Zac Efron is starring in a film about the life of serial killer Ted Bundy, and the internet thinks he's too charming.
The film's release, coincidentally or strategically, falls in line with Netflix's popular new true crime docu-series, "Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes."
Netflix's Bundy documentary takes a very serious approach to the infamous serial killer, as most crime documentaries do. Aside from the obvious differences, the thriller "Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile" appears to take on the subject matter in a different tone. A tone I was initially unsure about.
This man murdered children and Hollywood is editing the trailer like some funny, sexy action movie
I understand that Bundy was supposed to be hot and charismatic but I think you can portray that without the bizarre, ‘American Hustle’-like tone this trailer has
I mean that music choice...what the hell were they thinking for a serial killer movie based on true, not-so-long-ago events when the victims’ relatives are still alive...big yikes!
Zac Efron was a teen heartthrob in Disney movies and y’all really cast him as a real life serial killer to romanticize him. Gross
The music choice feels... wrong?
It feels very disrespectful to use this upbeat action music. It makes him seem like some kind of anti-hero or something? It feels very insensitive and makes the movie look like a fun blockbuster rather than a serious depiction of a sadistic killer.
With the tone sitting weirdly with me as well, I was glad to find people were thinking similarly.
Then I found other responses that made me change my mind.
there are so many people mad about this humanizing bundy, being too fun, or making him out to be innocent. you can’t tell this story without showing how charismatic ted was and how hard it was for people to believe that someone who seemed “normal” murdered more than 30 women.
Ted bundy was “good looking” in real life and lured girls in by his charm. That’s probably why they casted him for this role.
why does everyone think this is romanticizing ted bundy this is literally how he would act in real life to capture women and kill them and they are displaying that. zac himself even said they aren’t trying to romanticize him y’all being FAKE woke again
It was at that moment I realized I was being fake woke again.
"Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile" premiered at the Sundance Film Festival Jan. 26, but does not have a nation-wide release date yet.
If you made it this far, let me know what you think about the trailer. Tweet me at @ndywillis!
I leave you with this lighthearted meme: