Zodiac (2007)
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A journalist and a group of investigators become consumed by the hunt for a mysterious serial killer who taunts the public with cryptic ciphers.
The story
Following a series of attacks in the late 1960s and early 1970s, a serial killer known as 'Zodiac' begins taunting the San Francisco Bay Area by mailing bloodstained clothing and encrypted letters to local newspapers. The letters contain ciphers and threats, creating a media frenzy and a desperate manhunt. Amidst the growing panic, a political cartoonist and a crime reporter become increasingly obsessed with the case. As the investigation unfolds, the police struggle to identify the killer while the public remains gripped by the mystery of the anonymous figure who continues to taunt them through the media.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1969, an unknown man attacks Darlene Ferrin and Mike Mageau in Vallejo, California. Shortly after, the San Francisco Chronicle receives encrypted letters from a killer calling himself 'Zodiac.' The killer's identity remains unknown as he continues to taunt the public and police with ciphers and bloodstained items. A political cartoonist, Robert Graysmith, and a crime reporter, Paul Avery, become deeply involved in the investigation. As the case gains notoriety, police officers Dave Toschi and Bill Armstrong work to track the killer, while Graysmith's obsession with the case begins to consume his personal life. The investigation leads to the identification of a suspect, Arthur Leigh Allen, whose physical evidence is inconclusive. In 1991, Mike Mageau resurfaces and identifies Allen from a mugshot. The film concludes with a note that Allen died in 1992 before he could be questioned, and the case remains officially unsolved.
- First release year
- 2007
- Runtime (minutes)
- 157
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- David Fincher
- Writers
- James Vanderbilt · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Jake Gyllenhaal · Robert Graysmith; Mark Ruffalo · Inspector Dave Toschi; Robert Downey Jr. · Paul Avery; Anthony Edwards · Inspector Bill Armstrong; Brian Cox · Melvin Belli; Elias Koteas · Sergeant Jack Mulanax; Donal Logue · Captain Ken Narlow; John Carroll Lynch · Arthur Leigh Allen
- Genres
- crime; thriller
- Themes
- obsession; media coverage; investigation
- Tone and mood
- tense; realistic
- Premise and plot tags
- true crime; serial killer; police procedural
- Source material / true-story basis
- Zodiac (1986) and Zodiac Unmasked (2002) by Robert Graysmith
- Reception
- The film received largely positive reviews, with praise for its writing, directing, acting, and historical accuracy. It has also gained a large cult following.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 90% · scale: percentage · review count: 264; Metacritic · score: 79 · scale: 100 · review count: 40
- Awards and nominations
- Saturn Award · Best Action, Adventure or Thriller Film · Nomination
- Production trivia
- The film was voted the 12th greatest film of the 21st century in a 2016 BBC poll.; The director used a digital camera to shoot the film but used traditional film for slow-motion murder sequences.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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