If you have a thing for serial killer movies, then you might want to look into any available deals forParamount+.Zodiac, the crime film based on the true story of the serial murderer who terrorized California in the Sixties, has been added to the streamer’s library as of August 1.
Written byScream’s James Vanderbilt, anddirected by master of the thriller David Fincher,Zodiacboasts a stacked cast that includes Robert Downey Jr., Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Brian Cox, Elias Koteas, and Dermot Mulroney, among others. Based on Robert Graysmith’s seminal books on the real-life case,ZodiacandZodiac Unmasked, it follows the author’s close contact with the case, after he started working it alongside his colleague Paul Avery. It also tells the story from Dave Toschi’s perspective, as the San Francisco police inspector tries his best to solve clues that could lead to the killer’s identity. Per the Rotten Tomatoes synopsis:
In the late 1960s and 1970s, fear grips the city of San Francisco as a serial killer called Zodiac stalks its residents. Investigators (Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Edwards) and reporters (Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr.) become obsessed with learning the killer’s identity and bringing him to justice. Meanwhile, Zodiac claims victim after victim and taunts the authorities with cryptic messages, cyphers and menacing phone calls.
The true-crime filmwas well-received by critics and audiences, although its box office performance was modest, bringing in around $84 million against a production budget of $85 million. However, critics were enthusiastic; today, it has a 90% Rotten Tomatoes critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes, with an audience score of 77%.
Other titles landing on Paramount+ include thrillers likeShutter Island,Red Eye,Primal Fear, andA Time to Kill.
Fincher’s “Based on a True Story” Thriller Is as Unnerving as His 1995 Hit
When you mention David Fincher and the thriller genre, the first thing that inevitably comes to mind is his 1995 masterpieceSe7en. Beyond that, the director has made a fair number of other films in the genre, includingThe Killer,Fight Club, andThe Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.Zodiacranks high on that list, with many of the director’s fans putting it aboveSe7enasFincher’s best thriller.
They’re vastly different films. One is grounded within its true-story walls, while the other is a work of fiction whose unremittingly bleak setting verges on the otherworldly.Se7enis a classic in its own right, with several twists, and the depiction of absolute evil in the form of a timeless villain. InZodiac, Fincher doesn’t have that element. If the real-life villain in your true-crime serial killer story was never caught, how do you go about making a movie?
The answer lies in the chilling paranoia exhibited by three men with three different reactions to the murders.Zodiacisn’t the most visceral thriller you’ll ever see, but it’s one that connects with the viewer using a portrayal of societal fear in response to raw and realistic violence.
