What was supposed to be a typical pizza delivery that became a bank heist. The bank heist then turned into a murder. A murder that became an unsolved mystery. An unsolved mystery… potentially solved? This is the review on the documentary called “Evil Genius” on Netflix. This will be the non-spoiler review of the four-part series.
The documentary begins by showing how the bank heist took place on August 28th, 2003. A man by the name of Brian Wells robbed a bank in Erie, Pennsylvania on that very day. Local police received word about the robbery and they closed in on the area Wells was last seen. The police placed Wells under arrest, but this time was different because Brian had a bomb secured around his neck. I thought the bomb was a fake, but it actually exploded and killed the man. So did he kill himself? Did someone set him up? What was the motive? So many questions that couldn’t be answered, until now.
Evil Genius breaks up the heist in four different parts. First, the heist where the producer gives you an overall look into the crime itself. We see who Brian Wells is, video of that day where and when the crime occurred, and what transpired after the bomb went off. Second, there is a body discovered near the crime scene which provides the local police and the FBI with a lead. Third, we get a list of potential suspects, their backgrounds, and witness testimonies regarding the crime. Lastly, confessions by those who witnessed and/or committed a crime. The brilliant investigative producer was able to link everything together into this documentary.
The four parts of the documentary run about 45 minutes long each. It is rated TV-MA so viewer discretion is advised. This documentary had me on the edge of my seat. It felt like a real life Saw film. There are so many parts to this mystery that it will certainly make you think you did it and what they were trying to do. The documentary wraps up loose ends pretty well, but there are still some questions left unanswered.
Have you seen Evil Genius? What did you think of the documentary? Are there other documentaries you would recommend? Let us know in the comments!
Check out the trailer by Netflix below.
