Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile (2019)
The personal life of smooth-talking, gas-lighting sociopath Ted Bundy gets put into the spotlight in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile (which takes its name from a quote by the judge in describing the crimes committed while delivering sentencing during Bundy’s murder trial), one of two projects by true-crime specialist, director Joe Berlinger, in the first half of 2019 alone on the subject, the other being a four-part Netflix documentary series called, “Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes”, which features interviews with Bundy himself while he was on death row. Extremely Wicked is a dramatization of events, more from the perspective of Bundy’s ex-fiancee, Elizabeth Kendall (the pseudonym used by Liz Kloepfer), loosely taken from the memoirs of her experience with Bundy, “The Phantom Prince: My Life with Ted Bundy,” originally published in 1981. In addition to their relationship, the film covers the legal troubles that Bundy would find himself in and out of, culminating in the first nationally televised court trial in United States history.
Zac Efron is nicely cast in the role of the rogue charmer that, despite all of the vile accusations thrown against him, found himself garnering a bit of heartthrob status among women who found his charisma and looks to be irresistible, even if underneath beat the heart of an amoral monster. The acting in the film is perhaps the best asset to this otherwise unspectacular movie, with Efron, who does remarkably look like Bundy, providing some of his better work in the role. There are also good supporting turns by Lily Collins as increasingly paranoid Liz Kendall, Haley Joel Osment as Liz’s concerned coworker who has a thing for her, Kayla Sodelario as Bundy’s girlfriend and best public cheerleader once he is incarcerated, and John Malkovich as Judge Cowart, who presided over the highly publicized case for the State of Florida. Metallica frontman James Hetfield also makes an acting appearance in the film, playing police officer Bob Hayward; Hetfield became friends with Joe Berlinger when he directed the acclaimed documentary on the band, Metallica: Some Kind of Monster.
The sense of period, covering mostly the years between 1969 and 1979 is adequate but often feels artificial in its hair, make-up, and wardrobe, with the actors feeling more like they’re playing dress-up than inhabiting lived-in characters. We find the ostensibly sweet courtship of single mom Kendall on the part of Ted Bundy, who seems like an ideal dream man when they meet and seems to be a loving and nurturing father figure to her young daughter over the years. Things take a turn when Bundy leaves their home in Seattle to attend law school in Utah, especially when he gets tagged as a suspect in a kidnapping and murder case that he fits the description of, though the facts don’t quite align enough for him to be the definitive culprit. Elizabeth stays by his side, but Bundy continues to do things that seem to further sink him into legal troubles, making her wonder if he is the serial killer in disguise, or if all of it is the elaborate frame job by overzealous law enforcement seeking to put him away without incontrovertible evidence to nail him for good. Bundy soon becomes a bit of a media darling, with groupies across the country falling under his dreamy spell, including Carole Ann Boone, who becomes Bundy’s lover and source of strength at a time when Liz has decided to keep her distance.
Although it is a film about a serial killer, all of the disturbing acts of violence are kept mostly off the screen with the exception of a couple of very brief flashbacks that, thankfully, aren’t particularly graphic in nature (though there is one photograph in evidence that is disturbing enough on its own). I suppose the point here is to put you in the mind of Kendall, who saw few of the dark sides to Bundy that was being portrayed by the cops and media, keeping her in limbo as to how much effort she should take to stick by his side as he tried to clear his name. As such, it may have some who aren’t particularly familiar with the Ted Bundy story more intrigued as to whether or not he is going to be found innocent or guilty by the end, and even if the latter, whether he is actually being railroaded by the cops and judicial system. By the end, though, it does become more clear, even if things remain ambiguous along the way.
Extremely Vile serves less like a full biopic or even exploration into the rationale of a madman than it is a cataloging of events that transpired within the life of Bundy and Kendall over the course of that decade. As such, it does often feel like it lacks a purpose beyond the re-enactment of events, most of which have been on record and in documentary form in a more complete and interesting manner than is presented here. With lackluster direction and without a hook to keep us reeled into the film beyond the performances, it’s a real missed opportunity to make for a gripping or thoughtful peek into a world few would ever experience in their lifetimes. The film remains at the end much of what Ted Bundy was to most people who met him at first glance: attractive but superficial, hoping for a connection underneath the charm that doesn’t quite offer the kind of substance that can sustain your attention beyond what you envisioned going in.
Qwipster’s rating: C-
MPAA Rated: R for disturbing/violent content, some sexuality, nudity, and language
Running Time: 110 min.
Cast: Zac Efron, Lily Collins, Haley Joel Osment, John Malkovich, Kaya Scodelario, Angela Sarafyan, James Hetfield
Small role: Jim Parsons, Dylan Baker
Director: Joe Berlinger
Screenplay: Michael Werwie (based on the book, “The Phantom Prince: My Life with Ted Bundy”, by Elizabeth Kendall)