A shocking and chilling true crime doc
Netflix’s new drama series, The Good Nurse, tells the story of a nurse who is wrongly accused of killing her patients. Capturing the Killer Nurse is the documentary companion piece to this series and sheds light on the background and horrific instances of Cullen’s killings. This 90 minute movie includes eyewitness reports, police interviews and actual archival pictures from the time. There are also some chilling audio recordings from Cullen himself. ..
In the early 1990s, Charles Cullen was a New Jersey born serial killer who worked as a nurse. He administered overdoses to various patients, claiming he was doing so to spare them from going into cardiac or respiratory arrest. However, this is quickly debunked when it’s unveiled that some of Cullen’s patients weren’t even terminally ill. The man was meticulous and cunning, adding insulin to IV bags or using drugs like digoxin to avoid suspicion.
Cullen, a doctor who was arrested for the murders of between 30-40 patients, admits to the killings but argues that the figure could be closer to around 400. If this were true, Cullen would be one of the most prolific serial killers of all time.
The documentary instead shifts the focus across to the investigators and those working closely with law enforcement, including Amy Loughren who helped to catch Charlie Cullen before he killed more people. The story is well paced and there’s a rapidly progressing timeline as well as explanatory text to confirm what day of the investigation we’re up to. ..
The film’s aesthetic is based largely on interviews and archival footage, with a few re-enactments used to add suspense or to create a more suggestive feel.
Although well-produced, there are times where the film feels a bit over-stylized. Hearing “You Are My Sunshine” being played before and after hearing a sorrowful story about a patient humming this is a bit on the nose and has an adverse effect on the atmosphere, unfortunately. ..
Despite that, Capturing the Killer Nurse is a 90 minute documentary about capturing Charles Cullen, the killer nurse who went on a deadly spree and caused numerous fatalities while on duty. There’s nothing particularly outstanding here, and if you’ve seen The Good Nurse then this will likely hold few surprises. Despite that, this is a decent companion piece and another true crime film that’s well worth a watch. ..
