Review: Zodiac - Directed by David Fincher
Rated R for some strong killings, language, drug material and brief sexual images.

Movies are a lot like pastries sometimes. Some are like cookies--mostly soft filler with bits of sweetness sprinkled throughout. But then there are those fancy cake movies, layered in all kinds of frostings and intricate designs. You may not be in mood for something so rich and elaborate all of the time, but in the right occasion, there's really no beating it. Zodiac is definitely one of these kinds of films.

In Zodiac, cartoonist Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal) grows increasingly obsessed with the case of The Zodiac--an unorthodox serial killer that alluded the police for several decades. With suspects galore and conflicting evidence, the investigators--after devoting much of their lives to the case without success--soon learn that a serial killer can ruin your life without actually killing you.

This movie is thick. With layer upon layer of characters, locales, and twists, there is certainly plenty to keep you interested in the elaborate plot. Clocked in at nearly 3 hours, it in fact feels closer to double that. And therein lies both Zodiac's greatest strength and its most glaring weakness. There's nothing better than a great movie that is also quite long, but also nothing worse than a long movie that you aren't in the mood for.

The key to enjoying Zodiac is first making sure that this is in fact the kind of movie you want to see. One of those movies that is almost impossible to promote, its a combination of drama, suspense, horror, comedy, and mystery. But at its core, Zodiac is a dialog-heavy thinkin' kinda movie. So keep that in mind before buying those tickets. And I recommend not getting anything to drink, as you don't want to risk getting up and miss vital plot developments.

But if you do decide to take the plunge and sink your teeth into Zodiac, you will not be disappointed. Although its anti-climactic ending may not be for everyone, the excellent performances by Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr., and Mark Ruffalo are simply a joy to watch. And being able to keep up with the gripping and fast-moving narrative is certainly rewarding.

Rating: 4.5 / 5