Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile
Despite a captivating performance by Zac Efron, Extremely Wicked is hamstrung by its lack of focus and fails to offer a fresh perspective on Bundy.
render Netflix ’s success with unfeigned crime projects in the past tense ( likeMaking a Murderer ) , it issue forth as piddling surprise when the streaming monster acquired the Ted Bundy docudrama , Extremely severe , Shockingly Evil and Vile , be its world premiere at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival . It ’s actually the 2d Bundy - related production they ’ve unveil this year afterConversations with a grampus : The Ted Bundy Tapes , and hales from the series ' director - creator Joe Berlinger , no less . And while Berlinger is clear well - versed in the citizenry and events of Bundy ’s life , that does n’t needs mean his filmmaking talents are equally up to sniff . Despite a captivating performance by Zac Efron , passing Wickedis is hamstrung by its want of focus and fails to offer a fresh linear perspective on Bundy .
Adapted from the autobiographyThe Phantom Prince : My Life with Ted Bundy , Extremely Wickedexplores Bundy ’s life through the eyes of his girlfriend , Elizabeth Kendall ( then , Elizabeth Kloepfer ) , played by Lily Collins . In general , the movie does a nice job of showing how Bundy swept Elizabeth ( herself , a young single - parent when they meet ) off her feet with his politeness and charm , lead off with their original encounter in a Washington streak circa 1969 , and stay on on through their blissful life together in the years after . This get it all the more impactful when everything comes crash down in 1975 , after Bundy is arrested in Utah ( where he ’d been studying the law of nature ) and the horrific truth about him bit by bit comes to lighter .
In fairness , Extremely Wickeddoesn’t immediately drop off its way from that point . Indeed , some of the most compelling scenes in the picture show unfold in the backwash of Bundy ’s first halt , as he insidiously , but efficaciously gaslights Elizabeth into believing that he ’s being set up to take the evenfall for someone else ’s crime . This is also where Efron shine , as the player portrays the notorious sequential Orcinus orca as a man with personal magnetism and grace to spare , but an undertide of darkness that ’s barely seeable unless you ’re specifically look for it , as audiences are . And for the bombastic part ( save up for one notable exception ) , the movie refrains from going overboard in foreshadowing Bundy as a monster concealing in unvarnished sight behind a gentlemanly exterior .
From there , Michael Werwie ’s book more and more shifts it attention away from Elizabeth ’s story and onto Bundy ’s subsequent actions , get with his first escape from poky in Colorado ( after he ’s agitate with confide additional murders in - state ) . By the timeExtremely Wicked ’s 2nd half get afoot , the film has for the most part abandoned Elizabeth ’s spot of view in favour of scenes that either animate famous televised moments in the media reportage of Bundy ’s case or plainly have real - life historic footage documenting his subsequent slaying spree and arrest in Florida . And while the movie checks back in with Elizabeth every so often and finally come back to her fully in the last , her own experience ( like her filiation into alcohol addiction , as she struggles to accept the truth about Bundy ) almost palpate like an second thought to the court drama in the third act , as Bundy ’s final visitation unfold . In doing so , Extremely Wickedsacrifices its earlier attempt to offer unexampled insight into Bundy , in favor of being a serviceable , but middling cinematic memoir .
Berlinger , for his part , is otherwise hardy when it come to his direction . The movie maker has become a specialist in documentary storytelling in the nearly two decades since his helmed the infamous sequelBook of Shadows : Blair Witch 2(a critical disaster , back in the twenty-four hours ) , and he does a commendable job of combine documentarian techniques with more stylized moviemaking inExtremely Wicked . He ’s further able to eviscerate out authentic performances from his cast - which , in plus to Efron and Collins , let in Kaya Scodelario as Carole Ann Boone ( a woman from Bundy ’s past times who becomes obsessed with him as his offence come to light ) , and character actors like Jim Parsons , John Malkovich , Haley Joel Osment , and Angela Sarafyan as the important player in either Bundy ’s Florida trial or Elizabeth ’s personal life . As a whole , though , there ’s nothing particularly particular about the movie , as far as its sense of craftsmanship is concerned .
Thankfully , at the remainder of the day , Extremely Wickedavoids feeling like an exploitatory portrayal of Ted Bundy , and even has some achiever when it comes to attest how the mass murder managed to take in those closest to him for so many days . But at the same clock time , it ’s guilty of getting bewitch up in the sensationalized aspects of Bundy ’s story , at the expense of a more thought - provoking and subtle role study of the sequent cause of death , as Elizabeth and those around him ( victims and would - be victims alike ) knew him . Of naturally , since it ’s available on Netflix already , those who ’re interested in the movie may still want to give it a look on the banner , at some tip . Failing that , you could always just view Berlinger’sotherNetflix Ted Bundy project or else .
TRAILER
Extremely skanky , Shockingly Evil and Vileis streaming on Netflix . It is 108 minutes long and is rated radius for disturbing / violent content , some sex , nudeness and terminology .
A dramatized film based on the unfeigned history of the ill-famed serial killer Ted Bundy , super implike , Shockingly Evil and Vile tells the story as take by a former girl , Elizabeth Kendall . The film explores Elizabeth ’s life with Bundy . It chronicles the various stoppage and allegations levied against him and the pandemonium Elizabeth and her girl went through via their estimation with the killer .
A dramatized film based on the true story of the infamous serial killer Ted Bundy, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile tells the story as read by a former girlfriend, Elizabeth Kendall. The film explores Elizabeth’s life with Bundy. It chronicles the various arrests and allegations levied against him and the chaos Elizabeth and her daughter went through via their approximation with the killer.
