I don't know if this DVD had an accurate account of the Zodiac and the answer to his identity. I've never found the Zodiac Killer as a very interesting bad guy, historically. This film was about newspaper guys trying to figure out who the Zodiac was and how it affected their lives. The main characters are played by: Jake Gyllenhaal and Robert Downey Jr. With the lion's share being: Jake Gyllenhaal. Both were excellent. Robert Downey Jr. seemed to be using his character as a prelude to the future 'Tony Stark'. I would assume "Zodiac" falls into ; "Drama" which usually isn't a great genre. But once in a while drama has a winner. The plot of: "Zodiac" is just the story of the news paper men investigating The Zodiac Killer. Maybe completely true or maybe Hollywood hyped, I don't know. Top notch camera work, light, sound, back drops/sets, and everything else. Great music from that time. (I liked most of the songs that would be found on the sound track- probably comparable music picks to the first "Guardians of the Galaxy" sound track) This was well made, it was interesting, with a good pace. Rather the film was 'real to life' or straight out 'malarkey' it was great and fun to watch. Read full review
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Fincher is on top form: this is his best, most mature film yet. Overloading me with the minutiae of evidence (fingerprints, I.D. parades, witness statements), Zodiac becomes a cryptic, headache inducing puzzle-box (warning: bring aspirin). It's also wryly ironic, the period setting raising bigger questions about the information age as the cops are hampered by a lack of faxes, bad filing systems and no cell phones. Bolstered by superb performances, eye-catching digital camerawork and a terrifically confident sense of purpose, this is the closest cinema has ever come to the realities of the investigative process. Don't expect action; do expect a grown-up, provocative film that invites you to engage your brain. Compelling? Scarily so.
"Zodiac" is a terrific thriller! It reinvents one of the most overused subgenre in all of American Cinema, the serial-killer. It does so not through overly obvious technique or even radical story innovations; but through subtle adjustments in perspective. Shifting the focus from the serial killer's methods and moral impulses (the approach taken by "Saw", "Se7en", etc.) and toward the tools used by reporters and cops tracking the murderer. This moves "Zodiac" evolves another familiar genre; Police Procedure. Yet Fincher and screenwriter James Vanderbilt show so much disregard for Cop Movie conventions that their film ends up having more in common with "All the President's Men" than "Dirty Harry" — (even though "Dirty Harry" was based on the real 'Zodiac' case.) The "Zodiac" Case made national headlines, partly due to the elusiveness of the killer and partly thanks to his method of making himself famous. Starting in 1969, the "Zodiac" wrote letters to San Francisco newspapers detailing his crimes, which consisted of random murders of apparently unconnected victims. The newspaper coverage made him famous, and inspired one of the case's most persistent investigators: Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal), a San Francisco Chronicle cartoonist who became so obsessed with the case that he let it decimate his marriage while he followed leads for years. Graysmith's amateur sleuthing is just one thread of the story. Fincher's drama follows not only the cartoonist but also crime reporter Paul Avery (Robert Downey Jr.), and Cops Dave Toschi (Mark Ruffalo) and William Armstrong (Anthony Edwards). All four of these characters' stories intersect at various points in the film; but they also inspire subplots of their own that accumulate to create a vivid tapestry of 1970's America. Like the best of Scorsese, "Zodiac" succeeds both as a sweeping pop epic and an intimate character study. Even peripheral characters, such as a man who escapes the "Zodiac's" clutches, or a creepy movie nut who may have a link to the killer, have fully realized personas — they're better defined than the leads in most movies. And the leads here are riveting. The Ruffalo, Downey, and Gyllenhaal characters are all strong enough to carry their own films, but joining their stories allows Fincher to make one of the best movies ever made about the ambivalent relationship between Law Enforcement and the Press. "Zodiac" concentrates primarily on Graysmith's investigation, moving back and forth between storylines with great ease and clarity. The elegant story construction and Fincher's visual flair keep it from ever becoming static. The movie is aggressively realistic, abandoning the logical, interlocking structure of most murder mysteries for a plot in which clues contradict each other, fail to connect, and sometimes just get forgotten about in the chaos that is Police Work. If there's a dominant emotion; it's frustration; characters continually get close to the "Zodiac" killer, only to see the case evaporate before their eyes. "Zodiac" therefore becomes a film about smart, competent men failing — a topic that would have been somewhat acceptable in a prior era; yet feels almost revolutionary in 2007 Hollywood. Fincher manages to convey that sensibility, while placing it in the context of a compelling and fast-paced piece of entertainment. 2007: Zodiac Case to date...."UNSOLVED" SEE THIS !!!! Won't disappoint !!!!Read full review
I enjoyed this movie. As it was based on true events, it did not have the outcome I preferred. That's real life for you! It was a great value, no disc or play issues, case intact. Thank you.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
The DVD came in good condition in its original case. Arrived on time.Disc was in great shape with barely any noticeable scratches that can only be seen up close. DVD works great with no issues. Movie itself is excellent with a star studded cast that is mostly true to real life events and graysmith's book. Would recommend reading the book before watching the movie to better understand it. Would buy again. 9/10.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Best Selling in DVDs & Blu-ray Discs
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Save on DVDs & Blu-ray Discs