When the world premiere screening of Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile ended at Sundance, Zac Efron (and his vibrant blond hair) rushed the stage with all the exuberance of a person who didn't see the outpour of negative reactions to the film's first trailer drop. Or maybe he did, but knew that he would be proven innocent...unlike the very guilty serial killer, Ted Bundy, he portrayed.
The Internet was up in arms over concerns that the film—starring Efron and Lily Collins as Elizabeth Kloepfer, Bundy's fiancee whose tell-all book is the basis of the film—would give a man who brutally murdered and sexually assaulted at least 30 women the heartthrob treatment, painting him as a misunderstood character. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Yes, from the eyes of a lover, we see the charming side of Bundy he was truly famous for, but there's an undercurrent of creep-factor that, without spoiling the film, is the cause of a well placed, shocking twist. Never is there any doubt Bundy did what he was accused of. The entire film begs the question: if you were in bed with a monster, would you know it?
Still, Efron isn't exactly helping the case. A truly uncanny performance, Efron said during a Q+A that he was not trying to do an impersonation from Bundy (as you now know, there are plenty of tapes he had to go on, and an entire televised court case), but "was very pleased we had the same sort of mannerisms...we do the same things." What are you trying to tell us, Zac? I'm scared.
Was EWSEAV a great movie? No. Besides the riveting and bonkers court proceedings, which are public record, the script felt weak and without the sort of gripping tension one might expect. However, it was also one of, if not the most, tasteful and respectful films on this type of subject I've seen. In the end, it was a film about the victims: including Kloepfer. There were no graphic murders or sexualization of his crimes. Bundy was just as the title suggests: evil and vile. For that, Efron has a reason to be proud.
