Zac Efron is best known and loved for his role in High School Musical as Troy Bolton. Now, he will be remembered for a new and controversial role as Ted Bundy, an infamous serial killer, in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile.

Just recently, a new movie trailer was released, which sparked controversy and mixed feelings from moviegoers and survivors of Ted Bundy’s attacks. Most claimed that Efron depicted Bundy as too charismatic and good-looking. However, Ted Bundy has been described as charming, which is what helped him lure his victims and manipulate the media and general public to think he wasn’t capable of such horrendous acts.

The trailer does seem to romanticize Bundy, but only if one doesn’t read between the lines. This trailer serves as a reminder that Ted Bundy is a cruel, apathetic and merciless serial killer who has claimed to murder 30 women. And for those who idolize Bundy, this trailer is a reminder that this man had no remorse for his actions and is an evil being who should not be celebrated.

Some watchers believe that Zac Efron is too charming to play Ted Bundy and some even felt as though he was making Ted Bundy look good despite his murders. However, that’s not the case or at least that’s what the film director, Joe Berlinger, claims. “I want to assure those concerned that our film in no way glorifies Bundy or his atrocious acts.”

Survivors of Bundy’s atrocious attacks have also spoken up on Efron’s portrayal of Bundy. Kathy Kleiner Rubin, who was a victim of Bundy’s indiscriminate attacks at her sorority house, gave out her own opinion on the film’s trailer, “I believe that in order to show him exactly the way he was, it’s not really glorifying him, but it’s showing him, and when they do say positive and wonderful things about him … that’s what they saw, that’s what Bundy wanted you to see.”

As a movie lover myself, I can see why there is opposition to this film hitting the big screen. Firstly, I can understand the audience’s concerns on why they think that this film could possibly romanticize Bundy.

However, this film is being told in the perspective of Bundy’s ex-girlfriend, Liz Kloepfer, who was deceived by Bundy’s lies and illusion. Through her eyes and experience, we will witness how she was deceived by Bundy and how his shocking arrest changed her outlook in life.

People might accuse this film of glamorizing Bundy because of the way he is portrayed in the trailer as a smiling and kind surrogate father and lover, but that’s exactly how Bundy deceived his victims and the people in his life. I hope this film will not glamorize a horrible murderer like Bundy but will remind those who do that this man was not a good person. He was a person who ruined the lives of innocent women.

This film serves as a reminder that evil can take any shape or form and cautions us to be aware of any red flags. Potential serial killers could be your next door neighbor, an acquaintance, a love interest or a strangerーeither way, it’s best to be cautious of who you trust.