Days of the "Zodiac": a DVD Review

Back in the late 60s and early 70s a man terrorized San Francisco and other areas of California and became known as the "Zodiac" killer. If you have seen the movie "Dirty Harry" you have seen a version of Zodiac with the character known as Scorpio there. He went after couples, much like Son of Sam would do later in the 70s, and he shot and stabbed them. He threatened to shoot a bus full of children and to go after other people. He sent taunting messages to the San Fran newspapers and media outlets. More importantly, he was never caught.

The movie "Zodiac" by the filmmaker David Fincher, takes a look at that time and place through the eyes of a man named Robert Graysmith, who was a cartoonist for the San Francisco Chronicle. He was also a man who was very good at solving puzzles, so when Zodiac sends a message in a strange code, he is able to work on it and figure it out. He also befriends a crime reporter named Paul Avery, potrayed by Robert Downey, Jr.

Graysmith is portrayed by the wide-eyed Jake Gyllenhaal. He is remarkable in this movie and totall convincing. The movie also follows the two cops who were in charge of the Zodiac case, portrayed by Mark Ruffalo and Anthony Edwards. This movie is three hours long, but once it ends, you want to head back to the beginning and watch it all again.

Just like the movie "All the President's Men" this is not an action movie. All of the action takes place in the minds of the main characters. Yes, the murders of the Zodiac are replayed with startling brutality and violence, but they are not the main focus of the movie. The main focus of the movie is Graysmith and his growing obsession with the case. We watch as he goes from being mildly interested, to completely obsessed and determined to solve the case long after everyone, including the police, have seemingly lost interest. Graysmith puts his life and his marriage at risk, just so he can have that moment when he looks into the eyes of the killer and KNOWS he is the man who did these crimes.

In real life Graysmith went on to write two books about the Zodiac. In one he comes out and names the man he feels is the killer. His naming of this man still causes controversy, as judged by the reviews and discussion of his books on websites like Amazon.com. None of that really matters in this movie. What does matter is, is this movie entertaining? The answer is, very much, a resounding yes.

Fincher has made a definite leap forward in his talents and career. He is known for movies like "Se7en" and "The Game" and, with this movie, he proves he can tell a compelling historical story and still hold the audience in his grip. Even those of us who have an interest in things like the Zodiac murders and know that no one has been brought to justice for the crimes, the movie still holds us in suspense.

Movies that take us behind-the-scenes at newspapers and media outlets always fascinate me. Other people don't find them as interesting. I have always found the idea of working within the news, having access to all of that information, is profoundly interesting. This movie shows that and manages to keep it understandable and interesting.

This is not an action picture. There are no scenes of people chasing other people. Still, with the spectre of the Zodiac killer constantly lurking, you do feel danger, tension and worry as the characters delve deeper and deeper into the madness of this person. The performances are all first-rate, the direction tight and atmospheric and the story endlessly compelling.

Some movies deserve to find new life on DVD and video. This is one of them. The movie has been released already, now, in January, this is the new "Director's Cut' and it manages to pack the DVD with interesting additions. There is a commentary from Fincher. There are also documentaries about the real characters involved in the actual case that are just as fascinating as the movie itself. This is a version very much worth buying and it definitely deserves to be found on DVD and cable.