Genre: Drama/Mystery
Runtime: 2hr 37min
Language: English
IMDb: 7.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 90%
Letterboxd: 4/5
Metacritic: 79%
Wikipedia: Link
Director: David Fincher
Cast
Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr, Mark Ruffalo, Chloe Sevigny, Anthony Edwards, John Carroll Lynch, Penny Wallace, June Diane Raphael
Plot
In San Francisco in the late 1960s and early 1970s, a cryptic and sadistic serial killer who goes by the name Zodiac terrorizes the city. The film follows the investigation led by two dedicated individuals: Robert Graysmith, a newspaper cartoonist, and Inspector David Toschi of the SFPD. Together, they unravel the enigmatic ciphers left by the killer and race against time to identify and apprehend the Zodiac.
As the case becomes an obsession, Graysmith and Toschi’s lives unravel, taking a toll on their careers and personal relationships. The film explores the relentless pursuit of truth, obsession, and the toll it takes on those who dare to chase a cunning and elusive killer. With suspenseful twists and turns, Zodiac movie keeps audiences on the edge of their seats as it delves into the real-life, unsolved mystery that haunted San Francisco for years.
REVIEW
David Fincher’s Zodiac is not a conventional thriller but a meticulously crafted study of obsession, fear, and the elusiveness of truth. Based on the real-life Zodiac killings, the film abandons Hollywood tropes of closure, instead immersing us in a decades-long investigation that consumes journalists, police, and amateur sleuths alike. Fincher’s direction is masterful, clinical yet hypnotic, capturing the paranoia of the 60s and 70s with painstaking period detail. The trio of performances, Jake Gyllenhaal’s quiet intensity, Robert Downey Jr.’s chaotic energy, and Mark Ruffalo’s grounded weariness, anchor the narrative in human fragility. What makes Zodiac unforgettable is its restraint: the violence is suggested rather than exploited, leaving the dread to linger long after. Its runtime demands patience, but the payoff is an unnerving reflection on obsession and uncertainty.
Verdict: A haunting, slow-burn masterpiece that redefines the crime thriller.
Rating: 9/10