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"Director: David Fincher Screenwriters:  James Vanderbilt, Robert Graysmith (book) Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr, Chlo\u00C3\u00AB Sevigny Running time: 158 minutes Certificate: 15 For a movie based on the true case of an unsolved crime that riveted the world\u00E2\u20AC\u2122s media for many years, Zodiac is disappointingly dull. Striving for authenticity and factual detail is mostly commendable amongst contemporary filmmakers, but in this instance David Fincher misses the mark by allowing the narrative to drag on and losing any sense of sustained dramatic focus.  Beginning with a gruesome attack on a teenage couple in 1969 by an unknown man, we follow the quest to unmask the killer as he embarks upon a vicious spree of violence in 1970\u00E2\u20AC\u2122s San Francisco. As part of his twisted game, he sends cryptic clues to a local newspaper under the guise of \u00E2\u20AC\u02DCZodiac\u00E2\u20AC\u2122, arousing the interest of lowly cartoonist Robert Graysmith (Gyllenhaal) who works obsessively to crack the codes.  Alongside - and sometimes against - Inspector David Toschi (Ruffalo) and drug-addled hack Paul Avery (Downey Jr), Graysmith obsessively devotes much of his life to finding the killer, with his young family suffering as a result. Along the journey are numerous red herrings and strong suggestions that they\u00E2\u20AC\u2122ve let the real culprit slip through their fingers.  Sadly, Zodiac is a victim of its own attempts to present an authentic representation of the events and how they unfolded, according to the real-life Graysmith\u00E2\u20AC\u2122s book. The action spans several decades and at times it feels like the case is unfolding in real time. If only Fincher had been a bit more merciless in the editing suite we could have had a taut, engrossing tale instead of a meandering narrative that makes your brain yearn for the end credits to roll. Fincher mostly steers clear from his trademark visual pyrotechnics and snazzy camera angles, which was a great plan in theory given the strong element of realism needed to recreate an era and a true story. However, once the narrative becomes ponderous and sometimes inconsequential we\u00E2\u20AC\u2122re left wishing for something interesting to perk up our attention. What the hell - bring on the CGI!  However, there are two standout sequences that highlight how powerful Fincher can be as a director, both of which revolve around the Zodiac killer\u00E2\u20AC\u2122s murdering of some innocent young females. The opening attack on the two lusty teens smooching in their car is a masterpiece of effective mise-en-sc\u00C3\u00A8ne that preys upon your senses. When Zodiac is flashing a torch into the young man\u00E2\u20AC\u2122s face or suddenly shooting a bullet, it feels as if you are in the firing line at close range. Similarly, a sequence involving a young couple being brutally attacked by the shores of a lake is brilliantly disconcerting. Filmed in the broad daylight under the glare of the sunshine, thus far removed from the trappings of generic visual conventions, the images of stabbing evoke the notorious shower scene in Psycho in terms of their clinical efficiency. The cast are all fine, with Gyllenhaal, Downey Jr and Ruffalo giving accessible performances and skilfully conveying the respective descents of their characters as a result of their part in the Zodiac case. But given the ponderous nature of the film, their performances are not so much allowed to breathe as slowly exhale. Based upon the fascinating source material one would expect to be gripped and thoroughly engrossed throughout the duration. But ultimately the lack of tautness in the storytelling, seemingly stemming from a desire to be as faithful as possible to Graysmith\u00E2\u20AC\u2122s book, costs the film dearly. It may be a painstakingly authentic recreation of the facts of the Zodiac case, but ultimately its also painful for the viewer too.   "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/review/a46643/zodiac/>