Fresh and Exciting

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

A great thought provoking film that leaves you wanting more of the story. One of David Fincher's best films and definitely most underrated. An excellent cast, particularly Mark Ruffolo and Downey Jr. it's a long film but if you like murder mystery films you will love this.

Fincher is overrated. His last great work was Fight club. Zodiac I swear to god is the dullest, most long drawn out road to nowhere film I've sat through. It has similarities with how bored I got with Gone girl. ( also fincher) Room ( dear god ) and Slumdog millionaire. This is the most time I've spent bored watching a film and I've seen Tree of life (2011)!Not recommended to anyone.

I remember watching this for the first time a few years ago thinking it was an unmemorable slow drag. Revisiting this was an excellent idea. Why? Well my opinion has changed. Based on the Zodiac killings of California back in the late 60s, a journalist, cartoonist and homicide detective are entangled in a seemingly uncrackable case. With each murder, the killer leaves a cryptic message behind for the San Fransisco Chronicle to publish. On the surface this is a dark crime mystery, however underneath the authentic 60s production value is a story about obsession. How it can manifest and manipulate your mind, turning yourself into a determined individual but at the cost of losing your job, friends and family. These three employees became so fixated on publicising The Zodiac and attempting to uncover the suspect behind the codes, that actually it became a detriment to them. The lavish direction from renowned director David Fincher illustrated the case as if we, the viewers, were apart of the team. The evidence was meticulously presented so that we could attempt to work it out ourselves, which is where the thrills and emotional investment come into play. The slow paced story allowed the characters to truly interact with each other and become fully developed, thus conveying the concept of obsession enigmatically. Gyllenhaal, Ruffalo and Downey Jr had a fair share of screen time where each of the three acts focussed on one character in greater detail, whilst still progressing the case in a linear narrative. Not a easy task, but Fincher made it look effortless. The basement scene towards the end was heart pounding, Fincher did not need to conform to typical thriller traits to create suspense. The constant time hopping between scenes prevented a narrative flow, it felt disconnected occasionally. One day later, one year later, seven and a half years later...we get it, the case went on for a long time. Despite being a slow burner, this mystery will keep you glued to the screen. Taut, tense and thrilling!

My number one question is WHY was Gyllenhaal cast in the lead? He's extremely ineffectual, mealy-mouthed, delivers his lines in an irritatingly mumbling, raspy manner. Next is the matter of the music chosen for various segments: totally inappropriate. OK, the songs are from the right time period, but they simply do not connect with what's on screen in most instances. I sincerely wanted to "enjoy" and appreciate thisfilm, but I was thwarted, sadly. The players try hard, but fail. At least this movie was not shot in near-darkness as many films of the past 30 years have been, oddly. Is lighting too expensive? Sorry I cannot rate this higher than 4.