Director – Amber Sealey (A Plus D, How to Cheat)
Starring – Elijah Wood (Maniac, Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring), Luke Kirby (Halloween: Resurrection, The Human Zoo), and Aleksa Palladino (The Sopranos, The Ring Two)
Release Date – 2021
Rating – 4/5
My horror binge continues with a not so horror release that I recently received from my friends over at RLJE Films. When I received the press release for No Man of God I thought it was going to be a crime thriller that possibly included flashbacks of the heinous acts committed by Bundy as he recollects them to the FBI agent that was interviewing him.
Sadly, that was not the film but I found myself really enjoying it. I’m glad that I took the time to review it but it was out of place with my October horror binge. I want to thank RLJE for always supporting Horror Society and sending over this review copy.
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows FBI agent Mill Hagmair who is tasked with interviewing Ted Bundy in hopes of getting closure for many of the families that Bundy had ripped apart during his years of killing. What starts out as a battle of wits eventually leads to Bundy respecting Hagmair but his games and the governors rush to enact the death penalty on Bundy jeopardizes Hagmair’s mission to get closure for the families. **Spoiler Alert**
I was looking forward to No Man of God. I’m a huge fan of Elijah Wood and seeing him in a crime drama centered around Ted Bundy really peaked my curiosity. The film was not what I was expecting but I still loved it. It was a phenomenal film that I can see myself watching several times without growing tired of it.
The acting in this one is fantastic. I’ve seen several movies with different actors tackling the enigmatic Ted Bundy and I have to say that Luke Kirby is my favorite performance. He was absolutely fantastic as Bundy. There was several scenes where my skin was actually crawling. I love when a performance, especially centered around a real life monster, gives me chills. Wood delivers another unforgettable performance. He is such an amazing actor and I love seeing him tackle films that are destined to gain a cult following. The supporting cast is just as great but the film is focused on these tow and their relationship together.
The story for this one is a crime drama that focuses on Bundy and his hatred of the FBI and the unlikely friendship he developed with Bill Hagmair. It’s an amazing story and the way it was filmed made for an enjoyable film experience. However, I wish the film would have delivered on the bloody flashbacks or something of the like for horror fans to sink their teeth into.
Finally, the film doesn’t really deliver the blood and on screen deaths that most movie goers would expect from a true crime film. It’s character driven and focused heavily on the story instead of practical effects. Overall, No Man of God is an absolutely fantastic crime drama with an amazing performance and a captivating story. I highly recommend this one.
