What transpires for the next hour and forty minutes is intense and truly wonderful in the darkest way. Bill and Ted (not that Bill & Ted) form what could be described as a mutual psychological curiosity for the inner workings of each other’s minds. Or it could be called a friendship. Bundy refers to Hagmaier as his best friend when quite obviously Bill does not share this sentiment. Bill simply wants Bundy to confess before he is executed so that the victims’ families can get justice. This doesn’t mean that Hagmaier doesn’t have some kind of empathy for Bundy, even though he is one of the evilest men ever to walk the Earth. He does, and that’s what interesting to me. That Ted Bundy could be so incredibly devoid of anything good in the very heart of his being but still appear charming, caring, friendly, even funny. Bundy tries to convince Hagmaier that any normal person could kill if put in the right circumstances. While what is really happening is that Bundy is desperately trying to convince himself that he is as normal as he wants to be.
“The intensity ramps up from moment one and does not let go.”
The script for this film is absolutely incredible, and it’s no surprise considering that C. Robert Cargill wrote it (under the pseudonym Kit Lesser). This is the first time Cargill has written without his usual partner in crime, Scott Derrickson. It certainly doesn’t mean that the script was lacking. In fact, the script is what makes this movie so fantastic. That and some really wonderful cinematography from Karina Silva. Obviously, the performances are fantastic, and kudos to director Amber Sealey for getting these fantastic performances out of some already fantastic actors.
I’ll close by saying that this movie isn’t visually violent, but there is a turbulent wind of violence blowing all the way through No Man of God. The intensity ramps up from moment one and does not let go. It’s much more of a character piece than a horror movie. More Zodiac than Henry: Portrait of A Serial Killer. Not to say that the realities which this film is based on aren’t totally horrifying. They just aren’t really shown on screen. However, you can feel the dread everywhere while seeing it and even a little while after. I think this shows just how emotionally effective this film is, and I hope that whenever you see it, you agree.
No Man of God screened at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival.
"…a mutual psychological curiosity for the inner workings of each other's minds."
