Movie offers a “making-of” take on Ted Bundy
America has an obsession with serial killers. In fact, it seems like America has an obsession with death in general. Our entertainment is almost always couched in some sort of threat—action movies, horror movies, comedies, romance, even children’s movies, all have an element of danger.
I suppose it should come as no surprise. We’re a nation of “stand your ground” laws, of more guns than people, of mixed martial arts, of ceaseless war. Art is often a reflection of the society that creates it. Our movies show who we are.
You might argue that films from other countries possess the same elements. You’d be right. But film started here. The American film industry dominates popular culture worldwide. The elements you see in other film from other countries are and continue to be inspired by what we produce. The glorification of violence and death is a large part of our exports.
It’s not always welcome—China, in particular, has a taboo against showing dead bodies, part of a cultural superstition about death and ghosts. In fact, the government routinely edits media from the U.S. to remove the death. Game of Thrones in China plays like a boring medieval documentary.
At any rate, as a country, America has an obsession with death, which is why there are so many movies about serial killers. Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile is one of the more recent ones. It’s about Ted Bundy.
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile is a different serial killer film. It’s one that shows almost no violence of the usual sort. It’s not a film that focuses on the crimes or their horrific details.
Instead, it’s a look at Bundy himself. It’s like a fictionalized version of a “Making a Murderer” type show, where the accused asserts their innocence over and over, with a compelling degree of certainty, amplified by a supporting cast of characters who provide context for that innocence.
It wasn’t until just before his execution that Bundy offered a full confession. He hoped to be spared the electric chair for coming clean, or at least receive a stay. What’s fascinating about the film is just how convincing Ted Bundy appeared to be. This was, of course, how he managed to be so successful as a killer.
We all know that he was guilty—he’s Ted Bundy. But even for those that followed the case, those who have seen documentaries or read books about him, the constant denials and explanations and general charm on display in the film still plant a seed. You find yourself wondering: was Ted Bundy railroaded into the electric chair? Of course not. He’s TED BUNDY. These doubts the film sows, however, make the monster that much more terrifying.
It’s the effortless charm of Zac Efron that really sells this story. Like the real Ted Bundy, Efron is attractive and convincing. He plays up Bundy’s shock at the nature of the accusations, showing his frustration with the prosecution, and his general confidence that he’s going to win the day.
Bundy never had his psychosis successfully classified—despite being interviewed and diagnosed by a number of psychiatrists, none could really agree on his exact diagnosis. Narcissism, multiple personality disorder, bipolar, sociopathy/psychopathy, are all mentioned but none effectively capture his evil. Many of these diagnoses require something of a mask, a face shown to others hiding one's true nature. But most of us feel like we can see through something like that.
Efron’s portrayal shatters that belief. He doesn’t show us a mask—we see the same Ted Bundy throughout the film. He never drops the façade, at least not in any measurable way. He is charming and smart and confident and a cold-blooded killer.
Beyond Efron’s performance, which is excellent, the film is good enough to warrant watching. There are a smattering of other actors, like Jim Parsons and Haley Joel Osment, that bring their own interesting performances as well.
In particular, the Florida courtroom scenes are wonderful due to the interplay between Efron and John Malkovich, who plays the affable Christian judge Edward D. Cowart. Lily Collins does a lot of heavy lifting as Liz Kendall, Bundy’s Washington girlfriend who ultimately turned him in.
Overall, the film is an interesting take on a well-worn subject.