Grisly Inspiration:
David Fincher’s film is based on the true story of a serial killer who sent his first cryptic message to the San Francisco Chronicle on 1 August 1969 and then terrified the San Francisco Bay Area, for decades. This movie carefully re-creates the sense of panic, fear and frustration felt by four police jurisdictions and the media. Desperate to discover the identity of the killer and taunted by an endless trail of clues activity for both the editorial and police staff reaches a frenetic pace.
A Film About Obsession
This film largely follows the affect the murders have on the lives of four central characters who become obsessed with catching the killer. Robert Graysmith (Gyllenhaal) is a shy and socially awkward editorial cartoonist who loves solving puzzles and sits on the outer fringes of the newspapers editorial team as the geek loner. In stark contrast is the newspapers star crime reporter Paul Avery (Downey Jr.) who is a charismatic, seasoned hack and Downey Jr's talent creates a believable, multifaceted character. Homicide Inspector David Toshci (Ruffalo) and his partner Inspector William Armstrong (Edwards) are two tough ‘good guy’ cop’s who take us into the world of police procedures. Convinced they have found the killer but restrained by questionable hand writing analysis and bureaucratic red tape Toshci and Armstrong are two frustrated men.
In the end, it is only Graysmith who continues to pursue this case, which he does with all the desperation of a drug addict looking for a hit. Oblivious to the danger he places his family in, and unwilling to deal with his wife’s growing resentment over their deteriorating marriage, he is a man possessed who eventually channels his single minded determination into writing his world wide best seller Zodiac which sold over 400 million copies.
Fincher's Stylistic Approach:
A great deal of care was taken in making this film to recreate the original details as accurately as possible from old police records and archival photographs. Visually this is a dark story, with many of the scenes taking place at night, or in dimly lit interiors. Wanting to use ambient light more effectively Fincher shot the film using a high definition video camera and the result is the films dark, shadowy feel which is effective stylistically when dealing with a serial killer who largely manages to slip detection.
Primarily, this is a story about obsession and desire, where the central character’s fixation with solving the case forms the central narrative. Despite the fact the killer has no personality and is often just a dark figure, Fincher skilfully manages to create a thoroughly repulsive character and like all good thrillers, this film leaves you guessing. Thankfully the mood is lifted occasionally by the injection of humour but ultimately you’ll be more glued to your seat then rolling off it. If you do like crime/thrillers Zodiac is probably one of the best movies you will see in this genre.
