Ted Bundy is enjoying a bit of a comeback these days. He's still very much dead, but his pop culture star has blown up thanks to a four-part Netflix docuseries (Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes) and an upcoming movie starring Zac Efron with the longwinded title Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. The former is already out, and perhaps you've already binged it. Netflix has it right up top. The latter is yet to be released for us peons, but screened at Sundance Film Festival over the weekend. (Both premieres came in tandem with the 30-year anniversary of the serial killer's execution.)
Without further ado, here's some choice lines from critics who made their way to Park City to see Efron star as the infamous murderer. Folks hyped for the biopic might want to cool their jets.
Benjamin Lee of The Guardiangave the film 3 out of 5 stars, and wrote of Efron's appearance:
More importantly, here's what he said about the performance:
The review's succinct conclusion—"Efron is wicked, the film less so"—seems to be a theme for many critics.
Emily Tannebaum of Cosmopolitan said:
She also centered her review on the premise that the fears Bundy would be portrayed as a sympathetic character were unfounded, ending by saying:
Variety's Owen Gleiberman admired Efron's use of his "insidious charisma to grab us from the start," and raved about his depiction:
He also noted Efron thrives in the scenes where he impersonates Bundy acting as his own lawyer during his over-the-top trial:
As for Vulture's Emily Yoshida, she said the film was a showcase for Efron but that it didn't have much else going for it. Specifically, she highlighted a lack of perspective that doesn't really have Efron to blame:
She wraps up her thoughts with a final compliment for Efron, though it comes at the expense of the movie as a whole:
Be your own judge when it comes to theaters...whatever day it comes to theaters. Keep your eyes peeled for a date soon.