Zodiac

David Fincher's lengthy thriller about the hunt for the notorious titular 1970s serial killer is three films at once: police procedural, journalistic investigation, and character study. That Zodiac succeeds in each case is a testament not only to the director's skill but also to the earnest performances of the actors playing the three men at the center of the story: Jake Gyllenhaal as a cartoonist who becomes obsessed with the case, Robert Downey Jr. as the cynical, substance-abusing reporter, and Mark Ruffalo as the dedicated detective whose repeated failures to apprehend the culprit derail his career. Although the real-life events—which took place over two decades—impose a start-and-stop structure on the screenplay, Fincher still maintains an even pace (not to mention considerable suspense), while steadfastly resisting the urge to indulge in melodrama. One of the year's best films to date, this is highly recommended. (E. Hulse)[DVD Review—Jan. 22, 2007—Paramount, 2 discs, 162 min., R, $34.99—Making its second appearance on DVD—only months after the first barebones release—2007's Zodiac (2-Disc Director's Cut) features four additional minutes and a slew of DVD extras, including two audio commentaries (the first by director David Fincher; the second by costars Jake Gyllenhaal and Robert Downey Jr., producer Brad Fischer, writer-producer James Vanderbilt, and writer James Ellroy), a 102-minute “This is the Zodiac Speaking” documentary on the investigation, the 54-minute behind-the-scenes documentary “Zodiac Deciphered,” the 43-minute documentary “His Name Was Arthur Leigh Allen” on the prime suspect, a 15-minute visual effects featurette, three pre-visualization split-screen comparison sequences (7 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: an excellent extras package, although people have a right to be ticked over the forced double-dip in just half a year.][Blu-ray Review—Jan. 20, 2009—Paramount, 2 discs, 162 min., R, $36.99—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 2007's Zodiac (2-Disc Director's Cut) sports a great transfer and a 5.1 Dolby TrueHD soundtrack. Blu-ray extras are identical to the previous DVD release, including two audio commentaries (the first by director David Fincher; the second by costars Jake Gyllenhaal and Robert Downey Jr., producer Brad Fischer, writer-producer James Vanderbilt, and writer James Ellroy), a 102-minute “This is the Zodiac Speaking” documentary on the investigation, the 54-minute behind-the-scenes documentary “Zodiac Deciphered,” the 43-minute documentary “His Name Was Arthur Leigh Allen” on the prime suspect, a 15-minute visual effects featurette, three pre-visualization split-screen comparison sequences (7 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: one of 2007's best looks even better in Blu.]