All signs point to Zodiac
Fincher proves his worth as a top-notch director

Jon Taylor l managing editor
jtaylor@smcvt.edu

David Fincher has directed some of the best films that have come out in recent memory. He first hit the Hollywood scene in 1992 with Alien 3, which generally didn’t play in his favor, seeing as the film was the last in a trilogy (the third film in a series is never any good). Since then, Fincher has dazzled with the twisty Se7en (1995) and mind-bending trickery of Fight Club (1999), both of which were hugely successful with critics and audiences alike. He has had some misfires (1997’s tepid The Game and 2002’s painfully boring Panic Room), but looks poised to solidify his status as a top-notch director with his film Zodiac.

Fincher's latest is based on actual events that took hold of the San Francisco Bay area during the 1960s and 1970s. A serial murderer, who dubbed himself the Zodiac, began killing innocent people and sending cryptic letters to local newspapers, taking credit for the murders. With these letters, he antagonized the public, particularly local police officers, who fiercely pursued Zodiac’s identity.

James Vanderbilt’s dialogue-laden screenplay focuses on two major characters – San Francisco Chronicle political cartoonist Robert Graysmith and San Francisco Police Department Inspector David Toschi. Both Graysmith (who wrote several books about the Zodiac killings) and Toschi were essential in the initial investigation into the murders and are aptly portrayed by Jake Gyllenhaal and Mark Ruffalo, respectively.

Aside from Gyllenhaal and Ruffalo, Zodiac features an ensemble that rivals Martin Scorcese's cast in The Departed, although there isn't a legend like Jack Nicholson featured. Standouts include Brian Cox and the always reliable Chloë Sevigny. The only problem that Fincher seems to encounter with such a large cast is how to fully use all of their abilities. Dermot Mulrooney does a superb job as a police captain, a role that does not fit with his usual romantic comedy image. However, he doesn't get enough screen time to showcase his chops, which, as demonstrated by Zodiac, are definitely there.

Even though it's difficult to single out any actor from this cast, Robert Downey Jr. really steals Zodiac with his portrayal of Paul Avery, a San Francisco Chronicle crime reporter who aids in Graysmith's investigation. Downey makes you believe every word and realistically depicts Avery’s descent into drug-induced madness. He shows critics that his revelatory performance in 2005's Kiss Kiss Bang Bang was no fluke, but Downey will have a hell of a time topping this one.

According to the original police files, the Zodiac murders were particularly violent and Fincher does not hesitate in exposing the graphic nature of the crimes. However, Zodiac is not as explicit as most of his films, which rarely shied away from showing extreme brutality and carnage. Fincher uses his nuanced vision to formulate high levels of tension and suspense, driving the audience to believe that a victim's death could be imminent. Or is it?

Fincher teases the audience's senses with his signature mixture of meticulous production design, dim lighting style, and slightly grainy cinematography. These elements are prominent in Fincher's previous films and are strewn throughout Zodiac. Fight Club's floating text is present, as is Se7en's dark and dreary settings. Fincher manages to surround himself with the best of the best, not just in actors, but in his crew as well.

Usually a two hour and 40 minute film filled with dialogue would have most people checking their watches, wondering when they'll be able to stretch their legs, but Zodiac manages to keep you riveted down to the last frame. It will have you leaning forward and grabbing the edge of your seat, anxiously awaiting the characters' next moves.

It may be way too early to say, but Zodiac has already taken the top spot as the best film of 2007 so far. Don't miss it.