Posted on 09/05/2026 7:20:30 PM PDT by rlmorel
Official Summary: On the day of his scheduled execution, a convicted serial killer gets a psychiatric evaluation during which he claims he is a demon, and further claims that before their time is over, the psychiatrist will commit three murders of his own.
This movie came out in 2023, and I had never heard of it. Here is what the jacket looks like:
This sure looks like the kind of movie I barely even pause for, the kind I scroll right past.
That is because normally, I am not interested in "Horror" movies, which this movie was classified officially as. As a kid, I kind of enjoyed horror movies, but as I got older, I came to accept that in real life, there was more real-life horror present than any kind of movie could ever present to me.
Why would I need to accentuate evil in this world by watching a movie?
I heard about this movie from an American Thinker article: So Much Evil! Still Don’t Believe in the Devil? Evil is out there. But so are the signs of good by Alicia Colon.
The American Thinker article linked to above is about what so many of us see as evil uncovering its face in the Lindsay Clancy trial in a most public way. We saw it recently in women in Massachusetts with their joyful celebration of Maura Healy authorizing abortion up to birth, and I know for a fact I was far from the only person who viewed that discordant display of misplaced joy with both revulsion, horror, and shame.
And then this. These pink-shirted females expressing support for this woman who placed these three children face down on the floor, and strangled them one-by-one with exercise bands:
This evil crime, and those who wish to find a way to excuse it, is a modern expression of evil that is a harbinger of a deeper corruptness and evil in our society, no-our world, that is a poison on our soul.
It is in this context that I read that American Thinker article above, and was prompted by this excerpt below to watch this movie:
"...A few years ago, I watched a fascinating film called, “Nefarious,” that clearly explained what is happening in the world today.
There is a battle between good and evil being waged and the evidence of that is clearly seen in the daily news reports. Pick up a New York newspaper and you will read reports of innocent people being pushed in front of subway trains or stabbed for absolutely no reason. The cover of yesterday’s New York Post is about a woman shot dead by the NYPD after she stabbed two strangers in Times Square, killing one.
The film Nefarious is basically about a demon explaining how the Devil works on seducing humans into evil by bribing them with whatever we desire. He also explains that demons hate humans because God loves us. and what his plan is for the human race.
It is a powerful film and I highly recommend it..."
I am on a journey to Christ, and this excerpt above from Alicia Colon's article insinuated itself into all the threads that are being woven in my mind, specifically with respect to the concepts of Good and Evil.
I am a Conservative. I don't need to drink any Kool-Aid on it. I started out in my young life with conservative principles ingrained in me. We can all agree that conservatives in this country (and elsewhere) are subjected to lifelong propaganda and indoctrination from Teachers, Media, and Government that conservatives are wrong about everything. Over my life, I have come to view this as a blessing in disguise.
I say that, because this unending, nonstop stream of propaganda and criticism by the Left has forced me to examine, reexamine, and examine again my premises and beliefs. Like many of you, I have not been able to rest on my laurels and relax.
I have been forced to engage in introspection on an ongoing basis for decades. And today, I am able to view that as a wonderful thing. Leftists have no such "blessing in disguise". It is a wonderful freedom for the intellectually lazy and emotionally incontinent (as it turns out many of them are) They have no such burden of introspection, asking themselves "Could I be wrong about all this?"
As such (as a Conservative) I have come to the conclusion that the subject of Evil (which is the subject of this film "Nefarious") is what is called a "cleavage point". That is, the point you could put a chisel on, tap it with a hammer, and things will split evenly into two pieces. In this case, putting the chisel to "Evil" and striking it with a mallet splits humans into two types:
They believe we are all manifestly good under the skin. These same people believe that if you fix our human societies, and remove the imperfections such as racism, sexism, bigotry, poverty, and so on, that the good that is inherent in every single person will overcome any evil that might develop.
They believe that if they can alter society to remove bad things by trying to shape and mold human behavior...to engineer it, that they can produce a Utopia of peace, equality, prosperity, and happiness.
We as Conservatives believe that Evil is inherent in human nature. It can't be "engineered out. And even good people, given the right circumstances, can do Evil things. We accept that any one of us could be those Nazi Concentration Camp Guards, if all tumblers lined up.
It is why we revere what the Founders of this nation accomplished when they created and implemented the US Constitution. That document, all by itself, shows that the Founders were profoundly Conservative by nearly any metric. It shows that they innately and intuitively understood that power, any power, even in the hands of people viewed as manifestly "Good" who may have only the best of intentions, can become corrupted and misused power, and they endeavored to engineer the Constitution to remove as much of the risk that Lord Acton later recognized so clearly with his famous observation nearly 100 years after we ratified our Constitution that "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
That is why this movie caught my eye and compelled me to watch it that very night. We see very real Evil in this world. And it is being openly foisted on us by parts of our government (as was done by Governor Maura Healy in Massachusetts) even as other parts of our governments are battling it. And this movie is all about evil.
In the movie, a very real flesh-and-blood man sentenced to death, openly states he is a demon, engaging in demonic possession. Evil in our world, right in front of us. The Psychiatrist, obviously does not believe him because he is, himself, an atheist. No such things as "Demons" in his world.
Kind of like ours, right now.
90% of this movie takes place in one room, an interview room in the prison as the murderer (Edward Wayne Brady) on Death Row awaiting execution that evening is being interviewed by a psychiatrist (Dr. James Martin) on a last minute legal maneuver to have him evaluated to see if he is sane enough to be executed. As it says in the official summary for the movie, the prisoner wants to be executed. He doesn't want to be found insane. He has a purpose for wishing to be executed.
Nearly the whole movie is dialog. The two of them sitting across a metal table from each other. It isn't for everyone. We are too used to fast paced movies, with green screen CGI going on, car chases and such. But it isn't. And I was expecting it to be just that, but it isn't. Just discourse on the nature of God and this world he created.
I thought the movie was absolutely brilliant. Just brilliant. And because it meshed so closely with the specific nature of these theological paths I am going down (as well as what we see in the news today) I was entranced by this discourse between a man claiming to be a demon, and the Psychiatrist who was ostensibly sent there to evaluate him, but as we find out, there was more to it than that.
The actor playing the murderer was fantastic. The closest comparison I can make is to the "Joker" character played by Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight Batman movie. The movie was panned by critics (for reasons that should be wholly obvious to anyone who is a conservative) but I believe if the core material was not something that would be rejected by the Left and their community root and branch, this man would have won an Oscar.
Yup! In the USO located in on Royal Thai Naval Air Field, U-Tapao,, Rayong Province, Thailand, 1972.
Ah! Thank you for your service, FRiend, and welcome home!
Isn't that a question nearly every human has asked at some point? Until later in my life, I wondered why is it sinful to lust after women if this biology God created me with compels me to lust after women?
So many questions like that one. In my own journey to Christ, I understand it now, but I didn't as a younger man.
Good gosh. I wonder what comment was removed at #107...
LOL-in the ending, there wasn't much ambiguity there! I thought it was pretty clear (the very ending with the woman fishing around in the dumpster)
“Hello James! Did you miss me?”
LOL!
I did read the thread, but have not seen the flick; so rather than shoot my mouth off, I just enjoyed others’ insights. Hope to see it eventually!
“”Good gosh. I wonder what comment was removed at #107...””
***
No worries. My pc had a hiccup and caused a double-post of #106, so I asked for the post to be removed.
Yes, WP is very biased, but the reason I refrained from watching it was mainly due to being spiritually sensitive to what would be sanctioned as edifying by God, which eliminates about 99.9% of films on the Internet, esp. with profanity and or vulgarity or sensuality.
I mentioned earlier that as a self-proclaimed Christian (I was baptized as an infant)
I also was baptized as an infant, which did nothing for me, unlike actual Scriptural regeneration with its basic profound changes in heart and life. That happened about 24 years later, and led me into evangelical faith.
And thank you for thinking of me in recommending the film. Maybe later I can watch it.
And as a type of critic, I have found some worthy movies, such as: Time Changer What would be the reaction of a Christian professor from 1890 when transported to the early 21st century? Ours should be likewise. How we have been desensitized!More here https://freerepublic.com/focus/chat/4117493/posts?page=39#39 to discern a worthy to watch, by the grace of God.Other candidates: Free Indeed: The Phil Thatcher Story (2014)
And To End All Wars Based on real events during WWII, this is the story of four Allied POWs who are forced to build a railroad through the Burmese jungle.
And The Pilgrim's Progress Animated tale of a man obsessed with finding truth and escaping a city’s destruction who encounters hardships, foes and victory in his faith journey
And Princess Cut. A southern farm girl dreaming of a Princess Cut ring for love has her hopes crash around her until her Dad helps her learn about true love for others.
There are others, and discernment is needed. Too many modern "Christian" films, besides poor quality, include sexual allurement.
I just finished a Bible Study I participate in every Wednesday, and someone mentioned a book "The Hour That Changed Everything" and made a reference to the possibility that the USA today in 2026 might well be "The Whore of Babylon"...and I had to concede that is indeed a possibility.
But I also thought that being a Christian, a true believer in Christ, while living in this environment, poses a challenge unlike many other times in history where it was "easier" to be, at least outwardly, a "real" Christian because the alternative was that if you were viewed as a non-Christian, there were times you might well be put to death.
Today, even with all our faults in this country, we are still-even still-the freest country in the world. We have the complete freedom and social sanction to be just as un-Christian like as we wish to be.
Like in the movie "Nefarious" the Psychiatrist, trying to convince the Demon that we are more "virtuous" than ever before, so Dr. Martin honestly believes in his atheistic way, that "we" are winning in this snippet of dialogue:
DR. MARTIN: Hmm. Well, you know, if that's the case, your side's not doing too well.
NEFARIOUS: Do you really believe that, James?
DR. MARTIN: Yeah. We've never been freer. Literacy is at an all-time high. We're working to eliminate racism. Intolerance. Gender inequality. People can...People can love who they want. Be who they want, do what they want. Diversity is no longer a dream. Hate speech is no longer tolerated, and politically, we're reclaiming the moral high ground.
NEFARIOUS: (SOFTLY) James. (IN NORMAL VOICE) I think I love you. Literacy, James. James, the average high school graduate reads at a sixth-grade level. You have basketball players making $30 million a year decrying racism. All while wearing sneakers made from slave labor.
Now, here's something for you. Right now, your world currently has 40 million slaves. More than the Romans had at the height of their empire. And you want to know the best part, though? Half of those, half are sex slaves, James.
As for hate speech, well, you want to hear some irony? We didn't even come up with that one. You did it all by yourself. (CHUCKLING) Sometimes you amaze even us. I fail to see the humor. (NEFARIOUS LAUGHING) Bottom line is you're done. It's over. That's it. And we did it all right to your face, James. And now there's evil everywhere. And no one even cares.
DR. MARTIN: Yeah, I don't agree.
NEFARIOUS: Proving that we achieved our goal. Slowly with your movies, and your TV, and your media, we desensitized you, redirected your worldview to the point that you can't even recognize even when it's right in front of your face.
More to the point, James, you can't even feel it when you're doing it.
And as for winners and losers... Whoa, whoa, whoa. Like, it's decided at the time of death. The exact numbers are a closely guarded secret, but there are more of you ending up in my master's house than with the enemy. (WHISPERS) A lot more, Jimmy.
God had to give us "free will" as humans, because...if he simply made us love him and worship him...what "value" would that have? And Satan just loves that we have free will. It is a great tool for him in this "free" world of ours.
Anyway, thank you for those recommendations, it is much appreciated, and I have added them to my watchlist.
Meaning freedom and social sanction to commit suicide and choose Hell.
As for this next part, it warrants being analyzed in the light of the Word of God. NEFARIOUS: (SOFTLY) James. (IN NORMAL VOICE) I think I love you. Literacy, James. James, the average high school graduate reads at a sixth-grade level. You have basketball players making $30 million a year decrying racism. All while wearing sneakers made from slave labor.
Actually, the demon is speaking more like one of the demonic proxy servants, in majoring on slavery today (0.48% of the current global population versus ~10% – 15% (overall) in the 1st century Roman Empire and touching on income inequality. Ignoring (among other iniquities) infanticide of 2.3 billion to 2.7 billion abortions worldwide since the Roe v. Wade ruling in 1973/1974. And homosexual relations, which have been tragically primarily responsible for approx. 80% of new HIV cases among men and close to 800,000 American deaths as well as a greatly increased incidence of infectious diseases, while Scripture only condemns homosexual relations wherever they are manifestly dealt with.
As for hate speech, well, you want to hear some irony? We didn't even come up with that one.
To the contrary, a primary demonic tactic is to minimize or justify major transgressions (10 commandments, incldg. murder=abortion, plus the victim entitlement mentality and indolence, etc.), while both inventing sins (wearing fur, ignoring chosen non-biological pronouns). Now, over 62,000 people have been arrested in the UK for online speech transgressions.
NEFARIOUS: Proving that we achieved our goal. Slowly with your movies, and your TV, and your media, we desensitized you, redirected your worldview to the point that you can't even recognize even when it's right in front of your face. More to the point, James, you can't even feel it when you're doing it.
Actually, the most insidious crafty seduction of the devil - the originator of the "Occupy Movement" and its "Share the wealth" premise and of what we know today as Liberalism - is displayed beginning in Genesis 3. For after presuming to obtain God's glory, position and possession, without merit, nor as acts of mercy and grace (Is. 14:13,14),then being cast down ("for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." Luke 18:14) yet still seeking power, he next goes to Eve and seduces her by inculcating a "victim-entitlement mentality," inferring that God was deceiving her with His warning of the consequences of disobedience for He was selfishly keeping back what was her right to have, which again was a demand that God needed to share the wealth with anyone who demanded it.
Which is in stark contrast to the Lord Jesus, who sacrificially gave Himself for our sins, to liberate and lift up those who receive Him and bless those who sacrificially live out and share that faith by His Spirit in holiness, despite persecution, and in so doing serve others in love. (1 Thes. 1; Gal. 6:10; Heb. 6:9, 20; Rv. 2; 3)
And while Lucifer, as a thief and a robber, sought to climb up to honor some other way (Jn. 10:1) than unselfish Godliness, but instead, in selfish self-will presumed to exalt himself as if he was God, in contrast, the sacrificial Divine Son of God, "made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross," (Philippians 2:7-8)
And who enables and motivates man unto unselfish faithfulness in heart and deed, (Phil 2:13) despite persecution, and in so doing to serve others in love. (1 Thes. 1; Gal. 6:10; Heb. 6:9,20; Rv. 2; 3) - which man otherwise could not and would not do.
And yet Christ promises,
To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, evenas I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. (Revelation 3:21)
The response should be,
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: (Matthew 25:41)
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation 20:10)
So true...so true. Excellent post.
I don't doubt that.
But you are not the primary target audience. Sure, the filmakers hope that you will watch. Getting movies made means finding a way to recoup the investment. From that perspective, all viewers are good viewers.
Nefarious, however, is a cause movie. The target audience is secularists who deny Satan, deny the idea of evil itself (and prefer to medicalize anything they don't like), profess moral relativism and non-judmentalism, and whose whole moral outlook is an elaborate rationalization of doing whatever they want.
The written plot summaries make the movie sound more lurid than it is. There is a prologue in which an immaculately dressed, elegant psychiatrist is tidying up his well-appointed office for the evening. He walks out the door. A moment later, we see his body plummeting past the window of his office on an upper floor of a building. So: a suicide.
Then we jump to another psychiatrist -- the replacement who is taking over the case from the man who had committed suicide -- checking through the prison gates and meeting the warden, who outlines what is needed and warns him about the prisoner. The job is to make the final determination of whether the inmate is mentally competent to be executed.
At the end, the movie does get to the execution scene, which is graphic -- the demon having taunted the psychiatrist that a gruesome death is his last "gift" to the person he has possessed. Most of the rest of the movie is the psychiatrist sitting across the table from the man who is to be executed in a few hours if the pyschiatrist signs the papers. This is the last call. The case has been through all the appeals. The anti-death penalty crusaders are standing vigil outside the prison. The governor has the last ditch clemency appeal on his desk; he puts in a call to lay down the timeline and make clear that he needs a final decision, one way or another, very soon.
Then the psychiatrist and the prisoner talk. And talk, and talk, and talk. It's basic theology. You know the arguments. You probably won't learn anything.
But if you read the reviews ... well, they are illuminating. The secularists and moral relativists HATE this movie. Most of them sputter incoherently. Very few are capable of mounting any kind of argument. At the risk of hyperbole, they're practially dropping to the floor and writhing like snakes. They thought they were going to see a psychological horror show, and they got sledgehammered right between the eyes with an unflinching exposition of the Judeo-Christian position on evil. They don't like it because the movie leaves them nowhere to hide.
I'm interested in movies for several reasons, but the importance of movies and tv as a front in the culture war is one of them. This is an attack film. It takes no prisoners. If I were teaching a film course, I'd include it -- and pair it with something from the other side. But I frankly can't think of anything nearly as effective from the other side, because lies cannot stand comparison with the truth.
Thanks. I found it on Prime and added it to my list. Almost watched it the other night but it was late, and y’alls description made me afraid I would fall asleep mid way and have bad dreams. :-).
I’ll see if I watch it Sunday with the missus. May take some convincing.
Interestingly, I found absolutely nothing even scary about it, and have talked at length with several people on and off this forum, and concluded (with a swelling heart) that I must be close to finding Christ, because it seems that if I believe in Christ in my heart, Satan, his Demons, and his evil just don’t scare me because I know in my heart I am protected.
At least, I think that is the nut of it.
Good luck!
We did watch it. Was interesting. I thought it was going to be more of a horror film or with a lot more suspense “jump cuts” as they call them. Turned out to be fairly normal; just with a few twists and tricks and an interesting story line.
I have a comment about the ending but don’t want to publish a spoiler.
It is absolutely a dialogue based movie. I thought it was brilliantly written, but the truth is, I found it to be particularly meaningful to me because of the place I am at in my life in my journey to Christ.
I am a huge fan of “The Screwtape Letters”, and the dialogue sounds specific could’ve been taken right out of that book!
Honestly, I’m surprised that they could have even made a movie like that in today’s day and age. No blue green or CGI action? Ha ha… That’s just crazy!
In any case, I commend you for giving it a try… :-)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.