The J.F.K. of serial killer films.

Rating: 5/10 (5 August 2013)

For those deeply interested in the mystery of the Zodiac serial killer, this portrayal of one man's obsession with discovering the murderer's identity will no doubt qualify as essential viewing, dwelling as it does on the minutiae of the infamous unsolved case for a solid two and a half hours. Every possible avenue is examined in-depth; the script—based on the bestseller by Robert Graysmith—is exhaustive, charting the investigation of the killer's activity from the late 60s through to the early 90s. In its attention to detail, Zodiac is hard to fault.
Unfortunately, in concentrating so hard on delivering the facts whilst avoiding sensationalism at all cost, director David Fincher neglects to engage those members of the audience who wish to be entertained as well as informed. With the exception of a brief moment of tension in a potential suspect's basement, the film never attempts to engage the viewer on an emotional level, and the result is a very dry watch—dare I say it, even boring at times. It's certainly nowhere near as memorable an experience as Fincher's other classic serial killer flick, Se7en (1995).