Zodiac (2007).

Search for the Zodiac.

Directed by: David Fincher.
Writing Credits: Robert Graysmith (novel), James Vanderbilt(Screenplay).
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr.

Two teenage lovers on a date take a little detour in Vallejo,CA. . While sitting in the car they see a black car come close and stop nearby and just drive off. Not so soon it vanishes in the dark they hear tires screeching and the car comes back. It stops and a dark figure gets out and walk towards the couple with a flashlight just like a cop. When the boy is about to say anything we hear the shot and the guy falls on the seat in a slow motion. Next is the girl. When the dark figure finishes off we hear an emergency call over a pan shot of California made to a nearby police station supposedly by the killer himself to report two dead bodies in a car.

Zodiac is a story about a cartoonist Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal) of the San Francisco Chronicle. One day the 'Chronicle' receives a letter about a guy who calls himself as Zodiac. Letter mentions few details about the murder of two teenagers sitting in a car which cops missed out during the investigations so to prove writer's identity. While Robert's curiosity is raised with a code given in the letter received by the Chronicle, he continues to decipher it. Then over the next few months follows a series of murders and letters which baffles everybody. Inspector Toschi (Mark Ruffalo) shows most interest and the urge to find the killer. The problem is since the murders occurred in different counties of California the mutual coordination of different jurisdictions is slowed down due to limited sources of communications of the '70s. Zodiac receives advantage of this. Not to mention lack of physical evidence from the crime scenes.

From all the given evidence and piled-to-the-sky confusions forms a tale of a serial killer. But this is more like a tale of Robert's persistence to find Zodiac. Mr. Robert Graysmith, a real life SF Chronicle cartoonist, wrote a novel titled Zodiac. Though James Vanderbilt wrote the screenplay, actually the tell-a-tale of all the events and a possible pointing of the finger to one suspect by Mr Graysmith is quite interesting. At first the tale made every attempt to confuse the audience just to put in the position of the cops who did not have a clue themselves. It was nearly halfway thru the movie when Robert starts his own investigation is when the fog starts to clear up. From the codes written by Zodiac at the crime scenes to the phone calls he made, Mr Graysmith created enough suspicion to one suspect for this thriller. This is a good attempt to create a picture of the '70s San Francisco turmoiled by Zodiac.

David Fincher, who previously directed the cult classics like Seven (1995) and Fight Club (1999), comes up with yet another dark creation. Though there were no usual tricks of Fluid-Track camera, he did use his experience and knowledge to create shadows and paced the heartbeats of the viewers in the suspenseful moments. He gives a touch of his dark world that would remind the video of Janie's Got a Gun. But unfortunately this is not a Fincher movie to expect an unexpected ending. Maybe the book is written like that.

On the acting note Jake Gyllenhaal still reminds teenager Donnie Darko (2001) making it hard to believe that his character in Zodiac has a daughter. But he is able to convey the persistence of his obsession with Zodiac. Mark Ruffalo is rather convincing as a frustrated cop. Robert Downey Jr still gets his bits of punchlines with an icing of little humor. Though the expectations from Chloe Sevigny were limited she still makes a mark. '70s style soundtrack adds a little flavor to this tale.

On a final note, this movie is worth one viewing. But you can wait for the DVD release.

My rating: 6/10.