Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile is the upcoming Ted Bundy movie that features Zac Efron as the lead character. We were given the first trailer for the movie last week, and the film has gained a considerable amount of buzz since its release. Well, the first reviews for the movie are now here, and it’s probably going to pick up even more buzz.
According to Rotten Tomatoes, the movie has a 67% rating out of 21 reviews, with 14 fresh and 7 rotten. We’ll give you some of the notable ones below.
The Good
IndieWire: More sad than salacious, it’s the rare film about a criminal that offers human details without humanizing a man who so many agree was a monster.
Variety: How is Zac Efron as Bundy? I think he’s startlingly good: controlled, magnetic, audacious, committed, and eerily right.
TheWrap: Less a play-by-play perusal of the killer’s methods and perversions, and more an examination of our biases and unending fascination for those among us that find twisted fulfillment in brutality.
JoBlo: Uneven as a whole, but Zac Efron’s portrayal is compelling.
FilmThreat: Extremely Wicked, Shocking Evil and Vile is fueled by Efron’s performance, which is unlike anything we’ve ever seen the actor do.
Hollywood Reporter: Berlinger attacks the story in a rough-and-ready style only somewhat more refined than what he employs in documentaries, and the approach feels entirely appropriate.
Guardian: In fact, the most shocking thing about the film is Efron’s remarkably accomplished, fiercely committed performance.
The Bad
New York Post: Berlinger’s aim, it seems, is to cast doubt on whether or not Bundy actually murdered anybody until the very end of the movie to maintain suspense. Good luck, Joe!
AV Club: Extremely Wicked can’t seem to commit to its ostensibly limited POV.
Vulture: If the narrative film only exists to give us the unsettling sliminess of Efron as Bundy, it won’t be a total waste. But it’s not much of a movie, either.
Splash Report: Extremely callous treatment of source material, hopelessly confused between presenting Bundy’s or another’s perspective, wasting incredible performances by Zac Efron and Lily Collins.
So there you have it. The majority of the reviews for Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile are pretty positive. So if you’re looking forward to it, be sure to continue to check back for a release date, which will very likely be some point this year.
Will you be watching the Ted Bundy movie? Be sure to tell us all of your thoughts in the comments section!