Zodiac

Zodiac

1-25-10

What kinda flick is Zodiac? Oh wait...I know its a serial killer flick...right? Well not exactly. I mean its about a serial killer but its doesn't really belong in that genre now does it? It has none of the trademark cliches of the standard serial killer flick. There is even a scene that features the characters attending a screening of Dirty Harry (a film obviously inspired by the real life events depicted in Zodiac) that goes a long way to illustrate the fact that we're not watching that kind of film. If forced to pigeon hole the film into a genre I would say its closer to a procedural/mystery film with some dashes of thriller. Its probably best to think of Zodiac as a really good "true crime" book brought to life with stunning cinematography and Jake Gyllenhaal. For the most part the film manages to be a kind of cold examination of the facts. Like the absolute best version of those reenactments you see on the discovery channel. Where the film falls short is in its attempts at giving a bit more depth and motivation to the main investigators. These respective scenes feel out of place in a film that is for the most part "just the facts"