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Ed Kemper

Play trailer 2:14 Poster for Ed Kemper 2025 1h 32m Crime Drama Biography Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 1 Reviews 37% Popcornmeter 50+ Ratings
The horrifying true story of Ed Kemper, a cunning and sadistic serial killer shaped by childhood abuse, whose charm masked his grotesque obsession with murder, mutilation, and the ultimate act of revenge on his mother.
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Ed Kemper

Critics Reviews

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Joe Lipsett Murder Made Fiction Podcast - Bloody Disgusting Jan 15
1/5
Ferrin's film is a throwback to the 00s in its focus on sensational bloodletting and prioritizing the killer over victims. Brandon Kirk is outstanding, but co-lead Susan Priver is in a different movie in a bad way Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Melissa W. @RubyChi123 4d The actor portraying Ed Kemper delivered a solid performance, but the film overall felt dark and disturbing without being particularly intriguing or insightful. Serial killer dramatizations can be compelling when they balance horror with psychological depth or social context. Unfortunately, this one feels like it misses that mark. The film offers little to no background on the victims, which makes parts of it feel more like re-exploitation than meaningful storytelling. While it may have been attempting to present events strictly from Ed’s perspective, that choice ultimately limits emotional depth and narrative balance. The structure also feels disjointed. The time jumps suggest an unreliable narrator approach, but the execution isn’t clear enough to feel intentional. The portrayal of his mother is so exaggerated that it becomes difficult to distinguish between psychological nuance and tonal inconsistency. For example, the scene with the photo envelope — containing only the card addressed to her — felt like it was building toward something that never fully materialized. Introducing a more grounded secondary character (perhaps a sibling) could have helped anchor the story and clarify the family dynamics. There are also noticeable inconsistencies. The story is set during the Nixon era, yet one murder appears to take place in front of a modern solar farm. Small details like that break immersion. Additionally, the film glosses over important backstory elements: the large, seemingly affluent home he grew up in raises questions about his father’s role and whether his childhood was ever stable. These gaps leave the narrative feeling incomplete. Some effects and visual choices further undercut the film’s impact — particularly the low-budget practical effects and the oddly executed “orange demon” imagery. Instead of enhancing psychological horror, they feel distracting. A deeper look at the psychiatric evaluations or investigative perspectives toward the end could have added much-needed insight and cohesion. As it stands, the movie feels like a missed opportunity. Ed Kemper’s story has the potential to be as compelling as other true-crime dramatizations, but this version never fully delivers on that promise. See more Tai H. @jpjg00 Feb 13 Excellent! Keeps you locked in See more Joe B @JoeB19 Jan 18 Really horrible movie. Just an excuse for glorifying mindless violence. No real insight into the psychology of Ed Kemper. Very inconsiderate to the victims. Don't watch it. See more Nicci h @Nicci Jan 17 This is shocking in every way. I find the minds of people who do horrendous things to others disturbing but fascinating but never at the cost of the victims. I felt the victims of this show were dehumanised and used all over again.. disgusting. If their excuse was it was focusing on the mind of Kemper, they failed miserably there also, it is the worst true crime film I’ve ever seen by far. See more Georgie T @SnooBucket Jan 15 I don’t know who made this film, but I wouldn’t recommend it. It feels like it was made by high school students. See more Vicki W @Fiorina161 Jan 13 Terrible acting. Absolutely awful. See more Read all reviews
Ed Kemper

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Movie Info

Synopsis The horrifying true story of Ed Kemper, a cunning and sadistic serial killer shaped by childhood abuse, whose charm masked his grotesque obsession with murder, mutilation, and the ultimate act of revenge on his mother.
Director
Chad Ferrin
Producer
Chad Ferrin, Jeff Olan, Silawn Lewis, Michael Conroy
Screenwriter
Chad Ferrin, Stephen Johnston
Distributor
Epic Pictures
Production Co
Crappy World Films, Dance On Productions, Laurelwood Pictures
Genre
Crime, Drama, Biography
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 4, 2025, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 8, 2025
Runtime
1h 32m
Aspect Ratio
Digital 2.39:1
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