Liz Kendall made a very brave decision when it came to her longterm boyfriend Ted Bundy, when many murders were being reported in the 1970s. This leads to a crazy courtroom as Bundy attempts to defend himself whilst denying every single charge.
I guess we can say talking on the role of Ted Bundy for Zac Efron is such a different type for the heartthrob actor becoming one of the worst serial killers to have been in America. So I guess we can understand that he wants to show everyone what he can really do, unfortunately the weak script does not help in that matter.
The story is supposed to be from the view of Liz and how she actually got everything in motion leading to his arrest and pending trial. It is put across that he did really love her and never actually wanted to harm her. Although I guess that is something that we will never really know. The film moved at a very slow pace and at times it just felt like nothing was happening at all.
I found that super disappointing considering the talented cast that we get throughout the film. With Efron leading opposite Lily Collins, who really has impressed me in the past few years. Throw in John Malkovich and Jim Parsons in smaller roles during the court scenes.
Another thing that personally is disappointing was the court scenes, I absolutely love a good courtroom drama. This was not even an average courtroom drama. I guess my prior knowledge about this case was limited and after watching this I still don't feel like I know very much at all. I haven't watched that Netflix documentary either and I don't plan on it in all honesty. I was drawn in by the promotion of this film on Sky Cinema and I guess that is good marketing around a very average film.
I cannot really find the words to help explain what was missing from this film but it was just flat throughout and lacked any real passion. Is a film about a hideous serial killer where he isn't fully painted in a bad light a little bit strange to release? As I don't feel he was actually shown as a monster even towards the end. Maybe if they had actually done that a little bit more it would have been slightly better?
The title comes from the judge and how he described Bundy when giving him the death penalty. Extremely wicked, shockingly evil and vile. But from what we were shown in the film it doesn't actually make any sense to how the judge and jury came to these decisions, other than being accused. I guess the bite marks were the only piece of evidence that was shown that linked him. Everything else seemed a little off? I just felt we weren't told enough in the film for it to all fall together and in place, other than knowing he was put to death for the crimes.
