On the day serial killer Edward Wayne Brady faces execution in Oklahoma, a psychiatrist, Dr. James Martin, arrives to evaluate him to determine if he is sane enough for the state to take his life.
Martin is a last-minute replacement as Brady’s previous psychiatrist, who diagnosed the killer with dissociative disorder, commits suicide.
Brady informs Dr. Martin that he is a demon called Nefarious who has inhabited the body of Edward Wayne Brady for years and is responsible for Brady’s multiple murders. “Nefarious” takes credit for the psychiatrist’s suicide, explaining that he needed the doctor out of the way since he wants Brady to die now that his “master” is finished with him.
Martin, an atheist, does not believe a word of it. He believes that the previous psychiatrist was right in his diagnosis and that Brady is insane and should not be executed.
“Nefarious” tells Martin that before he leaves the prison that day, he will be responsible for three murders of his own.
During the evaluation, not only does Martin speak to the confident, bold, intelligent “Nefarious,” but he also is permitted to talk to the fragile, unstable, confused Edward Wayne Brady. And since he was able to converse with two distinct personalities, Martin concludes that the dissociative disorder diagnosis was the right one.
As their conversation unfolds, Martin is stunned to discover just how much “Nefarious” knows about him, including the assisted suicide of his mother and his girlfriend’s impending abortion. When “Nefarious” confirms that Martin has already racked up two of the three murders — his mother and unborn child — the young, arrogant psychiatrist starts questioning his diagnosis and his previous doubts.
I watched the film Nefarious yesterday with zero preconceptions.
The film is executive produced by conservative radio host and author Steve Deace and stars actor Sean Patrick Flanery in the dual role of Brady/Nefarious.
Overall, Nefarious is okay, but its cinematic sights are set rather low.
I mentioned last week that I was watching several Scandinavian television shows that, while made for the small screen, have the cinematic reach and depth of a feature film.
By contrast, Nefarious is a feature film more suited for the small screen.
Part of the challenge is the format.
It isn’t easy to write a feature-length film in which 85% of the script is two men in a room talking. It can be done. But it is challenging.
Nefarious comes close to meeting the challenge, primarily due to the masterful job of Sean Patrick Flanery.
Flanery is reason enough to watch Nefarious.
He is outstanding as both the demon and the broken man possessed by it.
What prevents the film from reaching excellence, however, is that actor Jordan Belfi, who plays the arrogant Dr. James Martin, cannot match Flanery’s stellar performance.
Belfi is more suited to playing a cocky hedge fund manager who briefly dates a main character on some sitcom. Against Flanery, he is out of his league.
Some of that, however, may be in the writing.
Belfi’s character is more of a stereotype of the Materialistic Godless Liberal than a complex, fully fleshed-out character. So when his worldview and preconceptions are challenged, the lack of depth in the character didn’t give Belfi much to work with. A better actor might have pulled it off, but Belfi struggled.
It certainly didn’t help that Flanery outmatched him in every scene.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad I rented it. It’s worth seeing, if for no other reason than it is so rare to see a feature film in which the Christian message is treated with respect.
Nefarious reminded me a bit of C.S. Lewis’ great work The Screwtape Letters. Like Screwtape, the film emphasizes the importance of the Christian faith from the perspective of the faithless enemies of God rather than the faithful. In Nefarious, we see the battle waged by the forces of darkness against God’s creation, particularly man.
In the film, “Nefarious” boasts of the success his “master” has had in turning man away from God, through means so slow and subtle that man barely notices. So when Dr. Martin boasts about the progressive advancements of humankind in recent years, “Nefarious” simply laughs with approving delight.
Nefarious may not be a 5-star brilliant movie, but it ain’t half bad.
For all of its weaknesses, the film held my attention and kept me engaged.
It might do the same for you.