Fincher's latest comes to High-Def.

There were movies being made about the Zodiac case even as the investigation was still ongoing. Well, technically, it's still ongoing since the true killer was never officially caught, but at this point most connected to the case have accepted the fact that the Zodiac killer has likely long-since passed on. Still, the fascination remains and will likely continue, America's version of Jack the Ripper.

Set in late 60's San Francisco, David Fincher's Zodiac (not to be confused with 2005's vastly inferior The Zodiac) focuses on the obsession of four men to capture the most elusive of killers. The story's focal characters shift in the course of the film, beginning with San Fran Homicide Inspector Dave Toschi (Mark Ruffalo) and his partner William Armstrong (Anthony Edwards). When the killer starts sending coded letters directly to the papers, the San Francisco Chronicle's star crime reporter, Paul Avery (Robert Downey, Jr.) joins the obsession, at times working with Toschi and Edwards and at others directly against them. The most unlikely member of the Zodiac fold is a young cartoonist at The Chronicle named Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal). As the case consumes The Chronicle offices, Graysmith's knack for deciphering codes unofficially brings him into the investigation. Years after Toschi, Armstrong and Avery have tried to leave the obsession behind, Graysmith decides to quit his job and focus entirely on the Zodiac investigation, a quest he hopes will one day lead to a book about the now infamous case.

Expectations were high for David Fincher's take on the Zodiac case. Reactions were understandably mixed, partially due to the film's lenghy 2 hours and 40 running time. Zodiac is by no means a perfect work, but it is consistently engaging with moments of tension unrivaled by any other recent movie. And while I may be along, the running time really didn't bother me.

What's most interesting about Zodiac is that it is essentially a few different stories about the Zodiac killings tied together within one movie. Early on, as we witness the terrifying murders, it's a thriller. Fincher's direction of these scenes employs his trademark razor-sharp precision, crafting tension-filled moments that bring a frightening freshness to the murders. One of the strongest moments, where two kids making out by a lake are attacked by the killer, is so simple, yet so tense and terrifying at the same time. You cringe watching it and it stays with you. Other kills are simply jarring. They are simple and quick, but they catch the audience off guard. Fincher's skills come through in spades to make this so much more than your standard serial killer movie.

The next portion of the movie deals with Toschi and Avery's obsession to discover who the Zodiac is. Once the majority of press has moved away from the case, these men refuse to let it go. Even Toschi's partner, Armstrong, has moved on, but Toschi always feels as if the Zodiac is almost within his grasp. Mark Ruffalo is great as the true blue San Fran detective; a likable blue collar kind of guy whose intelligence makes it impossible for him to accept his failure on such a public case. For Avery, he thrills at the prospect of pursuing the great lead that will catch the killer until the killer himself threatens to come after him. The somewhat unstable Avery winds up taking practice at a shooting range and finding his nights somewhere lost in a bottle. Downey, Jr. excels at this kind of off-the-wall, ego-driven character. He's terrific, providing a cross between colorful intrigue and comic relief.

And this is where Gyllenhaal's Graysmith shifts focus towards his quest to turn the Zodiac pursuit into a novel. Of course, the novel is in many ways also just an excuse for Graysmith to quit his job and focus on his own Jr. Sleuth pursuits of the illusive killer. Gyllenhaal's youthful exuberance gives the case a fresh spin, and even as he traipses over some already well-worn territory and previously pursued leads by this point into Fincher's lengthy work, it works. You route for Graysmith and, despite knowing how it turns out, you hope that he just might find a way to solve the case. This is Gyllenhaal's most accomplished work of his adult career.

While the length will be a problem for some and I'll admit that there are a few scenes that could have been cut, I was locked into the story from the start. It's not as flashy as some of Fincher's earlier work, but in many ways it also shows a maturity in his vision and promise for the future. Zodiac could have become tedious and it could have become another forgettable entry into the overloaded serial killer movie genre. Instead, it's not only one of the best entry's into the genre, but the definitive movie on the Zodiac investigation.

ReelzChannel Rating: 

The HD-DVD: A period piece set in the 70's might not sound like the best showcase for the high definition disc format, but then again, it's not always about explosions and spaceships. Zodiac looks gorgeous on high-defintion. Fincher's dark visuals look crisp and detailed. Those trademark 70's pastels really pop as well. Some of the colors are so bright you almost feel compelled to look away from the screen. Zodiac will surely impress those friends who think you're crazy for buying that new $10,000 home theater for Christmas.

The Extras: The HD-DVD version of Zodiac offers the same collection of extras as the regular DVD, some of which are also in high def. Here's the rundown:

Two commetary tracks:

1. Director David Fincher

2. Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey, Jr., Brad Fisher, James Vanderbilt and James Ellroy

Zodiac Deciphered (HD) - Doc on the making of Zodiac.

The Visual Effects of Zodiac (HD)

Previsualization - A split screen of the computer animatic film test and the actual film.

This is the Zodiac Speaking (HD) - New feature-length doc on the Zodiac investigation directed by David Prior.

His Name was Arthur Leigh Allen (HD) - Short doc on the chief suspect in the Zodiac case.