Zodiac: Your Dead Wrong If You Don't Like It

So I realized that trying to find someone to go to the movies with me on a Monday night is an extreme challenge. However, I did eventually find two girls to go with me to see the eerie crime thriller Zodiac. Of course these are the kind of girls that you don’t want to see a scary movie with. Not because they’re not fun, or cool, but because they start getting freaked out during the previews, which in turn freaks you out. So when the actual film begins, you’re already paranoid that someone in the row behind you is going to attack you during the movie…despite the 25 other people in the theatre with you. But you never know.
Zodiac is about the infamous serial killer, the Zodiac, who terrorized California with his creepy codes and unexpected murders throughout the 60s and 70s. It is a case that has never been closed, so obviously if you know anything about the Zodiac, you know that in this film there’s not going to be that usual pay off at the end where the bad guy gets caught and is made to pay for his crimes. Instead, Zodiac does something better, it stays true to the case, keeping you on edge throughout the film, and it even makes you laugh a good deal. The amount of factual information that Zodiac drudges up is amazing. For someone like me who is often fascinated with unsolved cases and conspiracy theories, I was astonished, because I had read up on the case in the past and halfway through the movie I was learning new stuff. The one draw back of Zodiac is that it is a very slow moving movie, but like All the Presidents Men, if you have the patience the pay off is well worth it in the end.
Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Robert Graysmith, a cartoonist for the San Francisco Chronicle who becomes obsessed with finding out who the Zodiac really is. Gyllenhaal is brilliant in Zodiac. His character is awkward and his fellow co-workers refer to him as “retard” behind his back. He is the main character as well as the comic relief to this film. One of the girls I went to the movie with was scared to see Zodiac because it would be too terrifying, but of course I convinced her to go. But in this film, I laughed way more than I cringed. Possibly disappointing to big horror film fans, but very valuable to the film because it kept the viewer involved in the slow moving plot. Robert Downey Jr., as Paul Avery, a cocky reporter for the Chronicle, is also another comical character. In my opinion this is probably Downey’s best work yet, which could be because his character becomes a raging alcoholic for a good portion of the film, but he is still wonderful, and paired with Gyllenhaal, they make an amazing duo with which Zodiac could not do without. Mark Ruffalo also does a great job as Inspector David Toschi, who is determined to bring the Zodiac to justice.
Hands down, this is the best picture so far this year. It was everything a good film should be and more. After the film, when you discuss what you thought about the film with your friends (basically when everyone gets a chance to play the film critic), I mentioned how it was a bit slow, but because I’m patient I loved it. My friend said, “I have about a five second attention span and I was able to pay attention to it the whole time.” Zodiac is that good!

Grade: A