Nefarious

Religious thriller/horror films are a dime a dozen especially bad ones, this falls somewhere in the middle of the spectrum and it could've been a great film had there been the correct cast to support the stellar performance that Sean Patrick Flanery gives in it. Throughout this entire film you are left wondering what is real and what isn't and what sells this so well is Flanery's performance. Sadly the rest of the cast feels like they are just there to chew the scenery and belong in a hallmark channel movie. If this had been properly cast with professional actors for Flanery to play off of this could've been a truly amazing film. That said it's still worth seeing for his performance.

I frequently despise movies that are entirely dialogue-based, where nothing really happens aside from the conversations. But with Nefarious, I was locked in on that dialogue from beginning to end.

This was partly accomplished with good writing. The conversations are interesting and seem strategic by the characters. But the biggest reason it works is the performance by Sean Patrick Flanery. The entire success of this movie rides on him.

He knocks it out of the park. His performance is so good, so convincing. I couldn't take my eyes off of it. As I wondered why this talent hasn't launched him to bigger roles, I went back and looked at his history. I've only seen him in Dexter and Saw VII (aka Saw 3D). I have no idea how he hasn't earned bigger roles. The only reasonable explanation would be that he just recently developed this level of skill, which is possible but hard to believe.

I enjoyed Nefarious overall, despite most of the movie being very slow. But I did wish there was a little more that would push it past the threshold of being a great movie that I would want to rewatch. I also think the listed genres of horror and thriller are highly misleading. It's neither. If I had to choose, I would describe it as a creepy drama.

(1 viewing, opening Thursday 4/13/2023)

What was the purpose of shadow-banning this movie? If 80% of the films being released have occult, hermetic, and gnostic themes, why is it so repulsive to have a film that explores the Christian worldview?

This movie exemplified the "Streisand effect" that the mainstream media was so trying to keep away from the viewing public that it drew me in even more. I wasn't keen on watching this because modern-day horror has gone too far. Since Hostile, everything has been a sadomasochist torture session that doesn't sit well with me. But in no way when I consider this a horror movie; even the film producers did this film a disservice by marketing the film in this manner. A psychological thriller should have been the label and been positioned in that space.

Sean Patrick's Flattery was utterly unrecognizable to me from his chronicles of the Young Indiana Jones Days(Too bad he's not playing Indy in the Dial of ((dead on Arrival)) Destiny".) His serial killer portrayal was a stellar performance, definitely a high-level for the genre. Totally unrecognizable reminded me of James McAvoy in "Split." It's impressive when you play multiple personality/disassociative disorders and nail it. We've also seen it not work, a.k.a. Doom Patrol's "Crazy Jane." His performance holds the whole story together; it makes it believable. The most authentic-seeming/feeling of demon possession; I wouldn't throw Linda Blair's head-twisting performance in the exorcist because that was just pure sensationalism. Cary Solomon does an adequate job as his foil, more of a craftsman performance. He felt he was direct to the DVD-quality actor overshadowed by a masterclass performance.

The majority of the film was shot in one room, and those are typically more difficult films to nail. It was like a stage play on the screen. I liked the pacing. I liked the overall story architecture; it had a pleasing, well, constructive conclusion. This type of story tends to go off the rails at the end, so I was glad they kept the crazy train on the tracks, All Aboard!!

Once again, a good movie is panned by so-called critics simply because it is rooted in a Christian worldview. NEFARIOUS isn't a perfect film. It is, however, a gripping, intellectual thriller that seizes one's attention from the get go and never loosens its grip.

NEFARIOUS depicts a battle of wits between a condemned serial killer (Sean Patrick Flanery) and a psychiatrist charged with determining mental competency for execution (Jordan Belfi). The condemned man claims to be a demon, and this sets up the film's central conflict.

With the bulk of the action taking place between two characters in one room, a tight script is essential. NEFARIOUS sports riveting dialog that creates and maintains suspense in this confrontation between mismatched characters. The demon outwits his opponent at every turn, while his foe swims in a sea of smug superiority and unjustified self-righteousness. That the story is really a battle between evil and lesser evil, rather than a battle between good and evil, makes the film infinitely more interesting.

Flanery's past work has not been particularly memorable, but this performance will stay with viewers for the long haul. One expects over-the-top bombast and supernatural shenanigans in low-budget, independent movies about demonic possession. Flanery instead delivers a pleasant surprise: subtlety. His admirable performance both interests and chills, and it's not the standard fare.

NEFARIOUS could have scored one more star if the second lead had been better cast. Belfi gives a passable performance, but one that pales in comparison to Flanery's. As an aside, Belfi's character is 35 years old, and Belfi is 10 very obvious years older. It's an unforced error. There's no reason short of vanity that the character couldn't have been true to the actor's age. In fact, it would have made him a bit more interesting. Fortunately, the script does allow Belfi's character to grow and change for the better, which props up the otherwise mediocre performance. One wonders what the part could have been in the hands of a more skilled actor.

The ongoing, reflexive bias against films with a faith message is unfortunate. One doesn't have to agree with every element of the filmmakers' message in order to recognize and acknowledge with fairness a creative work's virtues. NEFARIOUS is a solid, thoughtful drama with plenty of suspense, interestingly imperfect characters, and a message that's thought-provoking if you're willing to engage with different points of view.

Unfortunately, these days, that seems to be too much to ask.

My reaction? I was floored by this movie. I love this movie. In fact, I did not think that a film called nefarious dealing with a prison inmate's claiming to be possessed by a demon would be one of my favorite films to come out this year. Yet, that's what has happened. It's not a perfect film but it's close. It's well written and the performances are literally award worth (back when awards were based on actual merit) and the direction is next level. It makes me look forward to any other future projects. Theologically and emotionally it hits all the right notes and it honestly makes you think. It touches on the culture war and why you can't ignore the chaos or the false narratives put out by mainstream enthusiasts. I'm blown away by this film and you have to see it if you love intelligent thrillers.