Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile
written by Kathia Woods
Recently there has been a resurgence in the fascination of serial killer Ted Bundy. Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile joins the group of new movies looking to cast a light on this disturbed individual.
Zac Efron takes a turn at portraying this calculating character. Wicked unlike previous movies attempts to give us insight into Ted the person. It focuses more on his relationship with Liz Kloepfer and how his killing spree influenced her.
Gone are the gory depictions of his killings replaced by the torturous unraveling of Klopefer persona upon realizing that the man she loves is a serial killer.
The killing is a backdrop however the focus is on their relationship. The audience gets a front-row seat to Liz’s mental breakdown.
This may be the issue with this movie while focusing on Liz and Ted relationship you lose sight of the fact that this man violently killed over 30 women. You are entranced by his good looks and charisma. You get to see a loving boyfriend however one can never forget that this man killing spree crossed five states and left many parents still yearning for their missing daughters.
The missing link is the effect that his terror had on the women. The viewer doesn’t get to see the result of his evilness. It’s as if the filmmakers are trying to sell him as a tortured soul that wanted to do right but couldn’t.
Zac Efron turns in his most mature performance. He embodies all of Ted’s characteristics. This is evident in the scene where he steps of the elevator and is indicted in Florida.
The unsung hero of this movie is Lily Collins as Bundy’s girlfriend, Elizabeth Kloepfer. Her performance is mesmerizing. We understand her conflict and self-doubt.
The acting in this movie is good, but the story is incomplete. In the end, if you're going to honor the victims, you must show the effects of such heinous crimes and reveal Bundy as the demon that he was.
Scale- I give this movie a six because it needed to tell a more complete picture.