Moody, suspenseful, hair-raising ... a fascinating film

Rating: 9/10 (1 March 2007)

Edgy, suspenseful and filled with '60s and '70s period details, "Zodiac" is David Fincher's meticulously researched thriller focusing on the infamous serial killer who terrorized the San Francisco Bay Area for almost two decades.
The human toll  both that of the victims of the terrifying killer, and on the men who desperately sought to find and unmask him  is depicted in a straightforward yet unnerving manner, keeping the viewer caught up in its web for the duration of the film. Yes, it clocks in at over 2-1/2 hours run time, but I'm not sure such a complex, lengthy and frustrating case could be told in a lesser amount of time.
The principal cast members are all top-notch  Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo and Anthony Edwards bring forth their impressive talents to their characters. Downey Jr. is especially effective in a role that is perfect for him. Brian Cox (TV's "Deadwood," and perhaps familiar to "Frasier" viewers as Daphne's father, Mr. Moon) is ideally cast as attorney Melvin Belli, and both John Carroll Lynch ("Fargo," TV's "The Drew Carey Show") and Charles Fleischer (the voice of Roger Rabbit in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit") will raise the hairs on the back of your neck as two of the possible suspects in the mesmerizing Zodiac case. Look for "American Graffiti's" Candy Clark in a small but memorable role as a receptionist at the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper offices.
Great period details  rotary telephones, IBM Selectric II typewriters, vintage automobiles, cigarette smoking in offices and elevators(!), a Transamerica Pyramid-less San Francisco skyline, plaid polyester pants and mile-wide jacket lapels  bring back the time period flawlessly, all underscored by a hum-along soundtrack of '60s and '70s tunes.
A good, suspenseful, fascinating film. 9+ out of 10.