We HAVE to talk about this film. Netflix came out with a movie on the life of notorious rapist and serial killer, Ted Bundy, featuring Zac Efron as Ted Bundy and Lilly Collins as Elizabeth Kloepfer. "Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile" — I mean, it's in the name and I was expecting something extraordinary out of the film, but instead it was quite one note and far from extremely anything!
I fell for the movie's PR strategy and was so excited about it, especially after watching "Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes" on Netflix. I was pumped for Efron to play the role and all because that's just the kind of guy Bundy was, a lady killer (uh, figuratively). As I began to watch the movie, I was expecting depiction of the murders, crime, action, an inside scoop of what went on in the guy's head and you don't get ANY of that. Instead, it's mostly about Elizabeth and what she went through and how everything Bundy did effected her. The plot revolved around the theme of guilt and how Bundy's trials were all because of the phone call Kloepfer initially made when she told the police, based off of a drawing in the area, that it was Bundy who committed the crime.
Kloepfer then faces him at the end. The film had a nice storybook ending, I'll give it that. When she tells him that he made her feel guilt through him and his actions, I was totally rooting for her. In the credits, I figured out why I was so disappointed with the film after all, and it was because it was based on a book! It's based on a memoir by the real Elizabeth Kloepfer, "The Phantom Prince: My Life With Ted Bundy."
THIS QUOTE THOUGH: "I've been suffocating, all these years I've had your hands around my neck — release me!." Whew.
So, I don't know if it was my fault for not doing my research before watching the movie or because THEY DID NOT MAKE IT CLEAR in the first place that it was all based on her memoir. And I know I'm not the only one who didn't know that — points off.
Let's talk about the acting though — LOVE. That's probably the only thing I liked, honestly. Efron KNOWS how to put on a show and that's exactly what Bundy did too. He probably went to the casting sesh and was like "Y'all want Bundy? I'll give you Bundy," and he served in the whole film. He made sure it was clear how much Bundy loved and admired his fame and how it also kinda sorta helped him in court too. I mean, we get to see the girls falling for him and attending his hearings just because they think he's hot and dreamy. This guy created a fan base.
If you haven't seen this film, you totally should, but know that it is based on a memoir by Elizabeth Kloepfer! Also, I highly recommend watching "Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes" on Netflix first, to gain more details on Bundy's crimes.
