Gripping, slow-burning, character-driven detective thriller

Rating: Null/10 (28 March 2008)

Zodiac is the low-key, character-driven companion piece to director David Fincher's earlier serial killer film Se7en; albeit, with this picture replacing the former's grim violence and biblical depiction of hell on earth with a more routine and realistic depiction of the slow corruption of innocence and the lure of obsession, as three disparate individuals are united in their desire to "unmask a mysterious and enigmatic murderer terrifying the San Francisco area". The film isn't as shocking as Se7en, nor is it as jaw-dropping in its execution, instead harking back to the days of slow burning paranoia-thrillers like The Parallax View, Marathon Man, The Conversation, Dog Day Afternoon and All the President's Men. As a result, it's not as flashy - cinematically speaking - as Fincher's previous films, chiefly Se7en, Fight Club and Panic Room, with the director keeping the film rooted in reality and as unobtrusive - in terms of editing, production design and cinematography - as is humanly possible.
The style fits the subject matter well, with the drama driven by dialog, performance and character interaction, while the suspense is bolstered by the slow, investigative procedures that the characters undertake in the valiant pursuit of the truth. It won't be to all tastes - as the reviews here and the poor box office in the States would confirm - but Fincher aficionados and fans of the films aforementioned should get a kick out of seeing an intelligent alternative to the flash and bang likes of Transformers, or whatever 70's horror/Asian re-make is en-vogue at the moment.