Mesmerizing, suspenseful, meticulous -- and all nonstop.

Zodiac, the new suspense thriller directed by David Fincher, stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo and Robert Downey Jr.

The film is based on the novel by Robert Graysmith, which is based on the true events of a serial killer in southern California in the 1960s and '70s.

Zodiac is the name of the man who started terrorizing the San Francisco Bay Area in 1968 and tormented the press with ciphers. The film follows Robert Graysmith (Gyllenhaal), the cartoonist, Inspector David Toschi (Ruffalo), the homicide investigator and Paul Avery (Downey), the ambitious journalist. The case becomes an obsession for these three as they search for the murderer, and consequently, alter their lives forever.

This isn't another "whodunit" movie with a predictable outcome. Audiences should leave whodunit mindsets at home, because this movie is part police work, part horror. The film is a unique look at police operations and news judgment instead of just a formulaic serial killer story. This is Fincher's genius technique. It won't appeal to people who are only in it for the gore or the intellectual process. Fincher throws twists and turns throughout the film, not allowing his audience to take a break for one moment.

Fincher stages each murder with wrenching reality. He shows you the habits of the murderer, which are almost sickening, yet memorizing. But without this brutality, the effect would not be the same -- it wouldn't seem real.

Gyllenhaal shines in his performance. He pulls the audience into his character's obsessive mindset -- one that ultimately ruins his marriage. The audience can feel his need to solve this crime.

Ruffalo also soars in his performance. He accurately executes the role of a worn-out cop who refuses to stop. Even after he is taken off the case, he still assists Graysmith in his search for the killer.

The most surprisingly exceptional performance was Downey. He played a complicated character, one with drive but also a destructive habit. Downey's role is one that is very contrastive, running the range from humor to heartbreak. At one moment, Downey brings the much-needed comic relief to the serious situation at hand. The next moment, Downey evokes sympathy from the audience.

Fincher also knows when to give the audience a slight break from the suspense.

In fact, one of the funniest scenes includes Graysmith and Avery at the bar together drinking fruity blue drinks with umbrellas. This proves that men -- yes, men -- can enjoy "girly drinks" and search for a serial killer at the same time.

My sole criticism for the movie is the length. At two hours and 40 minutes it's a pretty lengthy film. But to make up for the length, Fincher knew how to keep the audience's attention. The film speeds by as the suspense grows. There is not a dull moment where the audience members wish to look at their watches.

Instead of the common Hollywood formula for a film, Fincher experiments and creates his own. He knows how to get the right nuances, the right shots and the right effects for a film and demonstrates it in this unique, must-see piece of work he has brought to us on the big screen.

Zodiac is a smart, entertaining and realistic chronicle of the life of an investigation, and its death that spread from the lives of victims to the lives of those who tried to solve the case. The characters' need to know the truth is contagious, and you'll leave the theater feeling curious and longing to read the book.

Grade: A