Though the media appears to be what drives the frenzy of the Zodiac case throughout the film, Fincher attempts to change that as Robert Graysmith becomes increasingly obsessed with the case and the larger media moves on. A Vallejo, California sergeant (Elias Koteas) breaks the rules and gives Graysmith access to confidential files because Zodiac “is yesterday’s news, so what’s the harm?" This just shows how much attention from the press can affect whether a case continues to move along, or gathers dust in an ‘unsolved case’ file somewhere.

Fincher shot Zodiac in a very dark, drab manner that lends itself to the authenticity of the story. James Vanderbilt’s script never loses focus on his story’s human element. While the film is the story of a killer, at the heart of it is a tale of all-consuming obsession. Zodiac keeps the focus on the destructive ramifications of Graysmith and Toschi’s work on their professional and personal lives. Graysmith allows himself to bring his family to the brink of ruin to capture a serial killer, despite the fact that he was a cartoonist. To this day, Graysmith continues to write about the never solved Zodiac case.

Zodiac was one of the best films of 2007. David Fincher’s expertly directed tale begins as a story about a serial killer but evolves into a psychological study of obsession, mania, and family dynamics. No nonsense performances by Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, and Robert Downey Jr. bring James Vanderbilt’s impressive script to life and David Shire’s taut score adds to the intensity of the hunt for the killer.

Paramount released a less than impressive single disc version of Zodiac back in July, 2007. Perhaps in anticipation of Oscar nominations, Paramount has done a great job with Zodiac: 2-Disc Director’s Cut. The audio is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound with subtitles in English, French and Spanish. The image is clean and crisp.

Zodiac: 2-Disc Director’s Cut comes packed with special features. David Fincher, Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr., Brad Fischer, James Vanderbilt and James Ellroy all provide insightful commentaries. “Zodiac Deciphered” is an all-inclusive look behind the scenes look at the making of Zodiac. “The Visual Effects of Zodiac – Previsualization” – split-screen comparisons between animatics and the finished film for the three murder sequences. “This is the Zodiac Speaking” is a new feature-length documentary (produced and directed by David Prior) covering all aspects of the investigation, including new interviews with the original investigators and surviving victims. “His Name Was Arthur Leigh Allen” is a look at the prime suspect in the Zodiac killings. The documentary features interviews with people who knew him and police investigators.