Zodiac
Zodiac is an intriguingly different entry in the serial killer genre. It is based on a true story about a murderer who called himself Zodiac and taunted San Francisco police and journalists with letters and cryptic messages throughout the 1970s. The film focuses on the impact the investigations had on their families, careers, and how in some cases the drive to catch the killer became an obsession. Ultimately, Zodiac was never definitively identified and became renowned as a kind of US Jack the Ripper.
Based on Robert Graysmith’s book, the film follows cartoonist Graysmith’s interactions with police inspector David Toschi, and journalist Paul Avery as they attempt to unravel the mystery. Early scenes which depict the killings Zodiac actually committed, as opposed to those he merely claimed responsibility for to show off, set an awkwardly disturbing tone, which then gives way to an All the Presidents Men type investigative drama. Director David Fincher provides a fascinating period piece thriller which proves an interesting reminder of how awkward it was for police to co-ordinate their efforts in a pre-mobile phone and email era.
Performances are good on the whole. Jake Gyllenhaal and Mark Ruffalo are both excellent as Graysmith and Toschi respectively (even if Toschi does resemble Columbo). Robert Downey Jr is more or less on autopilot, and even Anthony Edwards (Goose in Top Gun) has a good supporting role.
Unfortunately, the film comes somewhat unstuck with its overlong running time, and as a study of obsession, it doesn’t entirely convince. Instead, it descends into cliché with Graysmith’s obligatory nagging wife (a wasted Chloe Sevigny). Although attempts to generate sympathy for her are understandable, the simple fact remains that the audience want Graysmith to complete his investigations and don’t care how much time he spends with his family. If these elements had been cut, the film could have been a tighter, more focused, fact-based thriller.
Ultimately, this does not scale the heights of Fincher’s best work. Se7en and Fight Club remain his masterpieces, but Zodiac is certainly better than Panic Room (his most commercial and least interesting picture to date). It will become an interesting cinematic footnote, if purely for its breaking of cinematic convention in serial killer films by not revealing the killer. Yet even this is not entirely without precedent. Fact based Reversal of Fortune and fictional The Pledge both pulled similar tricks, and for my money, both films are better.
Simon Dillon, May 2007.
