The movie Nefarious is one where I didn’t know what to expect. It’s a film where my assumptions were wrong, but in a good way. This film is one of the surprise hits of 2023 for me. Produce and directed Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon, the same filmmakers who are known for making more Christian theme film such as The God’s Not Dead series, It’s easy to think of this movie as a Christian movie and because of that I was hesitant to watch the film because while we do deal with religious themes in movies, movies shouldn’t get too preachy. But that’s not the case with Nefarious. There is a lot of mystery, a lot of ambiguity, and a lot of “what if” leaving the audience to decide for themselves. That might be the most brilliant aspect of the film.
Starring Sean Patrick Flanery from The Boondock Saints films and The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles stars as a convicted killer who is about to be put to death, but before the action is carried out, he must be evaluated by a psychologist. That’s when this character proclaims that he is really a demon called “Nefarious” who has possessed the body of the convicted killer. Very much in the vein of movies like Primal Fear, The Ritual, and even The Exorcism, this film is more of a psychological thriller than a biblical movie. It does not feel like the previous work of the filmmakers and for that I was glad. I’m not saying there is anything wrong with making faith-based type movies because there is definitely an audience for those kinds of films and in the world of film nothing should ever be censored. I’m glad there’s a place for those kinds of movies, but they’re not for me. But like I said I was pleasantly surprised by it not being that kind of film and it certainly makes the film better. The cat and mouse game between the convicted killer / demon and the psychologist is the best part of the film. Sean Patrick Flanery gives one hell of a performance. It’s just as good if not better than Edward Norton’s performance in Primal Fear. Nefarious may never be up for any kind of an award, but Sean Patrick Flanery deserves an award for his performance. There are so many twists and turns through the conversation that you don’t really know what’s going to happen and even in the end there’s no true answer, it’s just left out for you to decide. What do you choose to believe, that’s what the filmmakers are asking the audience. The performances and the spooky aspects of the prison during a storm are some the best parts of this movie. While it is an indie movie, it does have a feel of a big budget psychological thriller. I can honestly say that this is my favorite film by these filmmakers because it does seem more like a mainstream film.
No it’s not a perfect film, I do feel like we needed more backstory on the killer instead of just dark scenes where he’s wrestling subconsciously with the demon and doesn’t understand why he’s in prison. It’s a great performance and Sean can flip back and forth perfectly, but we don’t get as much information as we should about the killer or how he came to be possessed if you believe that to be true. The pacing is good, but doesn’t always center on the best part of the film which is the psychological and religious discussion between the doctor and the possessed. We do get a lot of history and motive from the so-called demon, there seems to be a lot cut out for the sake of time which makes me wonder if this film would have been better as a limited series on streaming channel. However, it still makes for a great film especially when it leaves the audience wanting to know more. And of course I do have a critique by casting right wing propaganda journalists like Glenn Beck the role of a journalist at the end of the movie. I’m not saying that he can’t be a good actor, but not really the person that you should cast when there are so many great actors out there who could do the role better. He shouldn’t even have a cameo. It’s hard to take somebody like him seriously when all he’s fuses hate and propaganda on TV and through his Talk Show. It’s bad casting and hurts the film where people may not take it seriously or think its some right-wing propaganda film. I would have rather seen the filmmakers cast maybe a local actor who’s just looking for a shot and could probably do the role better.
Overall, this is a really good movie. It may not be one that you would watch over and over and it’s not the typical faith-based movie that’s being too preaching. It is more of a psychological thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the end. This is one of the best performances by Sean Patrick Flanery. In some ways I feel like this is a story that we would have seen in a Constantine film or TV show, but I love the fact that Sean cannot only play a really great anti-hero or hero, but psychotic killer masquerading as a demon. You don’t have to be a Christian to enjoy this movie. You don’t even necessarily have to take religion seriously to enjoy the psychological aspects of the film. And one thing that I found interesting when I interviewed Sean for the film is when he said, “you can’t ever really escape religion whatever you choose to believe. It’s always going to be there.” That’s very true, but it’s not a film that’s trying to get you to believe God, but for you to ask questions and decide for yourself. If you’re looking for a great metaphor within the film, its essentially what the demon is doing to the skeptic psychologist who’s conducting the interview. He gives him the information and doesn’t tell him to believe, but asks him to decide for himself. So if you’re like me, and you were skeptical that this is going to be some kind of Bible movie, it is not. I would put this film right out there with The Exorcism. More psychological thriller than faith-based film, that’s what makes Nefarious worth watching. If you’re a fan of psychological thrillers with some religious overtones then Nefarious is the perfect movie and the performances that won’t leave you disappointed.
