Reviews: Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019) Movie Review
Subgenres: Killer, Psychological, Thriller, Dysfunctional Family, Serial Killer, Thrill Kill
Exploring Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019) through our review, we cover its story, scares, and how it fits into the broader horror genre landscape.
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019), directed by Joe Berlinger, attempts a bold narrative gamble: to tell the story of notorious serial killerTed Bundy not through the lens of his crimes, but through the perspective of someone who once loved and believed in him. The result is a slick, unsettling true crime drama that, while not universally embraced, is anchored by a magnetic performance from Zac Efron and a chilling reminder of how evil can wear a charming face.
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019) – The Monster Behind the Smile
Plot, Themes, and Character Development
The film follows Liz Kendall (played by Lily Collins), a single mother who falls in love with Ted Bundy, long before the world knows him as one of America’s most prolific serial killers. As news of Ted’s arrest and the harrowing accusations pile up, Liz is forced to confront the possibility that the man she loves may be a monster.
By framing the narrative from Liz’s point of view, the film focuses on manipulation, denial, emotional trauma, and the power of charm as camouflage. This choice adds a psychological layer to the well-documented crimes — we’re not just watching Bundy kill; we’re watching how someone could believe he didn’t. This perspective highlights how evil can mask itself in normalcy, and how love can blind us from brutal truths.
However, because the crimes themselves are often kept offscreen and implied rather than explored, some viewers felt the film downplayed Bundy’s atrocities. It’s not a horror film or a procedural — it’s a character-driven drama with a true crime backbone.
Acting and Cinematography
Zac Efron is the standout here. Known primarily for his charismatic roles in comedies and musicals, Efron disappears into the role of Ted Bundy with disturbing ease. He captures Bundy’s charm, narcissism, and cold detachment without ever crossing into cartoonish villainy. It’s a career-defining performance that carries the film even through its weaker moments.
Lily Collins offers a quiet, internalized performance as Liz, conveying her emotional fragility, confusion, and guilt with restraint. While the script doesn’t give her as much agency as it should, Collins still grounds the film with emotional credibility.
Visually, the film leans into a polished 1970s aesthetic. The costumes, color palette, and production design evoke the era convincingly, while the courtroom scenes and media frenzy are shot with a crisp, almost documentary-like realism. The cinematography isn’t flashy, but it supports the narrative effectively — clean, moody, and immersive.
Directing Style, Strengths, and Weaknesses
Joe Berlinger, known for his work on true crime documentaries like Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes, brings a journalist’s eye to the material. His direction is restrained, more interested in emotional impact than sensationalism. He resists the urge to indulge in gore or horror tropes, instead focusing on character psychology and media spectacle.
That said, the film stumbles in its tone. Some scenes seem almost too slick or stylized, creating a discomforting glamor around Bundy’s image. While the intent is likely to reflect how the public once idolized him, it risks romanticizing a man who committed horrific acts. Additionally, the pacing lags in the middle third, and the emotional payoff between Liz and Ted comes late in the film, limiting its dramatic impact.
Strengths:
Zac Efron’s haunting, transformative performance
Fresh narrative angle, told from the perspective of someone close to Bundy
Effective period detail and production design
Themes of manipulation, denial, and emotional trauma explored subtly
Weaknesses:
Unsettling tone that occasionally flirts with glamorizing the subject
Underutilized emotional arc for Liz Kendall
Some narrative gaps, especially in showing the full horror of Bundy’s crimes
Pacing issues in the middle sections
Final Verdict & Score: 6/10
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile is a character-driven true crime drama that offers a new lens on a well-known story. Though not without its flaws — including tonal discomfort and missed emotional beats — the film is worth watching for Zac Efron’s chilling portrayal and its unique approach to the material. It’s less about the killings and more about the illusion of innocence — and how easily it can deceive.
Sources Used to Shape This Review
Insights in this review are drawn from director interviews, fan commentary, production notes, and long-form breakdowns across genre-specific platforms. Content is written uniquely and reviewed for accuracy.
- Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile Rating Scores
- Our Score: 6/10
- Overall Score: 5.85/10
- IMDB: 6.7/10
- MetaCritic: 5.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 5.4/10
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