Nefarious

First off, this is obviously a low-budget movie, and although that presents some flaws due to budget constraints, overall the film is quite solid. The story is intriguing enough to draw you in from the outset, add some developed characters, the use of flash forward, and an anxiety-inducing score, you get a tight, tense horror with great practical effects. And I only watched for the biscuits.

First of all, it's very clear that this film is low-budget, roughly $22k according the the director at a recent festival screening I attended. I only bring this up to highlight how impressive this film is for a budget of that size. The look is gritty, the lighting/color grade a bit too colorful and some of the acting is weak, but the strongpoints are so incredibly strong that this film is worth sitting through the lighting-fast runtime.

The dialogue is pretty amazing, Guy Ritchie levels of snappiness and snark, and I'm not just using that comparison Because of the UK connection, this truly feels like a low-rent Ritchie Film.

The plot isn't exactly fresh, but the pacing is great and the film rarely seems to meander and the twist, while also not exactly original, is fun and makes for a brutal and nihilistic final act.

The final aspect of this film that makes it worth watching is the score. There are a few original songs that may just be the best original songs ever created for a no-budget indie film. They are so good, you're going to spend hours looking for them online.

If you have the chance to see this film, I think you'll come to the same conclusion that I did, it is lacking in production value, because duh, it has a non-existent budget, but what they created with what they had, I can confidently say that this film is exceptional. If you are into true, no-budget cinema or filmmaking, this film should be on your radar and it should serve as a reminder that your ambition doesn't need to be a roadblock if you're willing to get creative.

Could've been a good thriller even on a low budget but the remedial writing and poor editing just eradicated this movie!

Movie staff upvoting again.

Shut it off for the bad acting, garbage script, and terrible camera work.

I'll start with: I am not a horror fan. I usually avoid it as I am a bit of a scaredy-cat and have had some experiences in the real world that keep me farrr away from horror films. That being said, I decided to go against my normal instincts and give 'Nefarious' a whirl at a film festival as I'd seen a promo for it and it caught my attention. I'm very glad I did: it's gritty, original, suspenseful, and full of surprises. Nadia Lamin as Lou and Toby Wynn-Davies as Marcus particularly gripping on screen, though the team of actors as a whole are solid & characters have depths; I felt so sorry for Clive, played by Gregory A. Smith. There is an especially gory scene that had a good few of us audience members turning away it was so effectively done, one shot involving a blade by an ear that really had my stomach turning! I especially liked the darkness and monochrome colour palette of the police investigation scenes, a choice clearly reflecting how they see the world and the characters they're interviewing. In summary: it's good, you're kept guessing throughout, and it's definitely worth a watch.