Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile

There’s a morbid and macabre aspect of humanity that enjoys true crime, particularly that of serial killers. You can probably name quite a few from John Dillinger to Harold Shipman, but almost everyone in America, and most parts of the Western world, can name Ted Bundy. Ted Bundy’s name has found itself back into the public consciousness following two highly publicised films/documentaries on Netflix about the notorious serial killer.


This of course has been a subject of discussion and criticism as these two films have been accused of needlessly publicising and sexualising the killer but that is undoubtedly why so many of his victims fall prey to him (that and pretending to be handicapped). Portraying this without making Bundy seem appealing is a trap filmmakers have to avoid. They also have to avoid making this story about Bundy and despite assures from cast and crew to the contrary this movie does exactly that.

To see this movie as a Ted Bundy (Zac Efron) tale as told from the eyes of his girlfriend, Elizabeth Kloepfer (Lily Collins), is a lie. This is a Bundy movie because there is so much Bundy. Sometimes it’s even just Bundy (taking away from the Elizabeth POV). There’re times you almost even feel sympathy for him because of the sadness and anger he feels as the couple grow further and further apart. It’s fact it’s a long time before Elizabeth is the focus because the film is so dominated by Bundy. Inadvertently this movie gave Bundy the attention he would have wanted especially considering he’s stealing the limelight from somebody else.

I like to think that this film was made with the best possible intentions and it was one for the victims, but it doesn’t feel that way. It doesn’t feel like a film for the victims as it focuses too much on Bundy, treading familiar ground that anyone with a working knowledge of Bundy and his crimes will already know. The tone of film is odd (it’s like a fun crime caper in the mold of Catch me If You Can), but the film avoids being grossly exploitative by focusing on Bundy’s charm and charisma (which Efron captures very well) rather than depicting his gruesome murders in detail.

Even despite that, it’s far too long into the film before we begin to feel sympathy for Elizabeth. Lily Collins is fine in the film but the film’s dedication to Efton’s Bundy at the expense of Elizabeth (despite assurances that this won’t happen) becomes the movie’s downfall. As does the fact it’s somewhat dull and the terrible cinematography during one of Bundy’s conversations with Carole Ann Boone where the camera wouldn’t stop circling the two for the entire duration of the scene. I hate that and always will.

2/5