FILM REVIEW: Zodiac
STARRING: Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr., Marl Ruffalo, Anthony Edwards, Chloë Sevigny, Donal Logue, Dermot Mulroney, Brian Cox, Elias Koteas and Clea Duvall
DIRECTED BY: David Fincher
“If there is one key word for the entire story of the Zodiac mystery, it is obsession. The lure of the case has destroyed marriages, derailed careers, ruined health; as over 2500 Zodiac suspects were scanned, people were swept away by a tide of mystery, tragedy, and loss”
~Robert Graysmith
Forget about ‘Grindhouse’! The real return to 70’s cinema is ‘Zodiac’. And when I say “70’s cinema”, I’m not refering to schlock and nostalgia. I mean strong, visceral, uncompromising and unflinching works of art. 1/2 ‘The Town That Dreaded Sundown’, 1/2 ‘All The President’s Men’, ‘Zodiac’ is David Fincher’s magnum opus and one of the few unforgettable masterpieces to emerge out of an otherwise lame and forgettable decade of cinema (by the way…has anyone come up with a stupid nickname for this decade yet?)
‘Zodiac’ is based on Robert Graysmith’s (a political cartoonist turned true crime novelist) novels about the notorius serial killer who terrorized San Franciso in the late 60’s and early 70’s. Graysmith had been for working for ‘The San Franciso Chronicle’ during the time Zodiac started sending letters to the publication. Graysmith (portrayed by Jake Gyllenhaal in the film) became so obsessed with finding out the indentity of the killer that it threatened the safety of his family and subsequently destroyed his marriage. Still, an audience member can understand and empathize with Garysmith’s obsession. At one point in the film, Graysmith’s wife (played by Chloë Sevigny) asks her husband why it has become his job to track down a killer who has eluded the police for so many years. Graysmith’s reponse is ‘Because no one else will’.
But the police’s inabilty to catch Zodiac is not for lack of trying. Inspector David Toschi (played brilliantly by Mark Ruffalo) becomes just as obsessed with Zodiac as Graysmith does but finds himself in the unfortunate position of having to put the case on the backburner as time goes by. He is afterall a policeman and there are other case to solve.
Also caught up in the tangled web of the Zodiac is journalist Paul Avery (played by Robert Downey Jr. in a hilarious and Oscar worthy performance) who uncovers important evidence linking Zodiac to a previous crime which in turn makes him a marked man. The paranoia of being a Zodiac target leads Avery down a destructive path of alchohol and drug abuse.
As for the Zodiac himself, one man becomes the prime suspect and center of Graysmith’s and Toschi’s obsession. However Zodiac has a brilliant mind and is always one step ahead of the game. He never caught and that makes his case all the more haunting.
For anyone interested in true crime as I am, you will be mesmerized by the accuracy and detail as to which this story is told. The running time of the film is 2 hours and 40 but you’ll be on the edge of your seat through most of it and won’t even notice. Zodiac’s crimes are recreated and they are chilling. Especially the scene by the lake when we get to witness the madman for the first time in his wacked out costume that makes him look like some sort of demented and Santanic superhero. I could only sit there and imagine what was going through the soon to be victims heads when they saw that freak coming at them. Fincher keeps the gore down to a minimum but that doesn’t make the death scenes any less brutal or hard to watch.
Speaking of Fincher, this is the best work he has ever done. He’s a director I’ve been fascinated with for years. Even when he makes a film which I feel isn’t very good, I still can’t help but be blown away by his unique vision and visual style.
The performances are some of the strongest I’ve seen in years. It’s fun to watch Jake Gyllenhaal career because he just keeps getting better and better with each role. Like Tom Hanks, he has a leading man quality that will no doubt continue to grow and develop over the years.
Mark Ruffalo is dead on perfect as hot shot inspector, David Toschi. who in real life was the inspiration for Steve McQueen’s character in the film ‘Bullitt’. Ruffalo portrays Toschi as badass and cocky yet also very moving and sympathic.
I consider Robert Downey Jr. to be one of my generation’s finest actors yet most of the films he has been in weren’t worthy of his talent. Well, it looks like his luck is beginning to change. This is by far the best role he’s been given since ‘Chaplin’. I also had to wonder if it was hard for him to revisit such dark places.
The screenplay (written by James Vanderbilt) is one of the most intelligent and complex scripts to come along in years. It’s the kind of writing that takes us back to the days of Paul Schrader and Paddy Chayefsky.
The cinematography (done by Harris Savides) is quite breathtaking. The opening shot is so gorgeous that people in the theater were audibly commenting on it’s beauty.
It’s quite ashame that ‘Zodiac’ didn’t get released in December. It would have received Academy Award nominations all across the board. Of course it will be eligible for next year’s awards but the Academy has the memory of a fruit fly so I don’t expect that to happen.
I’m giving ‘Zodiac’…………
10 OUT OF 10 AQUA VELVAS
And here is some useless trivia for you…..
The song ‘Hurdy Gurdy Man’ by Donovan is quite prominent in the film. Look for an uncredited cameo by Ione Skye (Donovan’s daughter) in the film as a would be victim.
Review by Lana
