Zodiac - Movie Review

The true story behind the murders that many crime scholars believe to be the most perplexing series of unsolved crimes in modern history comes to the screen in chilling detail. A relentless serial killer is stalking the streets of the San Francisco Bay Area, leaving citizens locked into a constant state of panic, and baffled authorities scrambling for clues. Though the killer sadistically mocks the detectives by leaving a series of perplexing ciphers and menacing letters at the crime scenes, the investigation quickly flatlines when none of the evidence yields any solid leads. As two detectives remain steadfast in their devotion to bringing the elusive killer to justice, they soon find that the madman has control not only over their careers, but their very lives as well.

I read the Zodiac book several years ago, so I already had an interest in this subject. I find it fascinating that a serial killer can leave so many clues and go out of their way to taunt police, but never get caught. The film starts off with a bang, gets a little dull in the middle, but finishes strong. If you have any interest in true crime, you'll love the attention to detail the filmmakers display as they present the facts of the Zodiac killer case as close to reality as possible. The acting was OK - Robert Downey Jr. was hard to understand and Jake Gyllenhaal overacted a bit. However, it was morbidly fascinating to get into the mind of a psychopath who murdered people seemingly at random and struck fear into the community with taunting letters that were published in local newspapers. While the film presented the facts of the case, it did end with a theory as to who committed the unsolved crimes. Nobody was ever charged with the murders in real life, so you can draw your own conclusions.

Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Would I watch it again: No
Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr.

The opinions expressed are those of me, myself and I.