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by Willie Waffle

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Zodiac

Anyone who lived through it, or loves to watch those awesome true crime documentaries on cable TV, knows the case of the Zodiac, but, even if you do know how it ends, this movie still reaches thrilling and fascinating heights when it most needs to.  Even some of the true story elements are so shocking and heartbreaking, you might think it was made up.

Based on the true story, set in 1969, Gyllenhaal stars as Robert Graysmith – a meek and mild editorial cartoonist for the San Francisco Chronicle, whose life is about to change.  On July 4, a young couple is shot in a secluded, lover’s lane area in near by Vallejo.  The killer calls the police to claim credit for the attack, as well as a similar attack just 6 months before, but this killer doesn’t gain major media and public attention until he sends a note to the San Francisco Chronicle and two other newspapers on August 1. 

In the letters, he demands they print the enclosed, coded cryptograms, and Graysmith becomes one of the many to dedicate his time to cracking the code and finding the real name of the man who calls himself Zodiac.  As Zodiac strikes again and again, and continues to send letters to the media bragging about his accomplishments, San Francisco Police Department detectives Bill Armstrong (Anthony Edwards) and Dave Toschi (Mark Ruffalo), Chronicle reporter Paul Avery (Robert Downey, Jr.) and Graysmith immerse themselves so deeply in the case, it may tear each one up.

Will they catch Zodiac?

Director David Fincher and writer James Vanderbilt (based on two books by Graysmith) take a long time to tell the audience about the investigation that lasted over 30 years, but the high points and mystery make it well worth the time.  Fincher presents a movie full of obsession, whodunit, and frustration, even if he feels too cool to make it very earnest.  You won’t get any speeches about duty.  Instead, Fincher and Vanderbilt focus on the personal desire each investigator feels to catch the most notorious killer they have or ever will match wits with, and the pain each one feels as the killer slips through their fingers time and time again.    

Fincher does it all in a very straightforward way, but still finds ways to wow our eyes as we see letters, notes and more form on the screen as we see characters walk by or talk about evidence.  He doesn’t focus on much outside of the investigation, so we don’t get a perfect feel for the panic and public reaction, but as we see what the police and press are faced with, we get enough of a feel for that without going too overboard.

Early on, to his credit, Fincher gives Zodiac a very Martin Scorsese feel as cops and reporters crack wiseass remarks, and the audience laughs at the macabre being presented in a very ironic and comic way, but the movie doesn’t lose its seriousness.  Fincher and Vanderbilt show us the jurisdictional battles causing problems as other cops try to protect territory and attempt to claim the case as their own for the reward and glory.  They wonderfully capture the rhythm of the investigation – the thrills of getting a promising lead, the depression of theories not panning out, the long time in between short periods of action, even touching on the few nuts who wanted people to think they were Zodiac (don’t think someone would want to be fingered or investigated for being a serial killer?  Think about John Mark Karr in the JonBenet Ramsey case).  After being presented with the basic facts that those unfamiliar with the case may need, Zodiac really picks up steam and ropes in the audience as we watch Graysmith start to take the lead on a case that has exhausted and burned out the professionals.

Gyllenhaal excels as his portions of the movie excel.  He shows us the danger Graysmith feels as he gets close to people who could be willing to harm him and his family, and the obsession that is driving people away from him as he desperately tries to solve the case.  Even more, Gyllenhaal makes us see the meek and mild character Robert was start to melt away as he gets the courage to dive into the case and confront people others weren’t willing to. 

Even for a 2 hour and 40 minute long movie, some details are left out that would have been fascinating to explore (but there is only so much time), like Toschi’s career and mini-celebrity in the 70’s, some additional cases Zodiac has been tied to, and more.  If you want to immerse yourself in the history, you can check out Graysmith’s book or go online to the Court TV story at:

 http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/notorious/zodiac/river_1.html

3 ½ Waffles (Out Of 4)                

Zodiac is rated R for some strong killings, language, drug material, and brief sexual images.   

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