Vanderbilt's Screenplay, which has been Adapated by Robert Graysmith's non-fiction book of the same name, is solid & arresting. David Fincher Directs 'Zodiac' brilliantly. He has handled each & every moment with dexterity. Cinematography is claustrophobic, while the Editing is mostly crisp. Art & Costume Design are mention-worthy.
Performance-Wise: Jake Gyllenhaal as Robert Graysmith, delivers a paranoid, eerie performance. He's exceptional. Mark Ruffalo as SFPD Inspector David Toschi, is scene-stealing good. Robert Downey, Jr. as Paul Avery, is excellent, as ever. Anthony Edwards as SFPD Inspector William Armstrong, is remarkable. Chloë Sevigny as Melanie Graysmith, is very sincere. Brian Cox as Melvin Belli, is electrifying. John Carroll Lynch as Arthur Leigh Allen, is first-rate.
On the whole, 'Zodiac' is Terrific!