Publisher: Louisa Moore - Screen Zealots April 4, 2025
Setting out with a plan of deconstructing the true crime documentary genre, filmmaker Charlie Shackleton’s “Zodiac Killer Project” certainly should get a lot of credit for the ambitious idea alone. But this intriguing concept is frustrating rather than entertaining, and the film feels more like a slow dry lecture about the mechanics of true crime documentaries than a real game changer. The film features Shackleton essentially describing the documentary he wanted to make about the Zodiac Killer but couldn’t, mainly because he was unsuccessful in securing the rights to the story. Instead of being a documentary about the Zodiac, it becomes an analysis of the genre itself. In theory, it sounds incredibly interesting. But in practice, it’s more of a monotonous series of voice overs paired with static shots of mundane locations like kitchens, hallways, empty streets, and diner booths. It’s not visually engaging at all, which makes it feel like you’re watching a documentary pitch meeting rather than an actual film. Shackleton does make some sharp observations about the way true crime documentaries follow a formula, from relying on clichéd visuals like tape recorders, interrogation rooms, and grainy reenactments. He also briefly explores the ways filmmakers manipulate facts and selectively present information to support their theories about the crime their project is highlighting. These moments show the film’s potential to spark interesting thoughts about the genre, but they’re buried under a mountain of dry, unrelenting narration. Instead of exploring these themes in a dynamic or engaging way, Shackleton seems content to drag his feet through them in a way that had me begging for more action and less talking. The film’s pacing is painfully slow, with a collection of scenes that consist of two-minute shots of static objects while the narrator drones on about the nuances of true crime media. It’s visually bland and doesn’t offer much beyond the spoken word (this would’ve been much better as an audio book). Overall, “Zodiac Killer Project” feels like a tedious analysis and a missed opportunity. The genre of true crime is ripe for dissection, but the way this film goes about it just doesn’t work. By: Louisa Moore / SCREEN ZEALOTS