Review of “Zodiac”
They say that police procedure is 99% slog. This doesn’t usually make for good cinema, but in the hands of director David Fincher and his excellent cast, it becomes an obsessive ride, filling you with moments of chill, moments of hope and long periods of intriguing frustration.
Zodiac is based on the true story of a series of killings that took place in and around San Francisco in the 1960’s and 1970’s. The killer identified himself as Zodiac in a series of letters he sent to newspapers, along with cryptic messages, some of which have never been deciphered. The subsequent investigations wore down the many police and journalists who were involved, and countless leads came to nothing. The Zodiac killings have inspired filmmakers before Fincher – including the original Dirty Harry film made in 1971, which makes a short appearance in this film.
The script has been meticulously crafted by James Vanderbilt, and kicks off with two brutal murders. At this point, you might think that you’re in for a more realistic version of Fincher’s horror-thriller Se7en. But the pace slows dramatically and the film becomes a procedural investigation, alternately following the efforts of detectives David Toshi and William Armstrong (Mark Ruffalo and Anthony Edwards), and - when they’ve had enough – journalists Paul Avery and Robert Graysmith (Robert Downey Jr. and Jake Gyllenhaal). Files are poured over, suspects are tailed, handwriting is endlessly matched and re-matched, comparing the letters sent by the killer with other documents written by key suspects. There are also some witty insights into police collaboration 1970’s style, before email, fax and mobile phones were on the scene. These are the small details that become so important in obsession, which is ultimately what the film is all about. Obsession makes the costs of never giving up high, and achievement of your desired outcome largely irrelevant.
Fincher clearly had as much fun recreating the 1970’s look of the film as he had re-creating the story, and the attention to detail throughout the film is extreme. The script, based on Robert Graysmith’s novel, is cunning and open, allowing Fincher to focus on small details with his cast, and it’s the performances - particularly from Ruffalo, Gyllenhaal and Downey Jr. – that are the key to holding our interest. It’s a long film – over two and a half hours long – and may not satisfy those seeking a more conventional thriller, but Fincher is always clever and never dull.
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