In spite of the fact that I had to drive 30 miles just to see Nefarious, I have to admit, it was worth the trip. It all started when I caught wind of this film, starring Sean Patrick Flanery (Nefarious) and James Belfi (Dr. James Martin), as well as a superb supporting cast and was showing at Americana at Brand AMC theater in Glendale, CA. I saw the poster and checked out the trailer, and was instantly hooked. I had plans to see this film for my regular weekend movie excursion. I erred by not ordering my Fandango tickets early, only to discover only two days after I saw that Nefarious was scheduled for Friday, but was no longer available to watch anywhere in Southern California it seemed, except at Edwards Cinema Long Beach, Hawthorne, and City of Orange, I decided to take the road trip during rush hour in an effort to make the 7:50pm showing on Friday, April 28, 2023—Nefarious was supposed to be an AMC film everywhere! What happened?
I tripped across some reviews, but after seeing the trailer, I decided to ignore them. This was a topic that had never been discussed before on the big screen and “it was a horror film disguised as a Christian film” according to critics. It got absurdly low ratings (27%) on Rotten Tomatoes, but the viewers reviews were around 96% positive! That’s really high. So those who saw it, obviously loved it. Nefarious is a classic psychological thriller with the lead character being a demon-possessed felon being analyzed by an Atheist therapist to determine if he’s sane enough to be executed. So, what’s so different about this thriller compared to The Exorcist, Damien, Poltergeist, or any other horror flick where somebody gets possessed by the Devil? And why was it pulled from theaters? This only made me want to see it more. My husband obliged me and drove me to Regal Edwards Long Beach! We saw the movie and absolutely loved it!
“Nefarious is a 2023 American horror film written and directed by Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon, based on Steve Deace’s 2016 novel A Nefarious Plot. It stars Jordan Belfi as a psychologist who must determine if a convicted death row inmate is faking his alleged demonic possession. The film was released on April 14, 2023.” – Wikipedia
Nefarious Production Still
When we arrived at our seats, the movie had started. We probably missed about three minutes in the opening. But that plot point was revisited, so I feel I didn’t really miss anything important; after all it was reiterated in the dialog. I refuse to give any spoilers in this review, but this is what I want to say. The acting was beyond good. James Belfi’s performance outdid anything I’ve seen by Anthony Hopkins! He was riveting and shockingly believable in his role. It was a micro-cast centered around two men inside a prison. The script was seducing, and although I really had to go to the bathroom to relieve myself after our long drive there, I refused to leave my seat. I literally did not want to miss one word of this incredible dialog.
Nefarious Production Still
Nefarious had all the elements of intrigue, suspense, shock, compassion, and even an amazing twist at the end. It is definitely worth seeing if you can find it. There is information in this movie that I feel people of all walks of life will relate to. There’s a lesson in the film, and it’s not pushing any agendas, it’s just really great storytelling! If you’ve read CS Lewis Screwtape Letters, you will definitely enjoy Nefarious!
Just a side note, Nefarious is adapted from the novel, A Nefarious Plot by Steve Deace. Now that I’ve seen the movie, I am going to get the book!
