Mickey Starling
reporter3@greenepublishing.com
Rarely do Christian movies successfully pull off films in the horror/thriller genre, but “Nefarious” is an exception. This recently released film charts a rare course, using a demon-possessed character to explain the gospel through the eyes of one in Satan’s service.
The storyline follows the impending execution of convicted-killer Edward Brady, portrayed brilliantly by Sean Patrick Flanery. Psychiatrist Dr. James Martin (Jordan Belfi) is brought in to verify Brady’s mental state. If he is deemed sane, he will be executed. If diagnosed as insane, he will be spared.
The central theme of the movie takes place in the dialogue between Brady and Martin. Right away, Martin encounters a different side of Brady, a demon by the name of Nefarious, who claims to have taken possession of Brady. Martin is hesitant to believe he is conversing with a demon, so Nefarious begins revealing elements of Martin’s life that Brady could not have known.
Having several of his most prized secrets revealed, Martin begins exploring why a demon would want to possess Brady or anyone else. With his doubts on full display, he invites Nefarious to possess him. The continuing conversation reveals the demon’s take on the purposes of God in creation, which I found fascinating. Flanery plays the part of Brady and Nefarious extremely well. Brady is allowed to speak on several occasions, which serves to demonstrate the cruelty with which Nefarious treats his host.
The core message of the film is presented very well, and the acting is on par with a feature film. There are some great quotes in this movie. One of my favorites came during a question about Hell: Dr. James Martin: “So... is Hell a state of being or a physical place?”
Nefarious: “Yes.”
However, some of the intended plot twists can be seen coming from miles away, and the ending is less dramatic than would be expected, given the nature of the message and the chosen genre. Also, there are a few theological holes in the final minutes that could have been handled better. Still, I highly recommend this thought-provoking thriller. It will give believers a new appreciation for their faith and possibly inspire the conversion of some who are living without Christ.
“Nefarious” can be streamed from several different services, including Amazon Prime and You Tube.