The Zodiac (2005)

Directed by: Alexander Bulkley | 92 minutes | thriller | Actors: Justin Chambers, Robin Tunney, Rory Culkin, William Mapother, Brad William Henke, Rex Linn, Philip Baker Hall, Marty Lindsey, Shelby Alexis Irey, Natassia Coasta, Kris Palm, Nate Dushku

Serial killers are very hip in Hollywood. This is evident from the countless number of films that are made about the deranged butchers. ‘The Zodiac’ is also such a film, but slightly different than you might expect from the genre.

‘The Zodiac’ tells the story of the notorious Zodiac killer. The killer committed haphazard murders in the late 1960s that startled San Francisco. To this day, the identity of the serial killer is unknown. In ‘The Zodiac’ you will learn more about the butcher and the consequences of his actions. Justin Chambers plays police officer Matt Parish. The cop does everything he can to get the Zodiac. His work does not really succeed and slowly Parish’s ashtray begins to fill up, his wife angrier and his son quieter. In short: Parish becomes obsessive. Son Johnny (Culkin) copies his dad’s behavior and also goes in search of the twisted killer. Mother Laura (Tunney) watches her family fall apart. However, the Zodiac continues to do its job. The death toll and the killer’s methods are getting more and more gruesome.

What makes ‘The Zodiac’ slightly different from the majority of serial killer flicks, is the structure of the film. Director Bulkley mainly zooms in on the consequences of the murders. San Francisco is in turmoil and the population is growing increasingly anxious. The Zodiac killer leaves a trail of destruction and paranoia sets in. The neighborhood suspects each other of the murders and the police are at their wits’ end. The utter arbitrariness and unpredictability of the brutal attacks are extra hard, thanks to the well-dosed music and sober approach of the director.

The cast plays strong roles. Tunney and Chambers, in particular, are on a roll as a frustrated mother and aggravated cop, respectively. Culkin is also nice as a key child. What is a pity, however, is the weakly elaborated side plot around the obsessive father and son. What Bulkley actually wants with the sideline is nowhere clear. The ending of the film is also rushed too quickly. A little more info about the killer was also welcome. Now the Zodiac plays second fiddle in his movie named after him.

Not that that’s a bad thing. ‘The Zodiac’ is not a tribute to a mad killer, but a tribute to the victims of a twisted soul. The people left behind after the havoc wrought by a killer. Stylish and captivating.