Zodiac
Based on the true story of the notorious serial killer and the intense manhunt he inspired, Zodiac is a superbly crafted thriller from the director of Se7en and Panic Room. Featuring an outstanding ensemble cast led by Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo and Chloe Sevigny, Zodiac is a searing and singularly haunting examination of twin obsessions: one man's desire to kill and another's quest for the truth.
Member Reviews
Interesting Start with No Happy Ending - Mookie
I think it is fair to warn anyone going into this 2.5 hour movie that they never solved these serial killings. And for that reason alone you have a movie that won't be very satisfying. Yes, they do their best to end by implying they know who the killer is but it was never solved so who knows? The other problem is the killer stops killing after a while and then we have the second half of the movie with just dead end investigations and we follow the obsessive investigations of Jake's character. Robert Downey Jr's character seems pointless and Robert phones in his acting duties. Mark Ruffalo's character doesn't really have a story after the investigation dies off after the leads have dried up and the murders stop. I will admit it is a well made movie but in the end it was very frustrating for me and not THAT interesting a story with any interesting or characters we can relate to.Like a Calmly Ticking Clock - Vanisle
Zodiac is a well-written and expertly executed film. It's not quite a thriller but it is engaging and thoughtful. Those who expect a scary serial-killer flick will be disappointed, but hopefully not for long. While paced slower than his other films such as Fight Club or Panic Room director David Fincher maintains his acute attention to detail and creates a taut and slowly unwinding tenseness. An authentic piece set primarily in the early 70's this film is in many ways the anti-CSI. Instead of gadgets and shiny lights the investigators-journalists and cops alike-must rely on leg work, research, and painstaking fact-gathering. Anchored by solid performances by the cast (Jake Gyllanhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr., Anthony Edwards) Zodiac becomes an excellent depiction of how we can be consumed by belief in our gut instinct even when all the evidence seems to be against us.Zodiac - AlmostFamous
The latest film from cutting edge director David Fincher (Seven, Fight Club) is Zodiac, the true crime story of the ruthless serial killer who terrorized the state of California from the late 60s through the early 70s. The killer wrote letters describing his crimes, as well as ciphers, taunting someone to catch him. He then sent to these documents to local newspapers and police officials, intensifying their involvement in his twisted crimes. The film is stylish and moody and decisively captures the time period, down to even the most infinitesimal detail. Even Paramount and Warner Brothers, who co-produced the film, got into the spirit of things and opted to use their old studio logos, helping to establish the time period for the story. The clothing, the furniture, even the language used in this film, all suggest a time of innocence and revolution, which Fincher seamlessly weaves into the narrative.
But be warned, this 160-minute epic is not a glorified biography, or a slasher flick, filled with countless murder scenes and close encounters. Instead, Zodiac is a film about the effects of murder, the everlasting imprint that crime has on its survivors and on society. Audiences should shift their expectations for this film and view it accordingly to avoid disappointment. That said, there are plenty of tense moments and chilling violence in the movie. Hats off to Fincher, however, for not falling into the Hollywood trap of regurgitating this genre, but instead, showing the emotional turmoil that a killer can create, specifically within the media and law enforcement. All three leads in this film give brilliant performances portraying real life people, with Robert Downey Jr. as San Francisco Chronicle reporter Paul Avery, Jake Gyllenhaal as cartoonist Robert Graysmith and Mark Ruffalo police inspector David Toschi. The Zodiac killings quietly and separately take their toll on the film’s three protagonists, with each passing scene. Atmospheric and dark,
Member Reviews
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Interesting Start with No Happy Ending - Mookie
I think it is fair to warn anyone going into this 2.5 hour movie that they never solved these serial killings. And for that reason alone you have a movie that won't be very satisfying. Yes, they do their best to end by implying they know who the killer is ...Like a Calmly Ticking Clock - Vanisle
Zodiac is a well-written and expertly executed film. It's not quite a thriller but it is engaging and thoughtful. Those who expect a scary serial-killer flick will be disappointed, but hopefully not for long. While paced slower than his other films such as ...Zodiac - AlmostFamous
The latest film from cutting edge director David Fincher (Seven, Fight Club) is Zodiac, the true crime story of the ruthless serial killer who terrorized the state of California from the late 60s through the early 70s. The killer wrote letters describing ...