The Zodiac

The Zodiac starts off interestingly enough with the Zodiac Killer's first kill. It's a well-directed chiller of a scene, and it certainly draws you into the story. The story being: The San Francisco police department's frustrating investigation that lasted from the late 60s through the mid-70s, which turned up many clues but never netted a suspect.

Like the equally elusive Jack the Ripper, the Zodiac sent taunting, gloating letters to law enforcement and was never even close getting to caught. Unlike Saucy Jack, however, the Zodiac left living victims behind and those people were able to provide the authorities with sketches and detailed descriptions about their assailant's M.O.

That of the Zodiac Killer is a fascinating case, and hopefully someday it will make for a fascinating movie. This one isn't it, but it's a nice try.

After the initial excitement, the action gears down to focus on the lead investigator on the case, Sgt. Matt Parish (Justin Chambers), his wife Laura (Robin Tunney), and their inquisitive young son, Johnny (Rory Culkin). The story switchbacks between the Parish family, the San Francisco P.D., a pushy TV reporter named Dale Coverling (William Mapother) and the Zodiac himself (Marty Lindsey).

In spite of the many storylines and the changing-up of the character's exploits, the movie feels slow because of the lethargic way in which it was directed. Helmer Alexander Bulkley chooses to show people standing around, talking. Or sitting down, talking. Or at a press conference, talking. Walking down the street, talking. You get the idea. Bulkley 's definitely from the "tell, don't show" school of thought.

As a result, the characters and actors seem dull and dreary. It's a shame, because Tunney, Chambers, and Culkin are all capable actors, but they're hopelessly hobbled here. The only semi-dynamic performances come from Lindsey and Mapother; whenever those two are not onscreen, the movie practically grinds to a halt.

It is, however, refreshing to see that the story was handled as a character study and a police procedural, rather than a lurid piece of exploitation (as has been the case with some recent Manson movies, as well as the 2004 Zodiac Killer movie, which was a truly unwatchable piece of trash).

In the end, of course, the Zodiac was never caught. So how does one end a movie on a beat like that? It's a tough position to be in, but I've seen it done successfully with other movies based on true stories without closure — unfortunately, Bulkley clearly didn't know what to do here. The movie peters out, ending on a nothing note.

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Reviewed by Staci Layne Wilson