Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile

Graham Craycraft

The new Netflix original Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile is the story of one part of notorious serial killer Ted Bundy’s life. Ted is known as one of the worst serial killers of all time and is thought to have killed over 30 young women often raping them first. This movie, starring Zac Efron as Bundy, is not a documentary but rather a true account told like a work of fiction. Efron, also an executive producer on the film, was joined by other well known actors such as John Malkovich, Lily Collins, Jeffrey Donovans, and others. The film portrayed Bundy as the outside world saw him. Charming, well spoken, and intelligent.

The story begins with Bundy meeting his steady girlfriend Liz Kendall and how she falls, like many others, into the deceptive wonder of Bundy. Instead of jumping to the rapes and murders the audience follows his softer side that he kept up at home with Liz and her daughter. He cares for them and maintains his studies at law school, but there is a constant repetition of unfortunate “coincidences.” Girls go missing, some found dead, a sketch comes out resembling Bundy, his name is given to the police and more. Throughout constant accusations of murder and rape over the years, Bundy refused to admit any guilt whatever.

The movie does an excellent job keeping true to the story and dialogue that was recorded during the interviews and trial. Writers used the many tapes and recordings of Bundy and others involved to keep dialogue as true as they could. The actors and actresses looked remarkably similar as well. The movie does an excellent job of showing the other side that many look past to get to the more explicit material. It is more so a character study of the depths Bundy went to to prove his innocence, even refusing a plea deal that would save his life. Women go missing, some are found dead, but Bundy is still the good looking guy who loves his girlfriend.

The movie is paced well, interesting with the angle they chose to follow, beautifully shot, well acted and gives a feeling of absolute desperation in the sickest way on one hand and the saddest on the other. I did find Efron to be too polished and wished, upon viewing some of the real Bundy tapes, that he stayed more true to Bundy rather than overcleaning him like Hollywood sometimes does. I do not understand the consistently negative reviews of this film (many claiming films like these glorify these figures and attempt to sympathize with them) and would absolutely recommend this movie to all those even slightly interested in the Bundy crimes, but also for anyone who just likes good movies. The dialogue that wasn’t taken from the tapes did feel occasionally forced and I’m sure viewers wished the movie touched on Bundy’s other murders, but that’s not this movie. This is about the private life of Ted Bundy based of the book The Phantom Prince: My Life with Ted Bundy written by Kendall. A handful or murders, the trial, and how the world came to know one of the most brutal killers the US had ever seen.

84/100