Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019)
What’s up with our obsession with serial killers?
I love a good murder mystery. The whodunit of it all is so intriguing and I enjoy the twists and turns that typically accompany this type of film, television show, or book. I enjoy the puzzle — the mystery of it all — and the reward of the good guy ultimately triumphing in the end.
But with Netflix’s new film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile we get an insight into the life of one of the most notorious serial killers in America’s history. For decades, movies and shows have been made based off his life and truly heinous crimes. Long after his death, he is still captivating audiences, which leads me to wonder why that is. What is with our obsession with serial killers?
This film depicts not the murders, but the story of Bundy’s girlfriend who was destroyed by his actions. You see her relationship with him morph from infatuation into torture. You’re brought into the pain that she feels every time she receives a call from him, the doubt she has about his own innocence, and the guilt she tries to medicate with alcohol. And while her world is deteriorating, he is having the time of his life.
Bundy’s trial in Florida is broadcast on the news for all to see and the gallery is packed with women who just can’t stay away. And isn’t that a perfect snapshot of our current interests as a society? There are more movies and shows than I can count centered on serial killers, some based on true stories and others pulled out of someone’s imagination. Each unique in its own way, but all shine a light on this disturbing and curious subset of the population. We, as a people, have been captivated by those who willingly and joyfully take another life. We’re thrilled by the chase and want to inspect this part of the human race that is so reviling.
While I enjoyed Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, I couldn’t help but ask myself why. Zac Efron’s performance was wonderful, the filming was beautiful, and the coloring just sucked me in. But, there was also something so intriguing about how this man destroyed so many different lives. More than that, seeing Liz overcome the horror that Bundy caused her was so fascinating. And yet, even though she’s the main protagonist of the film, the one who goes through immense emotional growth, she’s still a secondary character. The majority of the film is about him and his torture, not her triumph.
In the Me Too era, where women are supposed to be gaining a voice in ways that we haven’t had before, it’s a shame that the man, the horrible killer, was still the main focus of this film. Our obsession with violence and death outweighs our collective interest in growth, hope, and healing.
Decades after his crimes and long after his death, everyone still knows Ted Bundy’s name, but we don’t know the names of his victims or the identities of the men and women who caught and put him away. We want to leer at and study these people who are so different than us. Also, like one of the onlookers describes in the film, there’s something exciting about being a little bit scared.
While I can understand our societal obsession, I think it’s doing so much more harm than good. I enjoyed the film but, at the end of the day, I had to ask myself ‘why’. I’m sure movies like this will continue to be released, but I hope that creators will take a good hard look at what these films are doing to our society before our glorification of atrocities grows out of control.
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