Movie Review: Nefarious (2023)

Nefarious (2023) co-written and co-directed by Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon

A psychiatrist (Jordan Belfi) is brought in at the last minute to do a death row assessment when the original doctor commits suicide. The evaluation is for Edward Wayne Brady (Sean Patrick Flannery), a serial killer about to be executed in an Oklahoma prison. Brady's situation is not unique in that he seems to have a mental disorder that would disqualify him from being executed. His claim to insanity? He thinks he's possessed by a demon. The demon personality does most of the talking, including the prediction that the psychiatrist will commit three murders before the day is done. As the psychiatrist tries to probe what's really going on, the demon shows more and more control of the situation and knowledge that he could not possibly have, almost enough to convince the atheist psychiatrist that he really is possessed?

The premise is an interesting twist on the whole genre spawned after Hannibal Lecter became a household name in The Silence of the Lambs. The brilliant criminal who is one step ahead of everyone else makes more sense if that criminal has access to supernatural knowledge. Flannery gives a wonderful performance as Edward and as Nefarious, able to be pathetic and menacing in the right moments. Belfi isn't quite as good as the skeptical atheist though he still does a good job. The script is smartly written for the most part, though it starts to get too obvious towards the end and is very heavy-handedly Christian. The last scene could have been taken out of the film with no harm and some benefit. The drama beforehand, which is basically an ongoing discussion bordering on confrontation, is well-done. There's no fancy camera work and few musical cues, just a finely-crafted story that creates suspense and tension without gimmicks. The theology is surprisingly solid making Nefarious the demon more credible than the standard movie demon. His character does a lot of twisting of Biblical verses and themes; he also is very intelligent and does a better job manipulating others. The ending has some missteps (even before the final scene), but the first nine-tenths of the film is a solid and engaging low-budget thriller/horror.

Recommended. 

I first heard about this from the B-Movie Catechism guy's review.