Maty's Movies - "ZODIAC"

[KP Note: I've signed a new correspondant to the Two Cents. Maty is a fellow movie buff, but gets out to the theaters more often than I do. He joins the staff and will post movie reviews every now and then. Welcome aboard Maty!]

Zodiac is the new movie by Fight Club director David Fincher. The movie is based on Robert Graysmith’s book about the zodiac killer who terrorized the San Francisco area for decades. I really wanted to like this movie but found it to lack energy, suspense and focus. I’m sure the book is good but I don’t think it translated to film. It was like two movies in one, when the murders took place and then when Graysmith decided he had to write a book about it. It was a long film and for those of you who may remember the true outcome, it’s just not satisfying. Another disappointment was the distinct absence of David Fincher’s visual style. He did have a couple of interesting and beautiful shots, but those don’t make up for the clunky storytelling. There were good performances by Mark Ruffalo and Robert Downey Jr. but overall I can’t in good conscience tell people to go to the theatre and see this film. If true stories about serial killers interest you, I can recommend Sebastian Junger’s book Murder in Belmont. A very interesting looking into who might have been the Boston Strangler. C-

ZODIAC TRAILER

[Submitted by: Maty]