Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile, a new Ted Bundy biopic, has recently released a trailer.
Joe Berlinger, director of other crime thrillers such as Paradise Lost (1996) and Whitney (2014), is focusing his attention now on the real-life story of Elizabeth Kloepfer, played by Lily Collins, who is battling her suspicions of her boyfriend Ted Bundy, played by Zac Efron, being a killer.
For those who are unaware, Bundy was a serial killer who confessed to 30 murders that took place in the 1970s. Bundy was executed via electric chair in 1989.
The trailer, and Berlinger, have come under scrutiny for the decision to cast Efron as Bundy, which many people see as a glamorization of a monsterous human being. I see this casting decision more like an attempt to accurately portray the methods Bundy used to get close to his victims.
Bundy used charisma and manipulation to charm his way close to victims. Efron just so happens to be an attractive and charismatic actor, so I understand the casting decision.
Berlinger should still make sure that Bundy is not made into a glamorized figure, as such a portrayal might lead to his garnering a new cult following.
As far as the actual trailer goes, I was really confused by the tone. The music and scenes used for the trailer give me the impression that the film is going to be either a straight comedy or dark comedy. Given the subject matter, I was expecting something a little more sinister or foreboding.
Nonetheless, this film is looking interesting and the trailer has piqued my interest. I hope that Berlinger uses the source material appropriately.
(Left) Zac Efron’s portrayal of serial killer Ted Bundy (Right) | Photo Credit/Voltage Pictures; Bettmann/Getty
