Zodiac

Across nearly a decade in San Francisco, a series of taunting letters and brutal murders grip a city and the reporters covering it. A political cartoonist becomes convinced he can piece together the killer's identity, and his fixation draws him deeper into interviews, evidence, and the minds of detectives. As newsroom attention wanes and suspects multiply, the story shifts between stubborn investigators, weary cops, and an amateur sleuth whose certainty keeps him chasing leads long after others have moved on. The film keeps its focus on investigation and atmosphere, avoiding revelations about the ending while showing how the case reshapes the people involved.

Released in 2007, Zodiac was directed by David Fincher, with a screenplay credited to James Vanderbilt and source material drawn from Robert Graysmith's books. The ensemble includes Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr., Anthony Edwards, and Chloë Sevigny.

It earned steady critical attention but only moderate box office returns, with its reputation growing more through word of mouth and later home viewing than initial ticket sales. The film found a dedicated audience over time rather than a blockbuster crowd.

Zodiac left a clear mark on crime filmmaking by emphasizing procedural detail and the grind of investigation instead of neat resolutions. Its long, meticulous scenes of police work and newsroom dynamics influenced later true-crime storytelling, and filmmakers and journalists often point to its style when discussing realism in crime drama. The movie helped renew public interest in the real case and in careful, source-driven reporting.

Critics and audiences have tended to praise the performances and Fincher's controlled approach, reflected in a user vote average of 7.526/10 from 11,230 votes. The film looks at themes of obsession, uncertainty, and the limits of institutions and media when confronting unsolved violence. Its deliberate pacing can test patience, but many viewers appreciate the patience it asks for and the texture it gives to an unsolved mystery.