Last year, when Dr. Wife was still Dr. Girlfriend, we sat down and watched an incredible movie exploring demonic possession and spiritual warfare.

That film was 2023’s Nefarious (that’s an Amazon Affiliate link; I receive a portion of any purchases made through that link, at no additional cost to you).  It’s one of the best films I’ve seen in years, and it’s an overtly Christian film (without making it feel like it’s overtly Christian).  It’s an excellent example of how Christians can make compelling art that espouses our beliefs culturally.

With that, here is 2 December 2024’s “Monday Morning Movie Review: Nefarious (2023)“:

It is rare for a modern film to catch and hold my rapt attention for 97 minutes, especially when I’m driving.  But amid my various Thanksgiving travels, I “watched” the 2023 film Nefarious.  Thank goodness it’s mostly dialogue, or I would have had a very difficult time of it.

The film is an adaptation of the Steve Deace novel A Nefarious Plot (Amazon Affiliate link; I get a portion of any sales made through that link, at no additional cost to you).  Steve Deace is a conservative writer and commentator, and Glenn Beck makes an appearance in the film, so that gives you a sense for the general messaging of the movie.

That said, while Nefarious is a Christian horror movie—which, I would argue, most horror involving the demonic is fundamentally Christian in some way—it is genuinely entertaining, and does not feel like heavy-handed propaganda.  Instead, it is an incredibly effective portrayal of the sheer wickedness of demons, and how Satan delights in our sin.

The premise of Nefarious is straightforward:  a man, Edward Wayne Brady, faces execution for a string of killings.  However, a court-ordered psychiatrist, Dr. James Martin, must administer a psychological evaluation to determine whether or not Brady was competent and sane at the time of his murders.  There is intense pressure from the public and the prison warden to see Brady executed, but Dr. Martin is committed to doing his job properly.

His predecessor, who mysteriously committed suicide the night before, had deemed Brady mentally incompetent and, therefore, Brady could not face execution.  However, Brady soon reveals that he wants to be executed.

Except it isn’t Brady; it’s the demon possessing him, who identifies himself as “Nefariamus,” or “Nefarious.”  Nefarious explains that Brady’s body has served its purpose, and that Nefarious seeks a painful execution for his host so that the demon can move on to possess another human.

Dr. Martin is, of course, skeptical, and reveals that he is an atheist.  What proceeds is a gripping theological exchange that doubles as a mental sparring session between an (allegedly) timelessly old demon and a thirty-five-year old psychiatrist with a checkered past.  To top it all off, Nefarious predicts that before he leaves the prison, Dr. Martin will have committed three murders.

I don’t want to give too much away—you must watch this film—but the film is powerful for its dialogue.  It is difficult to make two people sitting in a room together interesting for 97 minutes, but directors Cary Solomon and Chuck Konzelman pull it off, thanks in no small part to Sean Patrick Flanery’s disturbing and sinister portrayal of a demon-possessed killer.  The film is very well-written and -produced, and even the sound design is effective:  when Brady moves his heavy chains, the thudding and clanking of them seems to underpin the seriousness of the conversation.

The script is the strongest point, though, as it highlights several powerful and insightful moments.  The demon, for example, notes that he knows more theology than any human who ever lived, and reveals how demons are motivated to lead humans into sinfulness, and doing so harms God Himself—the “Enemy,” according to Nefarious.  There is a particularly powerful moment that involves a discussion of abortion; it is hard to watch, but necessary.

Dr. Girlfriend and I watched the film again Saturday evening, and she enjoyed it immensely.  She compared it to The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis, which is one of her favorite books.  The comparison is apt.  It’s also a humbling reminder that the demons know Scripture better than we do, so just being biblically literate does make one holy (only Jesus Christ Can Do that), and that we must be on guard against those who would twist Scriptures for their own wicked ends.

There are some fascinating theological points in the film, such as the demon’s insistence that his and Satan’s rebellion against God was an act of freedom.  It is, of course, a freedom that is false in its dimensions, as the demon frequently refers to his “Master” (Satan), and how the demons of Hell relish in human suffering.  Their entire existence is one of spite against the Holy Trinity.  Christians, of course, know that true freedom comes through submission to Christ.

I noted that you must watch this film.  Fortunately, it’s free on YouTube with ads [this no longer seems to be the case—TPP].

This flick is an example of Christian art done well.  It is gripping, intense, emotional, theological, and riveting.