Wicked & Good
It sounds like many fans think horror movies have started to get lazy. Movie viewers say this because horror movies lean on jump scares and exorcism films have become repetitive. Nefarious utilizes none of that and oddly it’s a Christian horror/thriller movie written the hard way with no gore or cheap jump scares—and it works.
Because it is something of a horror movie many Christians will not see this film but others will and for some, it might be life-changing. Released this month, Nefarious is directed by Chuck Konzelman who also directed God’s Not Dead, God’s Not Dead 2, and Do You Believe?. The writer and producer is Cary Solomon who also wrote God’s Not Dead and Do You Believe?. The film stars Sean Patrick Flanery, Jordan Belfi, and James Healy Jr. Nefarious runs 97 minutes and is based on the book A Nefarious Plot by Steve Deace.
The story is simple, psychiatrist James Martin (Jordan Belfi) is hired to evaluate Edward Wayne Brady (Sean Patrick Flanery) an inmate on death row. If Edward is certified sane then he will be executed for his crimes. The interview doesn’t go well because Edward is a master manipulator. Dr. Martin gradually realizes that the question he needs to resolve is whether Edward is manipulating him or is actually possessed.
In every exorcism movie, there is gore, flashbacks, levitating, and objects flying across the room. Cary Solomon could have done all of that but instead, he decided to go the hard route and make a movie with substance. Nefarious builds tension with dialogue and good acting. People coming into the theatre might expect something else such as a killer that brags about his skills, but Solomon decided to go the hard route and make his movie with substance. He chose to make this like C. S. Lewis’s Screwtape Letters with a demon possession twist.
Most of the movie takes place within the prison conference room where Dr. Martin and Convict Edward meet and, this is where the movie shines. This is the sort of strong dialogue and tight location that could easily be made into a theatre play. The demon controlling Edward manipulates the over-confident psychiatrist and squashes his shallow worldview while offering his own demonic replacement.
I suspect this is why liberal critics dislike this movie but give a thumbs up to one that checks all the politically correct boxes. This movie fails to check any of them and has the nerve to insult liberal orthodoxy. This film discusses assisted suicide, abortion, and political correctness cheered on by the demon within Edward. Perhaps liberal critics didn’t relish hearing they are a stooge for demonic forces and so gave it a thumbs down. Ninety-eight percent of regular moviegoers on Rotten Tomatoes said they liked Nefarious.
One rule for storytelling is to start late and leave early. This movie could have cut the last ten minutes and been fine. That’s my one complaint otherwise this movie is strong. I recommend seeing this movie in theaters or buying it on Blu-ray.
Have you seen the movie? Tell us what you think in the comment section below.
