The Reel Critic Zodiac

Author: Josh Wessler

People from outside of California might not fully grasp the impact of the real life Zodiac, the murderous antagonist of the startling new film "Zodiac." For many decades, beginning in the late 1960s, the quixotic serial killer shrouded the coast in uneasiness with a spate of homicides. But the Zodiac took it a step further. He cornered the media to publish his coded messages and anonymous confessions. People could eat breakfast and play his sadistic game, trying to break the cipher and uncover his next move. Paranoid programming like "Cops" and "America's Most Wanted" are the unfortunate legacies of his fantasies. "Zodiac" reexamines the crime genre by forcing us to confront our obsession with violence. It's almost painful that this movie is so enjoyable to watch.

Caught in this maelstrom was the San Francisco Police Department, trying to negotiate a maze of jurisdiction, and the staff of the San Francisco Chronicle, trying to simultaneously sell more newspapers and meet Zodiac's demands to print his ciphers. But what good is a newspaper without a squad of wannabe Dirty Harrys? Among those thrill-seekers was Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal), a young, reserved widower, father of two, who became intimately attached to the Zodiac case. As the case against the killer began to unravel, Graysmith follows suit, and "Zodiac" gets really interesting. Director David Fincher ("Alien," "Se7en," "Fight Club") has crafted another gem, though his style is more muted in his latest crime saga. He uses a very distinct color tone that washes over each scene - his films are pleasing just to look at. Fascinated by places, he spends a lot of time examining cityscapes alienated from an idyllic nature. Early in "Zodiac," Fincher takes us to a dreamy, over-lit pasture, only to rip it away and toss us back into the shadows and filth of the city.

Clearly Fincher did well for himself with "Fight Club," since anyone who used to be someone is in "Zodiac." Lee Norris of "Boy Meets World" fame (remember Minkus?) is 25, looks 12 and can only manage a bit part. Anthony Edwards, known to "E.R." fans as Dr. Greene, has a prominent but unchallenging role as one of the leading detectives. And, of course, Robert Downey Jr. continues to play himself - a cynical, pill-popping boozer who writes the editorial column for the Chronicle. But, as is his style, Downey is completely on target. He gives the movie's best performance in front of a loaded field while a close second is Marc Ruffalo playing a frayed cop.

Gyllenhaal is always likeable, but he suffers because his character's place in the film is not fully developed. Though the movie is based on Graysmith's book "Zodiac," Graysmith and the book do not emerge as the central narrative until midway or later. Fincher toys with us by refusing to favor any of the prime characters, but the movie's structure eventually begins to unravel. Graysmith begins to receive anonymous calls as he edges closer to the Zodiac's identity, but he seems un-phased. He is detached in part because his character skims along the line between author of the book "Zodiac" and cartoonist pretending to be a detective. These roles imply different things: one says he is the objective narrator while the other portrays him as another flawed character. The tension finally reaches an unforgettable climax when he foolishly decides to pursue a lead by himself - the scene that follows is among the best Fincher has ever crafted.

"Zodiac" has the delicious, pulpy feel of a "Law and Order" episode that never shifts to the "Law" portion of the show. Yet, it is hard to file it away as a thriller. The central story is about the cops and the media while the Zodiac is not as much a physical threat to them as an idea, growing larger in their imaginations. This is the real pleasure of the movie: watching the Zodiac curl his fingers into the psyches and nightmares of those dedicated to catching him.

This is a fitting resurrection for Fincher, who went backwards with "Panic Room" in 2002 after the outstanding "Fight Club" in 1999. Though "Zodiac" is not his masterpiece, he leaves us hope that neither was "Fight Club." He effortlessly manages a twisting plot, and knows how to alternately raise and release an audience's anxiety - a master puppeteer handling his dolls.