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Terry's
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Zodiac Directed by David Fincher Starring
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Easily the best film
I’ve seen in 2007. David
Fincher, the man responsible for reinventing the serial killer film twelve
years ago with SEVEN has returned to the that same genre but made a
completely different film no less exciting. Based on the true story
of the mysterious Zodiac killer in the San Francisco Bay area in the late
60’s early 70’s, ZODIAC focuses on trying to uncover who was
responsible for the killings and trying to bring that person into justice. Like the book, Fincher
doesn’t sugar coat the story and refuses to answer the question of who
Zodiac was. We get some
choices, with one of them being the most likely choice, but I love how
Fincher ultimately gives us the chance to make up our own mind. This film is all about
the characters and there are some amazing actors representing those real
life onscreen people. Jake
Gyllenhaal is very good playing Robert Graysmith, an innocent comic artist
for the San Francisco Examiner newspaper that gets involved indirectly and
can’t shake his quest to find out the truth.
Robert Downey Jr. is able to use some of his real life experience,
combined with his innate acting ability to portray the obsessive crime
beat writer who doesn’t have much control of his life or the vices that
are eating away at him. Mark
Ruffalo seems to get better with each role he takes on.
He honestly surpasses what I expect out of him each time I see him.
Anthony Edwards came out of retirement to play this role and he is
his always likable self. John
Carroll Lynch is a brilliant choice to play Arthur Leigh Allen because
when he’s onscreen he is absolutely riveting and leaves a powerful
impression. Which is
something that I’ve read about the real person. My wife and I were in San
Francisco right before this movie was released early this year.
Each day we were there, the San Francisco Examiner ran articles on
the real Zodiac case as well as information about the movie shoot.
My favorite was about when David Fincher, his producers and a
police officer went to the real Lake Berryessa crime scene. David
Fincher had never been there and had wanted to see the place it actually
happened. The policeman lead
to crew to the spot where the crime was committed in 1969.
After they got there, David Fincher looked around and stated that
it was not the right place. The
policeman was baffled because he had been there when it happened.
Fincher told everyone to sit tight and he started walking around
the fairly large lake. A
shortwhile later he came back and asked everyone to follow him.
He lead them over to a small penisula and stated that this is where
it happened. The cop looked
around, thought back to his memory of when it happened and said, “He’s
right.” The policeman
stated plainly to the newspaper writer that David Fincher is the smartest
person he’s ever met. There is an amazing scene
in the movie where Jake Gyllenhaal’s character is onto a possible second
suspect who could be Zodiac. At
this point it’s been a long time since there was any onscreen violence,
so when he’s put into the situation in the basement where a gentleman is
trying to find an article that could help lead to discover whether or not
this suspect is Zodiac, there’s movement from the above floor and
you’re not sure what’s going to happen.
It’s extremely suspenseful and one of the best examples of
subdued suspense I’ve seen since Michael Mann’s THE INSIDER. ZODIAC has a long running time, which is totally devoted to character. It will keep you riveted for 158 minutes. I can’t wait until the release a special edition of ZODIAC. www.paramount.com/homeentertainment
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