As a serial killer terrifies the San Francisco Bay Area, and taunts police with his ciphers and letters, investigators in four jurisdictions search for the murderer. The case becomes an obsession for four men as their lives and careers are built and destroyed by the endless trail of clues.
From the pre-release reviews of this movie, it seemed like it was going to be a slash and gore flick. It had killings (as any real serial killer movie does) and violence and was moderately graphic. But, no more than Friday the 13th or Nightmare on Elm Street. I wasn't impressed by the gore factor, which, in my opinion, was mild compared to some of the movies that are out. The stabbing scene was mildly impressive.
As for the overall movie, it wasn't too bad. It was a long movie, which seemed to drag on forever. Robert Downey, Jr. played a fabulous alcoholic, drug-addicted reporter. Jake Gyllenhaal was superb as an obsessed (with the Zodiac) comic strip artist. Anthony Edwards and Mark Ruffalo were also quite good and provided a little humor from time to time.
Admittedly, this version of the Zodiac was a lot better than the last take (on the Zodiac case) that I had seen - The Zodiac Killer, 2004 ..., which, honestly, totally sucked.
If you are into true crime and serial killers, or your just curious about the story behind the Zodiac, then this movie is a good one to see. But, I suggest you take a potty break before you go in. And if you're drinking anything, drink it in moderation as this movie is 2 hours and 36 minutes long.
Review by Akasha Knyghte