Zodiac - the Directors Cut review

Rating: 9/10 (26 June 2009)

David Fincher has made a good career for himself making thrillers, Se7en and Fight Club both excellent films. Zodiac is another fine addition to Fincher's filmography.
Zodiac tells the story of the infamous Zodiac killer who terrorised the San Francisco area in the late 60s and early 70s. He played mind tricks with the media and the police, sending letters to newspapers, including the San Francisco Chronicle. The focus of the film is on Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal), a political cartoonist for the Chronicle and a single parent. He is good at puzzles and takes an interest in the Zodiac case. Other major characters are Paul Avery (Robert Downey Jr.), the crime reporter for the newspaper and San Francisco police detectives Dave Toschi (Mark Ruffalo) and Bill Armstrong (Anthony Edwards) who were all investigating the case. The media and the police have to work together in the case, especially because the killer makes violence threats. After more murders the police do find a prime suspect and the media get involved in the investigation, but are unable to press charges because some of the evidence doesn't fit.
Years later, Robert Graysmith is still interested in the Zodiac case, even though he is married and has more children. He ends up investigating the case himself, started to write a book. He ends up being obsessed, his wife Melanie (Chloë Sevigny) becomes worried for the family's safety.
Zodiac has an excellent cast, Robert Downey Jr. had done really well recently with Iron Man and Tropic Thunder. Mark Ruffalo was a good as the determined police officer. There are even good supporting actors such as Brian Cox, an amazing actor. Jake Gyllenhaal seemed a little too young for his role, but he is very talented actor and I ended up believing in his performance.
Fincher is a talented director, know exactly when to add to the tension and has a very stylist type of directing. The beginning is shot in the style of a 60s film and the rest, in a modern thriller. It has a similar feel to All the President's Men. A smart move by Fincher is never showing the killer's face.
James Vanderbilt also writes a good script for the film, looking at the police investigation, the media and the way the 60s and 70s were. I am looking for to see his work with Spiderman 4.
Zodiac was a excellent thriller and it was a shame that it was nominated for Oscars such at Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor, even if it couldn't win.