Nefarious (2023) Review: Message First, Story Never

Nefarious (2023) was written and directed by Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon. It tells the story of a death row inmate who claims to be possessed by a demon. A psychiatrist is called in to determine whether the inmate is telling the truth or he's just crazy.

PROS:

• The surface level concept of someone possessed by a demon interacting with a character who doesn’t believe him intrigues me.

• Sean Patrick Flanery carried this entire film on his back. His portrayal of Edward and Nefarious were the only aspects that I can say were truly interesting. The way he switched between these two characters, while perhaps not spectacular, was enough for me to go along with it.

• I almost like the dynamic between James and Nefarious. Almost.

• The score, composed by Bryan E. Miller, is pretty decent. What stands out to me is what’s used during the execution as it seems to amplify the sound of the electrical voltage coursing through. Can I just say though, the fact that Miller composed some music for Supernanny is hilarious in the context of this movie.

• Kevin Sorbo isn’t in this movie.

CONS:

• This is a case where you, as the audience, are tricked in a way. If you’re like me you probably saw the trailer for this movie and expected it to be a thriller, psychological and even mystery horror movie. While it is all these things in a way, its primary objective is to push a religious narrative. There are a plethora of horror movies that have a heavy religious meaning to them, but they typically don’t smack you in the face with a heavy handed message.

• Jordan Belfi did well enough as Dr. James Martin, but he wasn’t likable enough for me to be invested in him making it out of this situation alright. Not to mention that he was overshadowed by Flanery.

• While Flanery was fun to watch in this role, I never once felt intimidated by him or like he posed a credible threat. He felt almost like Lucifer from Supernatural. Entertaining? Yeah. Scary? Not so much.

• The cinematography is lackluster to say the least. Not much is utilized in the way of camera movement or unique/complimentary shots.

• The audio throughout this film is all over the place. The volume isn’t consistent. Some moments I had to turn my volume up a lot to hear properly and other times it’s way too loud.

• Do I need to mention the bullshit that is this movie’s views on ‘the procedure’? No? We good? Great. "No, you can’t do that! That’s murder! …Let’s fry this guy though!"

• At least 90% of this film consists of two characters in one, stationary location having, at surface level, a discussion about theology. One constantly trying to prove the other’s beliefs or disbeliefs wrong. There are films that have made that exact concept interesting to watch. This isn’t one.

• By the end of the film the character I felt the most empathy/sympathy for was Edward. I’m sure this was intentional to an extent, however I don’t think the creators intended for anyone to care primarily for him. And that’s exactly what happened for me.

• From a mental health standpoint, this movie doesn’t do anyone any favors.

• It felt like the whole point of this story was to shove the message of atheism being wrong down our throats. The only way for James to be saved is for him to pull a 180 and believe in God. Even if it is for a brief moment. And even then that’s apparently not enough to keep him out of Nefarious’s clutches. So you have to have complete devote faith or you’re fucked???

• Something I hear time and time again, both as a movie fan in general and as a writer, is show don’t tell. All we really get here is ‘tell’. Maybe there could have been some flashbacks or a prologue that gave us visual storytelling on Nefarious and what he’s done.

• If you’re a horror fan who leans more heavily into elements that are expected from the genre, you’re going to be disappointed. There are three murders talked about here and we see one kill, if you will.

• You’ve got the head of the Duck Dynasty family making an hour long video on this shit for fuck’s sake! Yes, I’m considering that a con!

• As a viewer you’re not given the choice to come to your own conclusions or feelings about this film. It TELLS you how to feel. And that’s coming from a movie that talks a lot about free will. If I wanted to be yelled at about how much of a heathen I am, I’d just go to church.

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Allow me to drop a biblical bomb on you. Nefarious is based on a book, the same book as a matter of fact that James supposedly ‘writes’ in the film. A Nefarious Plot was written by Steve Deace and is available to buy. However I would like to highlight the fact that it’s categorized as FICTION. On the bright side it totes rave reviews from Ben Shapiro and Ted Cruz’s father…

One of the first things that came to my mind while watching Nefarious was that I have seen a horror film that’s done what this one tried to do, but much much better. And that’s Exorcist III. It has all the key elements that Nefarious totes. A serial killer and demon sharing a body, some lacking in faith, a mystery element, a confined space where both characters have a prolonged conversation, etc.

Apparently Reverend Gary Thomas, who was part of the inspiration for The Rite (2011) and served as a consultant for this film, has said that Nefarious is the most realistic depiction of demonic possession he’s seen. I can’t really comment on that as I’ve never been part of an exorcism… I keep canceling.

Ultimately, just as Nefarious said, I was left wanting by this film. I can see the plot idea and how it could have been executed…pun intended…but that got drowned out by a list of negatives. Overall it’s a deeply unsatisfying horror movie and makes you feel like you’ve been reprimanded for almost an hour and 40 minutes.

I would recommend Nefarious to demon and possession fanatics, those who do prefer a slow burn and thriller-esque vibe to their horror movies, the devoutly religious and anyone who would like to see what Exorcist III would have been without a compelling story or characters.

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