TW: rape, murder

As a fan of true crime and serial killers, it has been exciting to see the latest stories and adaptations around the infamous 1970s serial killer Ted Bundy. Netflix recently released a new docuseries called "Conversation with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes" that goes over the cases of dozens of Bundy's victims as well as featuring audio tapes of his chilling recollection of them told from a third person point of view.

Later that week, the new trailer for the Ted Bundy movie starring Zac Efron made its debut, and people had some very strong opinions. Many people on Twitter spoke out against the movie's portrayal of Bundy by saying "it's sensationalizing murder of women" and how it comes off "as a witty romantic thriller."

I wholeheartedly condemn the niche group of people (majority women) who romanticize and fanaticize serial killers. However, I find that the movie's adaptation and Efron's portrayal in the trailer to be very accurate to the controversy around the original Bundy.

For those who are unaware, Bundy was a serial killer who raped and murdered over thirty young women between 1974 and 1978. But when he was first caught, the public was hesitant to believe that he was the one who committed these heinous crimes. Bundy was a young and attractive law student at the time who had no criminal record or general indicators of being a murderer. He was manipulative, egotistical, and confident that he would outsmart the judge and evade jail time.

While I can agree that the music is a bit out of touch, Bundy's characterization in the trailer seemed spot on. His whole essence was that he used his charming boy-next-door persona to convince the media that he couldn't possibly be capable of rape and murder. By portraying Bundy's character as an overtly creepy guy who lurked in the shadows would be altering the real events the movie is based on.

Both the film and the docuseries cover heavy topics that might not be for everyone. But before jumping to conclusions about how right or wrong the film portrays Bundy, do a little research, watch the docuseries, and have something to base your opinion.