Film Review: "Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile" (2019).

"The Story Behind America's Most Notorious Serial Killer." This is Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. This biographical crime thriller film directed by Joe Berlinger, adapted by Michael Werwie, and based on Bundy's former girlfriend Elizabeth Kendall's memoir, The Phantom Prince: My Life with Ted Bundy. Single mother Liz Kendall falls for Ted Bundy and refuses to believe the truth about his crimes for years.

At the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, the project unveiled with Zac Efron set to star as the infamous serial killer, and documentary filmmaker Berlinger in the directors chair. In an interview with Variety Magazine, producer Nicolas Chartier commented: "I have been trying to work with Zac Efron for a long time... From his dramatic turn in Paperboy to his hilarious performance in Neighbors, he continues to impress audiences and critics alike with his extraordinary versatility and range. We couldn't be more excited to see him in this amazing role." In October 2017, Lily Collins was cast as Bundy's girlfriend. By January 2018, Kaya Scodelario, Angela Sarafyan, Haley Joel Osment, Jim Parsons, and John Malkovich as Carole Ann Boone, Joanna, Jerry Thompson, Larry Simpson, and Edward Cowart respectively. Around the same time, principal production commenced and wrapped in late February. Filming took place in throughout Kentucky. The title derives from a quote from Cowart on Bundy's trial: "The crimes were extremely wicked, shockingly evil, vile, and the product of design to inflict a high degree of pain."

The film stars Efron as Bundy, Collins as Kendall, Scodelario as Boone, Sarafyan as Joanna, Osment as Jerry, Parsons as Simpson, and Malkovich as Cowart. The supporting cast surrounding Efron gave credible portrayals of their real-life counterparts. As for Efron, he skilfully portrayed Bundy's charming persona, making him sympathetic. But lacked the edgy, dark and evil aspects of Bundy that made him one of the most infamous serial killers and vile human beings to ever walk the earth. Efron's fellow Disney alum Ross Lynch played Jeffrey Dahmer in My Friend Dahmer (2017). It's anyone's guess as to whether or not Ross' performance will be as intricate, alluring and unique a web as Efron.

Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile presents not only an examination of Bundy himself, it gets into the brief romance between Kendall and her shockingly evil knight in shining armour. It is an interesting portrait of a woman who took the leap into the abyss. Although the film does presenting the fascinating portrait of Bundy and Kendall, it approaches it with too much empathy towards Bundy that is too often missing for Kendall. The film excels by going beyond a simple examination of Bundy. But Werwie's script does excuse and condone Bundy's behaviour and crimes, and it doesn't shy away from Bundy's own words and feelings that contributed to the public's morbid fascination with him to this day. Nevertheless, the film is far more interesting than it is engaging; a slow-paced examination of a young woman's romance with one of the most sinister men to ever exist.

Simon says Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile receives:

Also, see my review for Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes.