Feelin’ blue: Zac Efron, left, as serial killer Ted Bundy, with Jim Parsons, in “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, And Vile” // image via
Having stepped out of the shadow of his Disney Channel days by performing in potty-mouthed comedies, former “High School Musical” star Zac Efron has now entered the realm of the serious dramatic biopic.
Starring as infamously charming serial killer Ted Bundy in the lengthily titled “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, And Vile,” Efron channels plenty of his pretty-boy charisma to bring this controversial figure to life on the silver screen. Set in Seattle, 1969, this new film delights in the hippy-tinted-free-love-bell-bottom-jeans period setting of every serial killer biopic from “Zodiac” to “The Iceman.” Director Joe Berlinger is treading a well-worn path, it seems – will he achieve anything original with so many similar releases in his wake? See for yourself in the trailer below.
With supporting roles filled by former child star Haley Joel Osment, Jim Parsons of “The Big Bang Theory” fame, and none other than John Malkovich, we have a good lineup to look forward to. But the attention-grabbing casting choice of Zac Efron as the ‘shockingly evil’ Bundy has drawn controversy for glamourising the convicted murder. But, again, this is where the film apparently takes its lead from another earlier release – 2017’s “My Friend Dahmer” featured a lead performance from fellow Disney Channel star Ross Lynch, best known as one half of the titular musical duo in “Austin & Ally.” It has become increasingly fashionable for child stars to reinvent themselves with darker roles, and Efron appears to toe the party line in this regard.
While the real-life Ted Bundy was renown for his smooth-talking, attractive personality, making Efron a fitting choice, the film is tinged with the clickbait aura of an expensive publicity stunt. Whether an actor known for portraying otherwise squeaky-clean characters, in such prestigious titles as “17 Again,” can pull off a convincing serial killer remains to be seen.
But if you’re in the mood for more movie news regarding another upcoming release, also set in 1969, then check out our look at Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.”
