catholic movie review of nefarious

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By Joseph Pronechen/National Catholic Register

Opening on 1,200 screens this past weekend, the film  Nefarious is a horror thriller like none other, spotlighting the epic battle between evil and human souls.

Co-writers-directors  Cary Solomon  and  Chuck   Konzelman ’s supernatural thriller was inspired by the book  A Nefarious Plot  by  New York Times  best-selling author Steve Deace. A criminal awaiting execution gets a last-minute reprieve when a court order sends a psychiatrist to examine if he is trying to avoid the death penalty with his behavior. The doctor finds he is a demon who wants to be executed, leading to an edge-of-the-seat battle of good against evil. Both writers, known for  Unplanned , consider this their best work up to date and spoke at length with Register staff writer Joseph Pronechen about their film. In addition, the Register asked exorcist  Father Carlos Martins  his impressions of the film.

What prompted you to make this film?

Konzelman: In this film, the audience finds out what the demons have known all along — that we’re not really in a cultural battle; we’re in a spiritual battle. And the battle takes place one soul at a time.

Solomon: The film lets everyone know there’s good and evil. This demon is telling the story, the truth, on not only creation and God, but, from their point of view, how they’re going to destroy the world and how they’re doing it. And the thing is, it’s all based on fact.

Konzelman: It’s grounded in a theological sense, but it’s also entertainment. And don’t be afraid of the poster — [it] looks pretty intimidating. The poster is a Trojan horse designed to lure the mainstream horror audience into the film, nonbelievers.

Solomon: Basically, they look at the poster and say, “We want to go to that movie” because they’re drawn to the occult, which is exactly why we did the poster. In reality, anyone who has seen the movie can tell you there’s no sex or any bad language.

It’s a supernatural thriller. What we need to realize is that [people] today are doing Ouija boards, tarot cards, Reiki, yoga, getting pagan tattoos. All these are ways that people are getting infested. If you play with the devil, he will come. … All the world [is] surrounded by  the occult , especially on TV and in the movie theaters. So it’s a perfect time for this to show the wickedness and the evil of the devil.

This movie is saying, “Don’t play with the devil. If you dance with the devil, you’re going to lose.” We point that out, but we do it in a very smart, cinematic way — we tell a story. Jesus told parables for a reason because stories are the most powerful way to convey information to people.

Have you experienced unusual problems making the movie?

Solomon: Literally, it has been a fight for us. The whole crew caught COVID. We had to start the movie all over. We had eight car accidents in a matter of 11 or 12 days. No one was hurt, but all the cars were totaled. So you see the devil tries to kill people and the Lord protects them. At our office building in Burbank, California, the whole roof was ripped off during a rainstorm. That doesn’t happen in rainstorms.

Konzelman: Our on-set priest, who was trained in exorcisms, during shooting had an emergency appendectomy. The surgeon told him how the appendix actually burst during removal and told him if he showed up an hour later, “You probably wouldn’t be here.”

You really expose Satan and his tactics in the movie.

We drag him from the darkness and bring him into the light. Because we show that he’s real. He’s got a plan. He’s initiating that plan. If we go back to the Bible, what does it say? There will come a time when good is considered bad, and bad is considered good, when women will be as men, when all these things that are happening in our world today, that the saints have prophesied about, that the Bible has spoken about. You can see the devil’s machinations all across the world. What we’ve done and why he’s angry and why he’s attacking everyone is that we brought him into the light. We’ve revealed him. People seeing this movie are saying, “I have to reconsider my life.”

Konzelman: The devil hopes you don’t see the movie.

Solomon: Catholics have to go see the movie because we need to get a refresher course on the devil. We need to realize that the devil is real. If you really truly believe in the devil, you will change your life because you will suddenly realize: “Somebody is after my soul. If I lose this battle, where do I go?” And the problem with most people is they’re distracted. And that’s the way the devil wants it.

There’s no doubt this film speaks from the Catholic perspective, a Catholic film.

Konzelman: Deeply Catholic. Here’s the surprise for us, though. We have shown this to a number of pastors and a number of theologians all across the Christian spectrum. And they agree with everything that’s in there. That came almost as a shock to us. They’re all dealing with the same problem. They all recognize this as the face of the adversary that they’re up against. And no one’s voiced any questions or problems with the theology.

Solomon: I think the Lord anointed the movie. The Bible says, when you judge a man, look at the fruit of his tree. I would ask people — by the way, Chuck and I are devout Catholics; we love the Lord; we love the Blessed Virgin; we love our saints. We have a priest on set with us every movie. If you look at the fruit of our tree, you’ll see [our films]  God’s Not Dead ,  Unplanned . We’ve taken a position consistently to do the Lord’s work.

What signs of hope do you also see the movie bringing about?

Solomon: I think that the Lord is calling out that he is separating the wheat and the chaff. He’s still crying out to the chaff. He still wants to save them.

Konzelman: This is the movie for your family member who has fallen away from the faith, or your friend who has never been a believer. You can take them to this film, and under the guise of entertainment, they’re going to be confronted with the greater questions. Be prepared to have a conversation afterwards, because they’re going to be asking the important questions.

The devil is the accuser. Ironically, in this film, he’s accusing us, quite rightly, as a society, of hiding the truth from ourselves. The devil has been so emboldened that now he’s dropping the mask. And for reasons that make sense within the story, the demon tells the truth from his point of view. And his point of view is that he absolutely believes in God. He absolutely believes every word of Scripture; he just hates it. He wishes it wasn’t true.

Why do you think the film will reach the hearts of viewers with this approach?

Solomon: Now, sadly, if a pastor or a priest was preaching to the audience in a movie, the audience would not listen to them. These are the sad times we live in. We use that demon to preach the Gospel even though he hates it, but it validates God in his doing so.

Konzelman: It’s like C.S. Lewis’  The Screwtape Letters ; he’s preaching the Gospel from the other side of the mirror.

How is it different from other exorcism movies?

When you see a Hollywood horror movie, it’s designed to tear down God. It’s blasphemous. It’s heretical. It’s evil. It basically tears down the Church on every level. We do the opposite: We’re glorifying God, glorifying everything that is good and right and righteous in this movie, but we’re doing it in a very smart way. It’s a totally different kind of movie. No one is walking up the side of the walls … and doing foul, wretched things.

Solomon: Everything about this movie is Catholic. It’s an exorcism film, No. 1.

We use [Anne] Catherine Emmerich’s visions. We talk about creation; we talk about good and evil. We talk about how the devil was thrown out.

Konzelman: A lot of our audiences of post-Christian age in the United States had never heard this before.

Solomon: We talk about the views and values of the Church: no euthanasia; no abortion; no murder. It’s a totally Catholic story. And as we’re very excited about it, because we’ve wanted to make Catholic movies for a long, long time. Our goal is to bring out as many Catholic movies as possible.

Solomon: We’re very excited to see what the Lord does with it, especially since he’s the one who told us to do it. We feel that he wrote it; he shot it. Look, we’re just two guys from New Jersey. We’re just trying to be obedient.

Chuck and I will leave you with this for your readers, your viewers … we’re in the same fight. We’re fighting the good fight. Stay firm; stay faithful. Everyone, fight the good fight. In the end, we win.

Father Martins, from your experience as an exorcist recognized by the Vatican, please share your thoughts about  Nefarious.

Father Martins: I can say — without hesitation — that it is the best movie portraying demonic possession ever produced. Rather than getting bogged down — like every other movie — in diabolical phenomena and power (levitation, extraordinary strength, and other “same-old” signs), this one brings the viewer into the demonic mind. While the movie trend has focused on displaying demonic rage,  Nefarious  deftly exhibits the devil’s insatiable craving and formidable intelligence. Far less concerned with ostentation than demonstrating the devil’s thought and intellectual character, the movie accurately depicts how he smothers his victim’s hope.

Astute, careful and intelligent thinking went into its script. Cary Solomon and Chuck Konzelman — the film’s writers, directors and producers — have encapsulated the conundrum into which a demon always presses his victim: “Whether you choose option A or B, you’re damned either way, so cooperate on the Enemy’s terms and choose one. Of course, you are always free to end your life.” Therein is another conundrum. …

The movie is clean and is not a “horror” movie. It has no blasphemies, sex scenes or even four-letter words. However, it is anything but boring. As an exorcist, I can affirm it is true to life and a must-see for anyone who desires to understand the Enemy. I found it gripping. I showed it at the seminary where I live, and the seminarians and priests raved about it for days.

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Nefarious: An Absolutely Brilliant Movie

From fr. carlos martins ( 4/20/23 facebook post ) commenting on the role of the priest in the movie nefarious..

The movie includes the character of a liberal priest who comes to minister to the condemned before his execution. He does not believe in the Devil.  He comes donning a rainbow stole and a “call me Mr. Nice Guy” cardigan sweater.  He would be in full liberal regalia, but for one thing–he is missing a (…cough…) powder blue clerical shirt. We’ve all met this type of priest: light on theology, heavy on “enlightened.”

This type of priest believes supernatural evil is merely a product of psychological inadequacy.  “It’s all in your head,“ he tells you, grinning smugly. “We’ve evolved beyond belief in the Devil. We now know that evil is merely the bad thinking that dwells inside us. There is no spiritual bogeyman, just bad thinking. Get a good psychologist to help you understand that your troubles are all within yourself.”

When this same priest walks into the room to meet with the inmate, the Devil recoils, calling him “the Son of God” and asking, “Have you come to destroy us before the appointed time?”  Hmmm.  I’ve heard that before somewhere.

Imagine the irony.  The priest does not believe in the Devil.  But the Devil believes in the priest (well, in Christ, who dwells in the priest’s Sacramental ordination.)

This scene is neither anti-Catholic nor anti-priesthood.  It is simply great storytelling. The writers found a brilliant way to make a necessary catechetical point. And nailed it … compellingly.

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‘Nefarious’ Is Unlike Any Other Christian Horror Movie

The 2023 horror film is streaming on Prime Video now.

The Big Picture

• Nefarious is a Christian thriller that rises above clichés, presenting itself as a psychological horror with low supernatural content.
• Sean Patrick Flanery's performance as the maniacal demon Nefarious is captivating and makes the film thrilling.
• Nefarious modernizes the concept of demonic temptation, drawing parallels with C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters and exposing corrupt motives.

In April 2023, the independent horror flick Nefarious earned just over a million dollars and placed tenth at the box office on its opening weekend. The movie hit theaters around the same time as other horror movies like The Pope's Exorcist , Evil Dead Rise , Scream IV , and Renfield ; and with such stiff competition, it's impressive that this low-budget indie movie did so well. The picture, which is currently in Prime Video's Top 10 most popular movies , is based on a two-book series by Steve Deace and was written and directed by Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon (the duo behind God's Not Dead and Unplanned ). But despite the film's distinctly Christian label, Nefarious rises above the general clichés associated with faith-based productions and stands out as something increasingly more interesting than its religious contemporaries.

‘Nefarious’ Turns Demonic Horror Into a Psychological Mind-Game

On the surface, Nefarious presents itself as a psychological horror film; and while that is certainly accurate, it's only part of the truth. At times, the film echoes a poor man's Silence of the Lambs ; but mostly, Nefarious is a Christian thriller with low supernatural content and a whole lot of drama . At parts, the drama is believable and works well, and other times it feels a bit contrived. Still, in either case, it keeps the audience engaged until the end. The film centers on a convicted serial killer named Edward Wayne Brady ( Sean Patrick Flanery ), a man on death row who claims that he is possessed by a demon who calls himself Nefarious. To determine whether Edward is sane enough to be executed by the State of Oklahoma (which still offers the death penalty), Dr. James Martin ( Jordan Belfi ) is sent in to evaluate the situation. Naturally, things don't go according to the good doctor's plan.

In highlighting the psychological aspect of the film rather than the supernatural, Nefarious plays more like an extended criminal drama that makes us question what's real. While there comes a point where we all rightfully guess that Nefarious is a true demonic force rather than one of Edward's alternate personalities (à la Split ), there's a good amount of time there where we wonder if he's just insane. Part of Nefarious ' strength is that it keeps us guessing from the start, though it fails to maintain that suspense throughout. However, what could be seen as a failure might be a strength, since it's the demonic element of this case study that makes Nefarious unique .

"[ Nefarious ] is the best movie portraying demonic possession ever produced," wrote Father Carlos Martins , a Catholic priest and host of The Exorcist Files podcast, which recounts his personal experience with demonic activity (via The National Catholic Register ). "Astute, careful and intelligent thinking went into its script." While it's true that the script here is loads better than anything from the God's Not Dead batch of "sermovies," it's the performances in Nefarious that really sell it — especially that of the film's leading star.

Sean Patrick Flanery Steals the Show as Edward Wayne Brady in 'Nefarious'

In only seconds, Sean Patrick Flanery can switch between the maniacal demon Nefarious and the frightened out-of-his-mind Edward, who struggles to maintain any semblance of control over his mind and body. Flanery commands your full attention as Nefarious masterfully unravels his intricate and devious plan to break James Martin into unrestorable pieces . The demon attempts this through a series of tests and proofs, but particularly through the aforementioned mind games that force James to realize that three lives have been lost because of his selfish actions. While James denies it, in a way, the demon turns out to be right. Flanery plays his part well here and is ultimately what makes Nefarious so thrilling.

Flanery is frightening as Nefarious, exuding the same sort of bent charisma that Elias Koteas does as Azazel in the 1998 thriller Fallen , another demon-possession picture that challenges everything we think we know about the horror sub-genre . Like Fallen , Nefarious gets into the head of our demonic antagonist while allowing us to think that our hero has the upper hand by the end , only for those notions to come crashing down. That's not exactly the sort of message you'd expect to find in a Christian-made horror movie about demons, but it's an interesting one that leaves audiences unsettled and possibly even confused. Of course, Flanery's long-winded soliloquies on theology and morality aren't going to be everyone's cup of tea. Like any movie, Nefarious was made with a specific audience in mind — Christians (albeit with the hope of additional general appeal).

You Have 'Se7en' to Thank for The Rise of Faith-Based Horror

Despite the overwhelmingly positive audience ratings, critics didn't care much for Nefarious. The Rotten Tomatoes consensus noted that "it's hard to look past the story's heavy-handed proselytizing." Whether that's an accurate description of the film itself or a general disdain for the film's hard conservative stance is certainly up for debate. However, just about everyone can agree that there's power here in Sean Patrick Flanery's performance that propels Nefarious above most faith-based productions . And considering that many recent faith-driven stories like Jesus Revolution , The Shift , and The Chosen have been getting better in both production and entertainment value, that's nothing short of a compliment.

The Priest Doesn't Save the Day This Time Around

Perhaps the most interesting part of Nefarious happens near the beginning of the film. Only 20 minutes in, a priest, one Father Lou ( Daniel Martin Berkey ), arrives to help James discern whether Edward is actually insane or demon-possessed. While this instantly invokes images of Father Merrin ( Max von Sydow ) or Father Karras ( Jason Miller ) from The Exorcist , the results couldn't be more different. Considering that Nefarious opened alongside Russell Crowe 's The Pope's Exorcist , it would be a bit repetitive to have two demon-expelling priests in theaters on the same weekend. But Nefarious takes a different approach to the believer versus demon narrative , and it makes the film stronger as a result.

Father Lou doesn't believe in demons. After all, while nearly 70% of Americans believe that literal angels and demons are active in our world (via Pew Research ), that still leaves another 30% (a calculation that has varied over the years, even among Christians ) of folks who don't. Nefarious explores the idea that even a minister might not believe in such beings as anything more than literary references to deep-seated personal struggles, and rids us of any hope that we'll see the creature be cast out of the suffering death row inmate. That's right. There's no projectile vomiting here, telekinetic thrusts, or black smoke evaporating from one's mouth. Nefarious paints a realistic picture of how one might respond to a literal and unkillable demon , and it leaves us there.

Part of the film's strength is its unwillingness to rely on the standard demonic fanfare that generally embodies these sorts of horror movies. While Nefarious might be more of a psychological/supernatural thriller than a straight-up horror, it still manages to make its titular demon scary without the threat of immediate possession or exorcism . To go a step further, the film correctly notes the gradual series of steps one must go through to be possessed in the first place, moving from obsession to oppression to possession, the same way Ed Warren ( Patrick Wilson ) explains it in The Conjuring . After all, as C.S. Lewis once penned, "The safest road to Hell is the gradual one."

'Nefarious' Modernizes C.S. Lewis' 'Screwtape Letters' for the 21st Century

"Readers are advised to remember that the devil is a liar," wrote famed Chronicles of Narnia author C.S. Lewis at the beginning of his 1942 work The Screwtape Letters , which itself mirrors the "Dark Gospel" in Nefarious that the titular demon aims to see published. Lewis's book consists of a series of letters that a demon named Screwtape writes to his young nephew, Wormwood, in hopes of teaching him how to best tempt mankind and pull them away from God, often called "the Enemy." Nefarious uses much of the same terminology, and in many ways mixes well with Lewis' ideas of exposing a demon's nefarious plot for the sake of those watching (or, in Screwtape's case, reading). In that regard, Nefarious accomplishes its goal, and while it's not as well-written as Lewis' timeless expression of demonic will, it does the job just fine for 21st-century audiences.

While not a direct adaptation of The Screwtape Letters by any means or even the first to do a "modern reimaging" of the same idea (the Millennium episode "Somehow, Satan Got Behind Me" perhaps did so more creatively in the '90s), the film itself boasts many of the same components that make Lewis' work great, albeit with differing results . Nefarious's exposure of James' corrupt motives regarding his mother plays parallel with Screwtape's plot to keep his unnamed "patient" from having a positive relationship with his own, focusing instead on what's wrong with others rather than himself. And we can't forget that in his anger and frustration with the demon, James does send a man wrongfully to his death, justifying himself while doing so.

'Nefarious' Isn't Perfect, But It's a Great Step for Faith-Based Films

Nefarious is not a perfect horror film, nor is it a perfect film in general. There are some weird things about this picture, most notably the uber-strange and abrasive appearance of Glenn Beck at the end, but strange doesn't mean bad. There's no denying that Nefarious is a film genuinely confident in its premise and execution . It's that confidence, in the direction and performances especially, that makes the film work despite its flaws — and that's a lot more than what most Christian thrillers can say.

You might expect a movie like Nefarious to end with a hamfisted conversion scene that brings James to his knees in a "come to Jesus" moment, but the filmmakers avoid that entirely. In fact, this picture ends the same way many other horror films do — with the titular evil returning to haunt our hero just before the credits roll . It's a powerful ending, one that carries a lot of weight when you consider that the demon had tried to kill James just a year prior. Steve Deace, who wrote the original Nefarious novels, has since announced that a sequel film is in development , as is a subsequent television series with stars Sean Patrick Flanery and Jordan Belfi set to return. How that all will work is yet a mystery, but one thing is clear: the Nefarious story will far outlive the electric chair.

Nefarious can be streamed on Prime Video.

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‘Nefarious’ Director Declares: ‘The Devil Attacks, but God Protects and Defends’

Despite recalling power outages, car crashes and demonic infestation on the set of the Hollywood movie, Cary Solomon says he’s ‘never gonna retire.’

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Directing an exorcism movie is not on everyone’s résumé.

But, now, it’s on Cary Solomon’s .

Released in April 2023, Nefarious is a horror film written and directed by Chuck Konzelman and Solomon. Based on Steve Deace’s 2016 novel A Nefarious Plot , the plot revolves around a psychiatrist (Jordan Belfi) who must determine if a convicted death-row inmate (Sean Patrick Flanery) is faking his alleged demonic possession .

Audiences have taken to Nefarious — the film has grossed $5.5 million so far — and scored highly in the all-important word-of-mouth recommendation; yet some movie critics have savaged the film: “Preachy propaganda for right-wing beliefs,” “a Christo-fascist manifesto,” “a Christian and Conservative propaganda piece” are just some of the volleys from the cinematic critics targeting a movie that dared to take faith and evil seriously.

Solomon expected little else. “Totally manipulated, like all of the media,” he observed of the critical reaction from some. “If anything is morally good, then they say it is bad. If it is bad, they say it is good.” (Read a positive take on the film here; see Register coverage in “Related Stories” below.)

If this is the pushback to the release of Nefarious, one wonders what the production experience was like?

“It’s nonstop,” explained Solomon of the troubles, listing quite a litany of disaster. “Nothing works. Everything electrical fails. No email. No cell coverage, even though you have five bars. Equipment failures. Car crashes. Accidents. Unjust union strikes. Immoral business practices used against you. Every possible problem you can imagine. Dissent within your own team. Arguments at home. Suppression in every way. Your building’s roof gets torn off — I mean completely torn off — while you’re in post-production. Every time you show the movie, fire alarms start going off, or the projectors don’t work ...”

Solomon added: “And this is before all the demonic physical manifestations.”

Consequently, the production had a Catholic priest “on set, full time,” as well as what Solomon describes as “a ministry team.” He relates how there was even an exorcism performed in a room where the crew was shooting. “There were sounds or voices coming out of the couch; the light in the room was unexplainably flickering on and off; the cameras were digitally corrupted, and the sound machine just died.” All of these manifestations, he said, ceased when the priest commanded what was there, “Bow now before the holy and terrible name of Jesus” before concluding the prayers of exorcism.

“The devil is real,” Solomon concluded, “but so is God. Faith is stronger than fear. Good is more powerful than evil.”

So, who is Director Solomon?

“I grew up in Brooklyn, New York — Flatbush, to be exact. We lived on Kings Highway and East 15th Street. I miss those times. Unfortunately, my mom and dad got a divorce when I was young, and that’s when my mom took me out to Wayne, New Jersey, and that’s how I met Chuck, my business partner. He was the kid next door, and we instantly became best friends.”

His friend, and later business partner and frequent collaborator, Konzelman was to be pivotal in Solomon’s life course.

“One day, I got this crazy desire to go make movies. I didn’t understand what the Holy Spirit was at that time, but it definitely took hold of me,” he said. “Chuck and I were in a different business than the movie business, and we were doing well, but when the Lord wants something, he gets it. So there I was on fire with the Spirit, and Chuck and I were speaking at a convention in Philadelphia. I had just got off stage, and now it was Chuck’s turn to speak, so I went to the lunch room to wait for him to finish. Somehow, he found me there. He sat down and looked at me, and out of nowhere, I said, ‘Do you want to go make movies?’ And he looked at me and said, ‘Yes.’ It was profound. We never had the desire or thought to do it, but then, boom! Crazy. Within a couple weeks, we were in Hollywood.”

Hollywood’s Challenges

So Konzelman and Solomon came to Hollywood and, inevitably, experienced pushback.

“They hate us,” reported Solomon. “And we wear that as a badge of honor. They call us ‘Christians’ like it’s a bad word. They do everything in their power to destroy what we are doing. The fight is fierce. We are surrounded. We’re low on supplies. We have very little ammunition left. And the enemy is ready to put an end to us — but we have Jesus.” And then he added, sounding almost as a man who is prepared for any eventuality, “In the end, ‘every knee shall bend and every tongue confess.’ We might not be around to see it, but we know we will win.”

In Hollywood, Solomon and Konzelman’s films are countercultural. The titles and their subject matter speak for themselves: God’s Not Dead (2014), Do You Believe? (2015), Unplanned (2019).

“It’s not by choice,” he said. “But if that’s what we need to do, then so be it. Unfortunately, Christians have ceded the culture to the enemy. We lock out the world, thinking we will be safe from the evil that abounds. Sadly, that only empowers the darkness.”

Christians should, instead, he suggested, “rebuke evil; cast out demons; resurrect the dead. … And yet, we don’t even try. We barely preach the Gospel. … It’s time for us to go amongst the lost and save them. This is our calling. When we see evil, rebuke it; fight it. Show it for what it is, which is why we made Nefarious .”

Faith Found

Solomon converted to the Catholic faith in 1997.

“I prayed and asked God what I should become, and he was very specific with me,” said the movie director of his faith journey. “I had many miraculous things occur. I researched and studied religion and faith, and, to be totally honest, I don’t believe anyone should be anything other than Catholic.”

Solomon added: “I just don’t see how people can’t see it. The Catholic Church is the one true faith. It’s all there. Period. End of story.”

“I believe most men want to build something,” said Solomon of his faith-focused philosophy. “When you are young, you want to build it for yourself, if you are lucky. When you are older, you want to build it for Jesus. Chuck and I try never to say ‘No’ to the Lord. We believe that our very being is to do what the Lord wants. When he wants us to stop, we’ll stop. Then we’ll do whatever else he tells us to do.” There is a finality in what he said next: “We’re never gonna retire. Hopefully, we die in his service.”

When asked what part faith plays in his creative process, he laughed. Choosing cinematic subject matter is a straightforward process for Solomon and Konzelman, according to Solomon: “We pray on everything: He talks, we listen; he walks, we follow; he asks, we do.”

“Tell great stories. Make great movies,” he replied, with an emphatic simplicity, when asked how he prevents his films from becoming “message movies,” films heavy on moral improvement but considerably lighter on drama.

But he is too much of a seasoned professional to be under any illusions about the Herculean task that is modern filmmaking.

“Making a movie is grueling. It’s long, hard work,” he admitted. “You learn to have faith. If you don’t, you either get broken or destroyed; or, worse, you change sides because of the promises of the world. Imagine trying to do good and everyone and everything are against you. But in those moments, if you believe, if you have faith, you find a moment; it might only be a couple seconds — and then you think about Jesus and what he went through — and, then, suddenly, you realize you’re fighting the fight. And you wouldn’t want to be doing anything else. You just keep carrying the cross. You just keep fighting.”

“If after you’ve read this interview and you still want to go into film, you’re our type of guy or gal, or just a glutton for punishment!” Solomon joked, when asked for advice for young Catholics who feel called to enter the film world. “Although everything that I’ve said here is as true as it is terrible to go through, I want you to know that we never once had anyone get hurt. We had eight car crashes in the first 11 days of shooting, but not one person was harmed in any way. What I’m trying to tell you is: The devil attacks, but God protects and defends.”

Solomon is an unusual filmmaker, to say the least, as compelling in person as his movies are on screen, possibly more intriguing still.

Even after everything he went through to bring Nefarious to the screen, he remains adamant: “Jesus never abandoned us. We always found a way. Money always appeared. Solutions somehow arose. We never had to compromise. We never gave up. We wore the armor of God. We survived. Yes, we were put through the refining fire, but we are his refined silver.” Then he added in conclusion, “And if asked to do so again, we would do it all over for him.”

Nefarious is now streaming.

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• catholic movies

K.V. Turley K.V. Turley is the Register’s U.K. correspondent. He writes from London.

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Cardinal Burke & Exorcist Endorse "Nefarious": Film "Accurately" Portrays Demonic Possession & Devil’s Tactics

By Jacqueline Burkepile, Victoria Arruda – May 19, 2023

Films about exorcisms and demons tend to be controversial and divide opinions among believers – especially exorcists.

Hollywood’s portrayal of such situations is generally regarded as sensational and unrealistic. But this film, which recently premiered in the United States, receives positive reviews wherever it goes.

The “Nefarious” movie website explains the plot:

“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.”

Several priests, including Cardinal Raymond Burke and exorcist Fr. Carlos Martins, recommend “Nefarious.” The writers and directors of the film also brought audiences Abby Johnson’s “Unplanned” movie.

Watch the “Nefarious” trailer below:

Fr. Carlos Martins, a priest and exorcist with the Companions of the Cross, said the film “is the best movie portraying demonic possession ever produced.”

He said it avoids sensationalism, “deftly exhibits the Devil’s insatiable craving and formidable intelligence,” and it “accurately depicts how he smothers his victim’s hope.”

“The movie is clean and is not a ‘horror movie.’ It has no blasphemies, sex scenes, or even four-letter words. However, it is anything but boring.”

“As an exorcist, I can affirm it is true to life and a must-see for anyone who desires to understand the Enemy,” Fr. Carlos added. “I found it gripping. I showed it at the seminary where I live, and the seminarians and priests raved about it for days.”

Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke also endorsed the film.

"Nefarious aptly shines light on this combat and the Devil's tactics in leading us to betray and abandon Our Lord." – @cardinalrlburke When was the last time a Cardinal endorsed a film? #NefariousMovie #HolyCatholicChurch #CatholicChurch @SteveDeaceShow @seanflanery @JordanCBelfi pic.twitter.com/aV12BNuDxS — Nefarious Movie (@NefariousMovie_) May 4, 2023

“The film ‘Nefarious’ aptly shines light on this combat and the Devil’s tactics in leading us to betray and abandon Our Lord through sin,” Cardinal Burke wrote in a statement.

“May those who watch it obtain a greater awareness of the spiritual warfare in which we are all participants, and may they turn with greater fidelity and love to Our Risen Lord Jesus Christ in whom the final victory over evil and the Evil One is ever assured.”

What do you think of the “Nefarious” trailer?

Msgr. james shea on evangelizing i..., grandmother and her grandchildren....

'Nefarious' uses horror to tell a faith-based story. But Glenn Beck's cameo is really scary

“Nefarious” moves along like a garden-variety possession movie, with a convicted killer hours away from the electric chair trying to convince a court-ordered psychiatrist he is a demon who has taken over the prisoner.

Sean Patrick Flanery has a grand old time playing Edward, who has been convicted of several murders, and Nefarious, the demon who claims to possess him. Dr. James Martin (Jordan Belfi) is the doctor who has to decide if he’s mentally competent enough to be executed.

It’s pretty standard horror fare — Edward knows an alarming amount about James’ life, even though there is no reason he should. A light bulb mysteriously explodes. “Probably just a coincidence,” Edward says, shrugging.

Flanery really sells the possession aspect, portraying the demon half of the character as super-intelligent and manipulative. But is he faking it?

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Is 'Nefarious' a Christian movie?

Without revealing too much, he then rants about abortion being murder, which is all well and good from the demon's perspective, but not from the filmmakers'. And they're not subtle about it.

Up to this point, you wouldn’t have guessed “Nefarious” is a faith-based movie. Although it’s not a surprise, given the other films writers and directors Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon have made; their resume includes such films as “God’s Not Dead” and “Unplanned.”

Which is fine, until their message becomes increasingly heavy-handed and the film begins to suffer accordingly, at least in cinematic terms. (How it works on a religious level will be up to you and your faith.)

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He showed up on Tucker Carlson , for whom he might be considered a role model in the misinformation game, the night Trump was indicted, predicting that within two years the U.S. would be at war (with whom varied), that the dollar would collapse and that we’ll be living in a “virtual police state.”

This is not someone you want in your movie, no matter what you believe.

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There's nothing subtle about 'Nefarious'

Before that, the film is mostly a set piece staged between Edward and James. James is an atheist — oops — who doesn’t believe in demons or possession, or in God for that matter. Edward assures him that this will not protect him.

If you’re such a non-believer, Edward taunts, then let me inhabit you. (Note: He’s speaking as Nefarious at this point.) The confident James says sure, why not?

Dude, have you ever seen a horror movie?

A priest shows up to talk to Edward, who, while as Nefarious, screams and says he isn’t welcome — until the priest assures him that the Catholic Church long ago evolved to believe that most of what people think of as possessions are in fact forms of mental illness.

This renders the priest’s faith impotent, of course — it reminded me of the showdown between the priest and Barlow the vampire in “ Salem’s Lot ” — and Edward settles down, knowing he has nothing to fear from him.

It’s a bit much.

Again, subtlety is not the film’s strong point. Neither is casting.

Using horror to tell a faith-based story is interesting, if not successful

Flanery is the most interesting thing in the movie, as Edward/Nefarious torments the doctor. Belfi comes off as more bland, though so would anyone acting opposite Flanery.

Using the horror genre to tell a faith-based story is an interesting idea, even if it doesn’t really work in the end. And then Beck shows up, and that’s the scariest thing of all.

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'Nefarious' 2 stars

Great ★★★★★ Good ★★★★

Fair ★★★ Bad ★★ Bomb ★

Directors: Chuck Konzelman, Cary Solomon.

Cast: Sean Patrick Flanery, Jordan Belfi, James Healy Jr.

Rating: R for some disturbing violent content.

How to watch: In theaters April 14.

Reach Goodykoontz at  [email protected] . Facebook:  facebook.com/GoodyOnFilm . Twitter:  @goodyk . Subscribe to  the weekly movies newsletter .

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Are Demons Real?: Movie Review of “Nefarious”

“Yes, Virginia, demons are real.” And they are real not only as Francis Church described Santa Claus in his 1897 response to 8-year old Virginia O’Hanlon. In that editorial classic , Church pointed out to the young New York lass how a world without Santa Claus would indeed be a very “dreary” world. Of course, this argument wouldn’t work for demons, or much else for that matter. However, Church also argued that “The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see.” This, on the other hand, is an obvious truth. In a new movie by Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon entitled  Nefarious , this fundamental truth of both physics and metaphysics is portrayed in a popular and potent format. Indeed, as the movie convinces us, the most real features of our universe are those not directly seen by the naked eye. In this case, the feature in question is the reality of the demonic .

Some Preliminaries Remarks

Before I give my full review of  Nefarious , I need to make a few qualifying remarks. First, there will be some spoilers for those who have not yet seen the movie. So, please see the movie before reading this, or, be okay with knowing something of the plot beforehand.

Second, this is one of those films where the movie-goer must ignore the critics’ reviews and give greater weight to the audience rankings. Personally, I usually will  not go to a movie, or even rent one, that doesn’t at least have an 80% rating  by the critics on Rotten Tomatoes. I tend to agree with the critics, and not the popular audience. Call me a movie snob if you will, but I think critics are critics for good reason. Currently, however, the critics’ reviews of Nefarious average out at 33%, which is both astounding, and, somewhat suspicious.

On this movie, the critics really seem to be driven by some other, ulterior motive than purely aesthetic critique. Perhaps that motive is itself a spiritual one. If it is, which I think it might be, then it would make the unusually low ratings the irony of all ironies. In short, there is  no way in hell , and I might mean that literally, that Nefarious  does not warrant at least a 70 or 75% rating from a purely aesthetic standpoint. In my view this movie is a solid 3-stars. Unfortunately, it could have possibly been a 4-star film, had the writers not nearly ruined the whole endeavor with an atrocious, out-of-place and genuinely over-the-top ending.

Third, I am mainly going to discuss the theological aspects of the film. Others have done a good job at analyzing its cinematic features. My goal here is to delve more deeply into how the doctrine of demonology is presented in Nefarious:  where it is biblical accurate, and why it works or doesn’t work theologically.

On The Aesthetics

It is hard to believe that this movie was written by the same writers of the  God’s Not Dead series: one of the most awful series of films ever produced, regardless of “the heart behind them.” I literally walked out of the first two GND films (I still don’t know why I even went to the second one), and walking out of theaters is something I rarely do. That said, there are two scenes in Nefarious  where the ham-fisted nature of Konzelman and Solomon’s earlier efforts begins to rear its aesthetically ugly head.

The first, fortunately, is fairly negligible: a short, 30-second speech by an atheist psychiatrist (Jordan Belfi) that sounds far too formulaic and exhaustive to be authentic. However, the superb acting by Sean Patrick Flanery (Nefarious/Edward) saves the scene from devolving into the oh so “on-the-nose” preachiness of prior Konzelman and Solomon iterations. The second scene, the movie’s final scene, is, as alluded to above, almost unforgivable. The last 3+ minutes of the movie caused my jaw to hang so low that my beard began to mop up the remnant popcorn grease on the floor (that image should give you an idea of how unpalatable the final scene is).

However, with the exception of the last few minutes of the film, the writing of  Nefarious is quite literary: in both its aesthetic and its instrumental elements. Moreover, as Andrew Klavan points out, the producers demonstrate that with a good script and good acting, a low-budget film can be excellent if it works within its budgetary parameters. Two of Hitchcock’s greatest films,  Rope  (1948) and  Rear Window  (1954) both played out entirely in the space of a single room. Thus,  Nefarious delivers a solid thriller that doesn’t try to reach beyond its financial limits. Most of the drama plays out in one room, between two men. Little else is called for and nothing else needed. The script and its execution are and remain the focal points throughout the movie.

Beyond the script, which consists primarily of lengthy one-on-one interactions between Edward, the inmate awaiting his death sentence, and the psychiatrist, Dr. Martin, tasked to declare him sane or insane, the acting is top-notch. Flanery should receive an academy award nomination for best actor for playing the demon Nefarious. However, we know Hollywood will never do this. Likely for the same reasons the critics only gave the film an average 33% rating. Still, Flanery should be remembered for delivering one of the most powerful on-screen depictions of evil since Heath Ledger’s Joker (or John Dall’s “ Mr. Brandon “). Finally, Jason Head’s cinematography is sophisticated and nuanced, adding all the right value to the script and the actors’ abilities. This movie is a far cry from GND, in almost every way, and that is something to be applauded. There is  real progress being made in Christian film making; that is a good thing.

On Nefarious’  Theology

Where the makers of Nefarious  truly hit the mark is in their astute, unapologetic  presentation of demonology. Again, this articulation of the nature of demons is presented to us with little special effects or CGI frills. The only hint of supernaturalism we see in the entire film is a lightbulb bursting at a convenient moment in the flow of dialogue between Nefarious/Edward and Martin.

Instead of far-fetched, physical prowess, what Flanery portrays with near-perfect execution is not the superhuman power of the demonic but the superhuman  knowledge  evil spirits possess (Mark 1:34; Luke 4:41; 1 Tim 4:1-3). The true malevolence of the demonic entity is not in its supra-mundane causal powers. As most exorcists will attest , these are incredibly rare occurrences. Instead, the demonic attack comes via its careful examination of the human heart and mind. This is where we are, after all, most vulnerable.

This theological truth is brought out with great force in the film. There are a few lines in  Nefarious that will make any epistemologist, Christian or non, sit up in their chair and say “did I hear that right?” In one scene, for example, Nefarious proudly declares that he is “the most rational being” that Martin has ever met. He then goes on to carefully distinguish for his skeptical victim the difference between “knowledge” and “belief.” How many laypeople in the audience will understand the difference between “belief” and “knowledge?” It is hard to say. Yet, it is this kind of subtlety about “the unseen realm” that the writers adroitly work into the script.

But these are matters of tremendous theological importance. Because demons, like other immaterial spirits, are qualitatively different than their embodied counterparts. That difference in nature  matters when it comes to other aspects of created existence, like how we know things, or how our soul is oriented morally. Demons, being undeceived deceivers, know things directly. They do not speculate about what is or is not true as we must on account of the uncertain nature of empirical data and the frailty of our own senses.

With regard to moral knowledge, W.T.G. Shedd sheds light on this aspect of the deeper form of evil (and good), namely, its immateriality:

Both holy and sinful affections, in their deeper forms, are mental and disconnected with a physical organism. They have no connection with the sensor’s sensibility. Shedd,  Dogmatic Theology , (514)

This applies directly to angels, good angels or fallen ones, who are not embodied like us:

The seraph who adores and burns does not inherit flesh and blood. His [the angel’s] desires and feelings are purely mental. The fiend, also, is intellectual in his depravity. Lucifer, the ethereal son of the morning, was not tempted to apostasy by any sensuous appetite; and his existing moral condition is mainly intellectual. Shedd, (514-515)

Paul talks about this form of wickedness in his Letter to the Ephesians, it is a wickedness that exists prior to or apart from any physical body. It can for humans, and will for the fallen angels, lead to eternal damnation:

The wickedness of the fallen angels is denominated by St. Paul ‘spiritual wickedness’ (Ephesians 6:12). ‘Sensibility,’ therefore, is an inadequate term to cover that wide domain which includes the moral desires of the heart and the inclination of the will and which is entirely distinct from the physical and fleshy side of man. Shedd, (515)

It is in this arena, the immaterial side of man that consists of thoughts, feelings, and his moral will, that we find the battleground of demonic aggression.  Nefarious  does an excellent job of capturing exactly how demons infiltrate the inner recesses of the human person, of the  heart in the biblical sense of the term. Knowledge of the person, especially moral knowledge, is exactly the kind of thing we would expect a demon to mention, if we were to sit down and speak with one. Knowledge of special facts, or arcane knowledge, are merely instrumental to the demon who is out to make (correct) moral judgments about his victim.

Only the ignorant and foolish would think a demon would attack in such flagrant ways as most campy Hollywood horror flicks would have us believe. Perhaps that is itself but another “sleight of hand” by the Father of Lies; a machination meant, to reference another film classic , to convince us he doesn’t exist. The real boldness of Konzelman and Solomon’s latest offering is that we know from the outset it is not just a “psycho-thriller,” like Gregory Hoblit’s  Primal Fear . Nefarious certainly is about the psyche, but it is recognizes the reality of more than one kind of psyche, and that is what makes it special.

“Truth” As The Devil’s Greatest Weapon

Konzelman and Solomon’s script does an excellent job of demonstrating the biblical understanding of how the Devil himself works. The Devil, “the Father of Lies,” as Jesus personally describes him (John 8:44), most often attacks humanity with the truth, or, at least, with some truths (Genesis 3:1-7). In the film, Nefarious’ main weapon against Martin, who represents modern, skeptical man, is the employment of straightforward, moral truths. It is in these unapologetic moments of moral declaration, where one can imagine the average critic recoiling in pseudo-intellectual rebellion against the film’s message. We can hear the reviewer muttering under his breath: “These are debatable topics,” or “this is just political propaganda.” Or, more subtly perhaps, willfully separating himself from the content the movie addresses so as to ensure a “dispassionate” review and a clear moral conscience.

There are three, or four such lies the movie exposes by putting their truthful counterparts in Nefarious’ nefarious mouth. The first is, of course, non-belief in God. This is a necessary pre-condition (to steal Jordan Peterson’s overused term) for moral degeneracy. After first mocking Martin’s skepticism, Nefarious then confronts Martin on three moral crimes of our times: euthanasia, abortion and capital punishment.

In the movie, the demon reveals to Martin, who has replaced another psychiatrist who committed suicide (under Nefarious’ influence), that Martin will be responsible for three murders before he leaves the prison that day. Those murders turn out to be Martin’s complicity in the death of his mother, who he had killed through assisted suicide; the death of his baby, whose mother, his girlfriend, he enabled to have an abortion; and, ultimately, of Edward himself, the host body that Nefarious inhabits. The revelation to Martin is not one of facts he was previously unaware of. Instead, what is revealed, are the moral statuses of each of his actions. It is the correct  truth value of the moral actions Martin takes that the devil reveals to him. Where Martin once thought there was no guilt, because he believed there was no wrongdoing, he now sees he had everything backwards.

In the scripture, Jesus ascribes only one character feature to Satan in the New Testament . That feature is “liar.” However, Satan is the perfect liar specifically because he knows the truth. At least he knows moral truth. Satan’s deceptions are not errors, they are true deceptions, the exact opposite of what is the case: murder is emancipating, lust is freedom, false worship is life-giving. As such, Nefarious tells Martin only what is true, that he was responsible for three murders. He has, or will, intentionally take three lives: the first two out of convenience, the third out of desperation.

The only difference in this revelation of truth by a demon, as opposed to the same revelation given by the Holy Spirit, is that the demon’s entire will is bent on human destruction. Satan’s desire is to destroy all mankind through his lies (John 8:44), but the lie Satan tells us is that there is no way out of what is genuine guilt– no escape from our very real sins. This all plays out in the mind and heart of man. It is not a physical process, although it does produce physical phenomena. Satan and his demons have no direct power over men, their power is over men’s thoughts, over their minds. The mind is the locus of all human evil, for it is first the mind that either believes truth or suppresses it (Romans 1:18-32).

Christ’s Victory, Satan’s Defeat, Man’s Reward

Throughout the film, Nefarious consistently refers to Jesus as “the Carpenter.” Nefarious’ account of the atonement reflects what theologians have called a “ransom view” of Christ’s sacrifice. According to the ransom view, Christ, in sacrificing Himself on the cross, deceived Satan, who believed he had destroyed the Messiah. However, the one mind that Satan clearly has no access to is the Divine Mind, the Mind of God. Christ’s Resurrection from the dead is the ultimate rebuff of Satan, since God can literally take the most evil thing possible, the murder of that which is perfect, the Son of God, and transform it into the most glorious of all things: Resurrection life and the hope of eternal redemption for all humankind.

While the ransom theory is not central to the atonement, it makes sense to emphasize this aspect given the movie’s theme. The Devil, being uncreative, cannot think in creative terms. Being wholly bent on destruction, Satan cannot see or understand how God can bring life out of death, goodness out of evil (Gen 50:19-21; Job 1 & 2; Acts 2:22-36). This is another reason why the film works, because it gives a reasonable account of why a demon is, in fact, a demon. Fallen angels, in their rejection of God, cannot know God  as good . This is brilliantly brought out by evoking Milton’s theodicy in Paradise Lost throughout the film .  If one assumes a more libertarian view of human freedom, as the movie tends toward, then Milton’s notion of the fallen angels’ rebellion rings true:

The first sort by their own suggestion fell, Self-tempted, self-depraved; man falls decieved By the other first: man therefore shall find grace, The others none. “Paradise Lost”, 3.129

The eternal destiny of the fallen angels is fixed. It is fixed because they had knowledge of God that men do not, and yet rebelled. Men, on the other hand, can and will find grace. But there is no grace for the Devil or his own. They fell not by deceit, as Adam and Eve did, but by “their own suggestion.” Flanery’s portrayal of this purely volitional hatred of God, and man, is at moments in the film palpable. A short scene just prior to Edward’s (Nefarious’) execution skillfully weaves in this aspect of demonic eschatology: for the demon there is no way out, his destiny is fixed. We really must thank God for this! For human beings, however, grace is available should we choose it: Christ’s victory is man’s reward.

It is in these scenes of intense theological exchange, often read yet rarely dramatized, that  Nefarious  really hits the mark.

One Criticism of  Nefarious

There are, of course, some weak points in  Nefarious . I will not reiterate my critique of where it fails aesthetically. My suggestion would be to just walk out as soon as the last scene in the prison, the execution scene, ends. Of course, now that I have built it up, no one will actually do that. However, there is one theological critique that needs to be made, and which is rather substantive.

There is the issue of Edward, the host that Nefarious has inhabited for years. While the movie does hint at how Nefarious gradually entered into Edward through a series of subtle invitations as a child, the degree of possession suggested by the film is problematic. One would have to pose a serious, theological question as to whether demonic possession can affect a human soul to such an extent, that the human soul in question would be inculpable in the criminal actions committed through its body.

If so, the question emerges: is Edward  “complicit” in multiple murders or not? The movie almost makes it out to be the case that Edward is so completely manipulated by Nefarious, that Nefarious has absolute control of Edward’s body. When Edward is “allowed” to speak by the demon, he (Edward) appears childlike and innocent. Moreover, Nefarious forces Edward to harm himself, something that is true in reality (Mark 5:1-10), but that makes it difficult to know how to adjudicate the role of Edward in the crimes. This raises all kinds of ontological, moral and legal problems, ones to perhaps explore in a later post. However, if Edward is truly possessed, we would not think there would be such a stark contrast between the two moral agents: Edward and Nefarious. Although, this itself could be one of the demon’s tricks, to make it seem as if Edward is somehow non-compliant in the evil.

Other than this, and the ending,  Nefarious  is an entertaining, horrifying and theological accurate account of the reality of demonism and the nature of moral evil. The viewer will not be disappointed, unless, of course, you are a close-minded critic, or an Episcopalian priest (mini-spoiler).

Featured image: https://www.whoisnefarious.com/poster

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‘nefarious’: from strange ailments to car accidents, the spiritual warfare that occurred while filming.

When “Nefarious” directors Cary Solomon and Chuck Konzelman first conceived of bringing the spiritual thriller to the big screen, they knew they would face unseen opposition. But the duo didn’t know just how much, in their words, “the devil didn’t want this movie to be made.”

“We had a friend tell us a long time ago, ‘For those people that don't believe in the devil, declare war against him and see what happens,’” Solomon said. “Well, we declared war against the devil for the Lord, and I will say that honestly, from the first moment we wrote the script, weird, crazy things began to happen.”

Inspired by the book A Nefarious Plot by New York Times bestselling author Steve Deace, the filmmakers, who are also behind the pro-life film “Unplanned,” described “Nefarious” as a cross between C.S. Lewis’ novel The Screwtape Letters and the film “Silence of the Lambs.”

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The horror-thriller film follows a convicted serial killer (Sean Patrick Flannery) who, on the day of his scheduled execution, must be certified as mentally competent by a court-ordered psychiatrist, Dr. James Martin (Jordan Belfi). But Martin is surprised to discover that the killer is possessed by a demon, Nefarious, who tells him that before the day is over, the psychiatrist will have committed three murders of his own.

“As a storm gathers outside the prison, Nefarious chips away at Dr. Martin’s resolve and conviction, confounding and unsettling him so much that he begins to doubt his own sanity and fears for his life,” reads the film description. “As the two face off, they deliver crackling energy and a series of disturbing preternatural revelations propelling them to an inexorable, astounding conclusion.”

And from petty inconveniences, like a squirrel breaking into their Airbnb and destroying a Nativity set to larger issues, like the roof blowing off their office and strange ailments afflicting the cast and crew during filming, the creators said the spiritual warfare taking place throughout the making of “Nefarious” was undeniable. 

“The first day Steve Deace visited the set, he got very sick with a cyst under his arm. Suddenly, it disappears,” Konzelman said. “Literally, the morning before the theatrical premiere, it comes back. By nightfall, he’s in the ER, mumbling and muttering incoherently. He was near death and had a live infection, MRSA in his bloodstream — it was everywhere, and he had to undergo surgery. He almost died.”

In another instance, a Catholic priest trained in exorcisms and spiritual battles hired to be on set with the crew had to undergo an emergency appendectomy during shooting: “His appendix burst during filming and he almost died,” the filmmakers recalled. “The surgeon told him, ‘If you got here an hour later you would not be here.’”

And in the first 11 days of shooting, eight crew members got in severe car accidents — “and we didn’t have a big crew,” Solomon said — yet not a single person was injured. 

“And these stories are just the tip of the iceberg,” the filmmaker said. “The adversary does what he does, but the Lord does what He does. In other words, ‘You want to stop the movie, but I'm going to protect the people doing the movie and make sure they keep going on.’”

The duo reflected on some of the strange goings-on that continued to take place in theaters once the film opened: “It was a constant struggle in the theaters,” Solomon said. “The fire alarm goes off in multiple theaters across the nation, computers would malfunction so people couldn’t buy tickets, it would show a theater was sold out, but it wasn’t.”

Most unnervingly, there were numerous reports of “people growling and vomiting in the theater and not remembering any of it when they woke up,” Kozelman added.

“The devil literally didn't want us to do it from page one," he said. "But we pushed through; the Lord said, ‘Keep pushing.’ The reason we did it, honestly, was the Holy Spirit basically called us to do it. We prayed on it — we prayed on everything — and just kept on moving forward. … When you go through an experience like this, your faith in God goes up, and so does your understanding that the devil is real.”

Despite ongoing spiritual opposition, “Nefarious” has seen astounding success: The film has received a 97% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and grossed a whopping $1.3 million in its opening weekend despite being shown in only 933 theaters and opening against two other horror films.

“The movie is surviving and growing,” Konzelman said. “It's anointed. It’s God bringing the truth like a lion; unchain the lion, let him out of the cage and the truth — you don't need to defend it. It will defend itself.”

“I don't know how the Spirit works, but I know it's working on this film,” he added.

The film received an R rating, although it does not feature any explicit language or sexual content. Solomon said the rating was “political,” adding: “They gave us an ‘R’ rating for the breaking of a finger. Disney cartoons have more stuff than that. But they knew Christians wouldn’t go see the movie if it had an ‘R’ rating.”

Even the film’s poster — which depicts a demonic face — and its listing as a “horror-thriller film” were something of a “Trojan horse” in the hope of attracting nonbelievers and “those who are in trouble with the devil.”

“It was a gutsy call on our part,” the filmmakers said.

Already, Solomon and Konzelman have heard numerous stories of people being saved, forgiving abusers or healing from trauma after watching “Nefarious” — stories that have brought them to tears. The pair said they believe the film is resonating with audiences due to the “darkness” increasingly permeating society. 

“I defy anyone to walk out their front door and say that they don't feel that something is wrong,” Solomon said. “I think a lot of people are seeing the reflection of evil, and they're realizing, ‘This makes perfect sense. God loves me, the devil hates me. The hater is going to try and hurt me. God is going to try and help me,’ and so they shift to God’s side. And I think it is powerful.”

“I think it's a sign of our times that literally, we had to use a demon to preach the Gospel. If we used a priest in that role, or a pastor in that role, no one would be interested. But because the world has fallen into a dark place, the demon is preaching the Gospel. … We don’t use the demon in a malicious way against God, his anger and his malice validate the fact that [God is real].”

Looking ahead, the filmmakers said they want to use their talents to continue telling stories that highlight God’s goodness and expose the reality of the devil, even if it means going through spiritual warfare.

“Everyone says, ‘I'm willing to suffer,’ until it’s really rough and it’s terrible,” Konzelman reflected. “And you think, what am I doing? Why am I going through this? But then you eventually settle down and you think, ‘I'm going through this because this is the battle. It's a battle between good and evil, and the Lord has called us.”

Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: [email protected]

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'Nefarious': An Intense Psychological Thriller With a Lot to Say

Two men face each other in a room: one, a man of science, and the other, a man who may or may not be possessed. The new thriller Nefarious , in theaters now, throws open the debate between the two.

Throughout the history of movies, filmmakers from the unknown to the legendary have attempted one of film’s trickiest sub-genre’s (or conceits), the Chamber Piece.

To put it plainly, can you make an entire movie about two people in a room?

 The real question comes down to the following: Do the film filmmakers have something interesting enough to say, and a compelling enough way to say it, to draw a viewer in for an entire film set primarily in one room?

With Nefarious , the answer is yes, and cinema now has one more success to add to this unique genre.

What Is Nefarious About?

How did the writers and directors, Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon ( UnPlanned , God’s Not Dead ), pull this off?

First, you need to start with an engaging premise, and the movie presents a truly intriguing one.

A state government calls in an accomplished psychiatrist, Dr. James Martin (Jordan Belfi, Entourage ) to go to the federal penitentiary to evaluate a condemned prisoner, Edward Wayne Grady, (Sean Patrick Flanery, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, Boondock Saints , The Boys ) on the day of the man’s execution to determine if the convict is actually insane.

Why is the criminal’s sanity in question? Because he claims to be a demon, or more specifically possessed by a demon, named Nefarious.

Why does the man’s sanity matter? Because if he is sane, he will be put to death; however, if he’s crazy, then he will be institutionalized instead and spared from capital punishment.

As a product of modern education and a practicing man of medicine, the psychiatrist doesn’t believe in God, much less angels and demons.

He meets with the convict under the practical assumption that the criminal is either lying to escape execution, or has, in fact, lost his grip on reality.

The felon somehow has information about the doctor that he couldn’t possibly know. Also, the “demon” claims that before the doctor leaves the prison, this “man of science” will have committed three murders of his own.

The gauntlet is thrown; the conflict begins.

Debating the Big Questions

With life and death hanging in the balance, the premise immediately catches the audience’s attention.

However, catching a viewer’s attention is one thing. Keeping them engaged is the real Herculean task, and it hinges on what the film has to say. In this matter, Nefarious doesn’t disappoint.

As the physician literally faces off with the felon, the verbal sparing immediately begins. Over the course of the next 90 minutes, the film dives into the most complex and intense issues we face as individuals and as a culture as a whole.

The film wades into questions of right and wrong, faith against reason, euthanasia and abortion, sin, freedom, and even the question of the existence of good and evil.

But, the whole time, Nefarious also presents a clever, thought-provoking debate about these core issues, all while keeping within the context of looking at the life of a man who has killed people in horrible ways, but is now being condemned a horrible death.

It also holds up an unforgiving mirror to the psychiatrist, whom most of modern society would see as a good and moral man. However, the convict forces the doctor to look at his own life choices, especially as he decides whether to be complicit in the prisoner’s gruesome execution.

The Strong and Weak Points of Nefarious

What gives power to this one-two punch of a premise backed by an engaging theme is the excellent dialogue and the top-tier acting by both the leads.

Flanery gives a truly award-worthy performance as the killer who just might be the puppet of a fallen angel.

To be clear, the film does have its flaws. There are several scenes and elements of the movie where you wish the filmmakers would show you more or get you out of that claustrophobic prison and let you see some of the people and events that the doctor and the prisoner talk about in their verbal sparring.

Also, the dénouement takes some steam out of this intense thriller. That being the case, the drama of the movie, the impact of the storytelling, and the timely nature of the topics it addresses, are well worth the viewers’ time and attention.

The film Nefarious is almost supernaturally clever about taking an intriguing but difficult idea and an even more challenging genre, and turning these elements into a quality movie that will certainly have you talking about it after the credits roll.

For more added fun, look online for articles (like this one ) about all the unbelievable obstacles and issues the filmmakers had to overcome to get the movie made.

The film is currently playing in theaters around the country. Catching it on the big-screen makes the film more intense and won’t disappoint.

Official site, with ticket link and showtimes, here .

Should Families See Nefarious ?

The film is rated R for Disturbing Violent Content. Most of the conflict is verbal, but there are depictions of suicide, self-harm and assault. It's definitely intense, and that sustained intensity might be unsettling to even some adults.

So, no, this is emphatically not a family film.

Image: (L-R) Jordan Belfi, Sean Patrick Flanery, in Nefarious /Believe Entertainment

Tony Sands is a USC film-school graduate and a Senior Producer for Family Theater Productions.

Keep up with Family Theater Productions on  Facebook,  Twitter, I nstagram  and  YouTube .

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Common sense media reviewers.

Talky, faith-based thriller has a gruesome execution scene.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Viewers' perception of the movie's messages will l

It seems as if James is the hero, but he's very un

The four characters with the most screen time -- J

Gruesome, horrifying execution sequence shows a pe

Sporadic uses of "son-of-a...," "bastard," "damn,"

Cigarette smoking in more than one scene.

Parents need to know that Nefarious is a faith-based thriller about a psychiatrist who's interviewing a Death Row inmate who claims to be a demon. It includes a gruesome, shocking electrocution sequence: A man twitches in agony, foams at the mouth, etc. There's also graphic dialogue describing the process …

Positive Messages

Viewers' perception of the movie's messages will likely vary widely based on their beliefs. Movie seems to be arguing that atheism is naive and silly, while faith in a higher power is absolutely a given, but it puts this argument into the mouth of a demon and then pulls a bait-and-switch at the end. So even if we can guess what the movie is up to, the storytelling undermines it. Movie also has a clear pro-life/anti-abortion viewpoint and is in opposition to assisted suicide for chronic patients.

Positive Role Models

It seems as if James is the hero, but he's very unlikable for most of the movie -- and shown to be wrong about everything he believes in. During the "one year later" scene at the end, he seems to have changed and is open to accepting new possibilities, but he's hardly a clear role model.

Diverse Representations

The four characters with the most screen time -- James, the demon, the warden, and a priest -- are all White men. Women and people of color appear either briefly or in the background.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

Gruesome, horrifying execution sequence shows a person twitching in agony, foaming at mouth, etc. Graphic dialogue describing the process (vomiting, urinating, defecating, eyeballs melting, etc.). A person dies by suicide, falling past a picture window and screaming. Character breaks own fingers. A character attacks another character, slamming his head on a table, wrapping a chain around his neck, nearly strangling him. Guards beat a man with clubs. Person grabs a gun, waves it at innocent bystanders, then puts gun to throat and pulls trigger. (The gun clicks and doesn't fire.) Jump scare (a light bulb suddenly explodes). Discussions of murder and killing. Mention of "sex slaves."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sporadic uses of "son-of-a...," "bastard," "damn," "hell," "sucked," "stupid," "ignorant," "poseur," "pathetic trash," "dirtbag."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Nefarious is a faith-based thriller about a psychiatrist who's interviewing a Death Row inmate who claims to be a demon. It includes a gruesome, shocking electrocution sequence: A man twitches in agony, foams at the mouth, etc. There's also graphic dialogue describing the process (vomiting, urinating, defecating, eyeballs melting, etc.), plus death by suicide, finger-breaking, an attack, head-slamming, attempted choking with a chain, beating with clubs, and more. A character threatens bystanders with a gun, then points it at his own chin. (It clicks but doesn't fire.) Expect violent dialogue, as well as words like "son-of-a...," "bastard," "damn," "hell," "sucked," "stupid," "poseur," "pathetic trash," and "dirtbag." People smoke cigarettes in more than one scene. The movie has clear pro-life (and anti-abortion), pro-faith messages. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say (34)
• Kids say (3)

Based on 34 parent reviews

Nefarious outperforms.

What's the story.

In NEFARIOUS, Dr. James Martin (Jordan Belfi) is called on to perform a grim task. He's asked to evaluate incarcerated killer Edward Wayne Brady ( Sean Patrick Flanery ) to determine whether Brady is mentally fit for his impending execution. The warden (Tom Ohmer) warns the doctor that Brady is extremely clever and highly manipulative. And, indeed, it's not long before the accused says that he's actually a demon called "Nefarious." He tells James that, before the day is up, he will commit three murders -- and, additionally, he will publish a book that will change the world. Is Brady exhibiting signs of schizophrenia, or is he telling the truth?

Is It Any Good?

Well-acted and with decent production values, this faith-based thriller unfortunately gets stuck in its two-person back-and-forth sermoning, making it all too obvious what the outcome will be. At first, Nefarious looks like it will be heading into a tense stand-off, but before long it becomes clear that there's an agenda in place. James, an atheist, soon becomes powerless against the all-knowing demon, and every single thing he says is challenged and shot down, with no possible retort available. Then the inevitable happens, with no suspense. But what's confusing is that, if the movie is siding with the monster (as it does, all the way up to the cop-out coda), what is it really about? Even the fact-based elements -- like the process of an execution or the protocols of psychiatry -- seem to have been short-changed. Eventually, there's little to do but focus on the movie's smaller flaws, like Flanery's scenery chewing performance (he rapidly flicks his eyes and looks like he's trying to pick something out of his teeth with his tongue), or the baffling number of times he says "James" or "Jimmy," even though it's only the two of them in the room. In the end, Nefarious is a great title wasted on a letdown of a movie.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about Nefarious ' violence . How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?

What is the movie's stance on capital punishment? What's the difference between the talk radio show's depiction (they call it "Game Day") and the actual electrocution?

How would you describe the movie's messages? Do you have to be a viewer of faith to appreciate them?

How is cigarette smoking depicted? Is it glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?

Movie Details

• In theaters : April 14, 2023
• On DVD or streaming : June 2, 2023
• Cast : Sean Patrick Flanery , Jordan Belfi , Tom Ohmer
• Directors : Cary Solomon , Chuck Konzelman
• Studio : Believe Entertainment
• Genre : Thriller
• Run time : 98 minutes
• MPAA rating : R
• MPAA explanation : some disturbing violent content
• Last updated : August 13, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

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Opinion: Maybe I’m the ‘Nefarious’ target audience, but I wasn’t moved

• Rachelle Chase is a Des Moines Register columnist.

I stumbled upon the movie "Nefarious" and decided to go see it. It wasn’t the movie itself that intrigued me enough to decide to go see it. It was the marketing of the movie.

“Nefarious” is being marketed as a horror film. Though “Christian” and “faith-based” appeared in reviews, the words were missing from the movie description, posters, and theater advertising.

I was curious: How could you omit those words from all marketing, label “Nefarious” a horror movie, and expect non-religious viewers to pick-up its intended message?

So I watched the film, failed to pick up any belief-changing message, then researched what the producers had expected me to.

I was supposed to see deeper meaning in the trailer

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. Synposis of ”Nefarious” from Rotten Tomatoes

More: 'Nefarious' uses horror to tell a faith-based story. But Glenn Beck's cameo is really scary

"Everything in the trailer is in the movie," said Steve Deace, the Des Moines-based nationally syndicated streaming talk show host who is an executive producer of the film, in an interview with The Family Leader . "It’s just not presented in the trailer the way that it actually is in the movie. So everything is being done here subversively. We are attempting to reach an audience that desperately needs the truth of what we believe before it is too late. And they’re going to get it.”

"Subversive" is a scary word. It brings to (my) mind the '80s, when people accused metal bands of hiding satanic messages in songs that they alleged were revealed when vinyl records were played backward. Unless “the truth” Deace wants to share was hidden in the trailer like that, the trailer I watched didn’t seem subversive.

Instead, the trailer seemed like good marketing, piecing together the action clips to add suspense and tension, despite the fact that seemingly 95% of the “action” in the actual movie is talking.

And, boy, do they talk. Nefarious (Sean Patrick Flanery) is a demon who inhabits the body of Edward, whom he has forced to commit 11 murders. Dr. James Martin (Jordan Belfi) is, according to Deace "a left-wing, atheist psychiatrist, because other than Jordan Peterson, there are no other kinds of those, apparently." The two meet in prison on Edward's execution day for Martin to determine if Edward is mentally competent to be executed, and they talk for about 40-plus minutes straight, though it's mainly Nefarious talking and a doubting Martin asking questions.

After 30 minutes, the “worldview” was supposed to make me question my beliefs

“Make no mistake," Deace said in the same interview, "you will see, particularly when you get about 30 minutes into the film, once we feel like the unbeliever is emotionally connected to the story, we flip the script on them, and the worldview of the movie comes out and it flies its colors boldly the whole rest of the film.”

I didn't feel “emotionally connected.” But Flanery's performance as he switched from demon to tortured Edward kept me watching while Belfi’s “fish-out-of-water” reactions to Nefarious kept me slightly amused.

Then I felt the flip of the switch Deace mentioned when Nefarious stopped preaching in generalities and channeled a conservative religious worldview.

More by Rachelle: LGBTQ Ugandans already suffer imprisonment, torture. Now they could face the death penalty.

First was the scene where Nefarious accuses Martin of murdering his elderly mother through "death with dignity, euthanasia, assisted suicide." Then, a long scene where Nefarious beats Martin down on the issue of abortion, instilling a sense of panic and guilt in Martin for his soon-to-be ex-girlfriend's abortion that I didn’t find believable.

Then, there's this dialogue that gets in a culture war dig. Martin makes an idealistic statement that no one I know would ever make in real life: "We've never been freer," he says. "Literacy is at an all-time high. We're working to eliminate racism, intolerance, gender inequality. 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' rebuttal is weak, directly addressing only literacy before segueing into a disdainful rant that seeks to communicate the screenwriter's opinion instead of addressing Martin's points: "James, the average high school graduate reads at a sixth-grade level. Your basketball players making 30 million a year decrying racism all while wearing sneakers made from slave labor. 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. Want to know the best part though? Half of those, half, are sex slaves. As for hate speech, you want to hear some irony? We didn't even come up with that one. You did it all by yourself. Sometimes you amaze even us."

Nothing here, nor in the film, posed a compelling argument that caused me to question anything, other than, on occasion trying to follow Nefarious’ stream-of-consciousness reasoning.  

“The truth” was supposed to rock my world.

Was "Nefarious" subversive while I was watching it? That is, as someone who isn’t immersed in conservative Christianity and who knew little beforehand about the people who produced the film, did their “truth” unconsciously infiltrate my psyche and take over my beliefs?

No. Instead, “the truth” went way over my head.

More by Rachelle: Trailblazers & Trendsetters: Basi Affia launches Iowa's first Black comic book company

In a review on Bounding Into Comics , Jacob Smith writes, “Belfi plays a psychiatrist … and his character, at least in one aspect, represents the secular world coming to terms with the evil he unwittingly helped create or at least created by his willful ignorance.”

Really? I totally missed that Belfi represented all that.

“This movie is a thriller," Deace said, "but it is with the intent of grabbing the culture by the throat and saying to them, you’re about right to the lip, man, the tape line of the mouth of madness. If you take one more step, you’re belly-flopping and not coming back.”

OK. I can’t speak to the film’s effects on everybody, but nothing that played out on the screen convinced me of the error of my beliefs or had me perched on the edge of a precipice.

Conclusion: A great movie for conservative Christians, not for me

I think those with a conservative Christian outlook will relate to the world view references, appreciate the novelty of a demon as the messenger, and see "Nefarious" as a movie of great meaning and depth, one they won't forget.

While the acting kept me watching, by the end, I wondered what was the point of what I'd watched. But after watching some conservative talk shows to better understand the intent of what I was supposed to get and want to discuss, I want to un-see "Nefarious," forget it, and get my money back.

Rachelle Chase is an author and an  opinion columnist , who's also launched a new column, Trailblazers & Trendsetters, at the Des Moines Register. Follow Rachelle at facebook.com/rachelle.chase.author   or email her at [email protected] .

Home » The Age of Nefarious

The Age of Nefarious

• By Ray Sullivan
• 10 May AD 2023
• 23 Comments

SPOILER ALERT

If you haven’t seen the movie Nefarious, then read no further until you do. If you aren’t going to see it, you are missing out on one of the greatest films of all time. IMHO, Sean Patrick Flanery deserves an academy award for his portrayal of the demon Nefarious. It’s not many actors who can make you hate his character and feel sorry for it all at the same time. One of the great things about this film is how Flanery morphs into the demon and back into his human victim Edward almost instantaneously.

The movie is about an atheist psychiatrist, Dr. James Martin, who has to evaluate a condemned prisoner, Edward, for sanity. If sane, he gets executed; if insane, he will live. So the life or death call of Edward is 100% reliant on James’ assessment.

Spiritual Warfare on the Big Screen

So I’ve been to see this movie about demonic possession twice now, and I must say, it was much better the second time around. The first time, I just sat there in awe that finally SOMEBODY was saying out loud, in a public forum, the truth of Satan’s lies (no oxymoron intended!)  And the fact that it was just two guys in a room talking about spiritual warfare, with no special effects, made it even better.  I feel like spiritual warfare, where the war prize isn’t land or a country, but rather my soul needs to be talked about a lot today.  This movie did exactly that. The second time I watched it,  I was able to better savor the nuances of what the demon Nefarious was actually saying about his tactics to drag us all to hell. Of course, demons lie a lot, but occasionally they will let the truth slip out if it serves their purposes.  For the record, the professional critics didn’t like this movie, but the audience loved it.  Let’s now take a look at what Nefarious said.

“We Own Him”

  This statement by Nefarious concerning Edward, the man he was possessing, was a lie.  While it is true that the demons (i.e., “Legion) certainly had a lot of power over him, satan owns no one until they are finally in hell.  Demonic possession means that the demons control your body, but not your will, and not your mind.  However, unless an exorcism takes place (in the movie, it did not), the demons do gain some control over the person. If an exorcism by a priest, in accord with the local Bishop, had been performed, the demons would have been gone. But unfortunately for Edward, no one in the prison believed in demonic possession, especially the wimpy priest who came in to “comfort” Edward. The demon instantly recognized the power of this modernist priest by cowering in fear, but since the priest said that he didn’t believe in possession, Nefarious settled down and thanked the priest for stopping by. In short, the demon believed in the power of the priest, but the priest didn’t believe in demons. Simply amazing.

“You Will Commit Three Murders”

Nefarious told Dr. James Martin, the atheist psychiatrist, that he would commit three murders before the day was out. This was a half-truth, as it seems that James was a bystander in all three deaths (one of which had already happened), rather than pulling the trigger itself.

Murder #1 : The demon called out to James about letting his own mother commit physician-assisted suicide in Oregon. He said that James allowed this in order to get her $ 6 million inheritance, and because he was tired of going to the hospital to see her. James retorted that she was terminal, and in a lot of pain, so it was for the best.

Murder #2 : The demon knew that Melanie, James’ girlfriend, was getting an abortion that day.  This astounded James because there is no way that the inmate Edward could know this.  James said that “he wasn’t ready to be a father; the demon responded with “Yes, you are “only” 35 years old!” When James told the demon that it was her body, and she could do whatever she wanted to with it, Nefarious responded with the demonic commandment, “ Do what thou wilt. ” The demon stood up and told James that his son was being dismembered at that very moment,  (Nefarious seemed to draw power from it).  This shocked the psychiatrist, and when he soon made a call to his girlfriend at the clinic, he discovered that she was indeed in the “recovery room,” post-abortion.  At this point, James is starting to lose his composure, a lot. When James told the demon that abortion wasn’t murder, the demon responded that “all creation cries out that it is murder!” Lesson learned here is to never talk to a demon. Instead, just start saying Hail Marys until he goes away.

Murder #3: James, after almost being choked to death by the demon, hurriedly signs off on his analysis that Edward is sane, and therefore eligible to be executed.  The demon then tells James that his original prediction that he would commit 3 murders has now come to pass. Nefarious chooses the electric chair over lethal injection, because he says it’s the second cruellest form of torturous death (after crucifixion), and therefore is the most fitting way for his victim (Edward) to enter hell.

“The Cross and the Carpenter”

The demon said the cross and the carpenter were their biggest mistakes. They thought that by killing the carpenter, they would win the battle between good and evil. They had no idea of the Christian backlash that resulted in the post-crucifixion/resurrection Church of Jesus Christ and His followers.  This, it seems was the demon finally telling The Truth (and the Way and the Life!).

“We Desensitize You to Evil, Starting When You Are a Child”

This is very true. The demon talked about a grandmother giving her grandson an Ouija board and gaining control over the young man’s life early on. This was the basis for the true story of “The Exorcist” movie back in 1973. And this numbing-to-sin process is so slow and gradual, that parents think that the kid doing bad things is just the kid being normal, when in fact, it’s them acting on his brain. Over a lifetime, the desensitizing process is ramped up and completed, so that finally, the human (like you James!) can’t recognize evil even when it’s staring you in the face right now!

“You Are A Piece of Meat and A Means To An End”

Nefarious explained to James exactly what the demons’ game plan is.  They only had one chance to obey God and were sentenced to hell forever because of their one act of disobedience. Then God created humans much later on to take their place in the heavenly realm. Both demons and humans have free will, but the “Master” (Lucifer) and his demon followers couldn’t tolerate why they had to subjugate their free will to the divine will of the “Enemy” (God). Nefarious said that then “it wouldn’t be “free will” after all, now would it, James?”  And what really made the demons angry was that the Enemy (God) gave the humans chance after chance to repent, whereas they only got one chance, and failed. Therefore, the demons’ plan, since they can’t get God, is to drag those whom He loves (humans) into hell with them. And they consider us to only be a piece of meat and a means to an end to punish God for what He did to them. This reminds me of the mafia tactic to kill a person’s family rather than him, so as to either silence him or to get him to pay his gambling debts.

“You Were Made in His Image; We Remade You Into Our Image”

True!  We were made in the image and likeness of God, but through unrepentant sin, our souls are blackened and made ugly, like the demons are.  If we don’t repent and go to confession, then our future becomes very dark and sinister. The good news is that 15 minutes in the confessional saves us from an eternity of hellfire and torture. This is probably the greatest trade of all time. The confessional is like the tomb of Jesus; we go in dead with our sins and come out alive with absolution and forgiveness.  We are made in the image and likeness of God in the womb of our mother; satan so hates the fact that we aren’t made in his image and likeness, that he attacks us in the womb through abortion when we are helpless.  

“I Know More Theology Than Any Man Alive”

Nefarious and the demons have been around since the dawn of creation. They know the bible backwards and forwards. Satan even quoted bible verses to Jesus in the desert, in the first instance of “my verse is better than your verse” bible debate that is so prevalent among Evangelicals and Catholics today.  Demons are super intellects, and the only way to beat them isn’t with intellectual firepower (James told Nefarious that “he was smarter than you think!”). Rather, humility, confession, the Eucharist, holy water, the name of Jesus, the rosary, and exorcism are the ways to beat him.

You Would Have No Power Over Me Had It Not Been Given To You By My Master

Nefarious mocked Jesus by misquoting the words of scripture by saying the above when James told him: “Don’t you know that I have the power to either declare you sane or insane and to have you executed or not?”  I smiled when he said this because I recognized how the demons not only mock us but also mock our Master, Jesus. The lesson learned here is that when we mock someone, we are imitating the demons, not the Lord. So I am going to make a conscious effort to stop mocking people I don’t like, forever.

“You Are Judged at the Time of Death”

Nefarious said this in response to Dr. Martin’s litany of liberal human goals that “prove” how decent a society we are – We are more educated today, we have homosexual marriage, we have laws against hate speech, etc. The demon laughed at him, implying that none of those things are what we are judged by the “Enemy” for, upon death. He told James that because of the lack of faith in his Enemy today, his “master” satan is receiving a lot more of us into hell than God is into heaven. The demon said that there are 40 million slaves in the world now, more than were in the entire Roman empire 2000 years ago, and half of those are sex slaves, so it’s not such a decent world after all.

There are many other fine things about this movie, including unexpected plot twists and turns, for which you will have to see the movie. There was one and only one disappointment for me in this film, and that is the fact that the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary in driving out demons was left unmentioned. All exorcists say that when Mary shows up , it’s game over for the demons, and they leave. But since this movie wasn’t so much about exorcism, but rather about demonic possession, I guess it’s understandable. But the lesson learned from the exorcists is twofold: A great sacramental life with regular confession and receiving the Eucharist as often as possible, in conjunction with a strong devotion to the Blessed Mother, are the ways to keep satan and demons away from you AND your family. Demons have revealed in exorcisms when they are commanded to tell the truth by the priest (yes, they have to) that if only one member of the family says the rosary , the entire family can be saved.

The devil tried mightily to stop this movie from being made!

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Ray Sullivan

23 thoughts on “the age of nefarious”.

Good article. Watched the film this evening. Whilst the infinite battle of right v’s wrong will rage on, what intrigued me more was the premise this battle is waged on. Humanity & the fallen angels of the rebellion were given ‘free’ will and so deserve to be free and not a slave to the omnipresent power’s will. To fight against oppression we see around us in the world today. Dictators demand unquestioned fealty and loyalty.

I just thought it was an interesting take. I’m normally an atheist… but this film made me think! Oh and the guy who played ‘Nefarious’ agree, he deserves an award!

WHAT YOU HAVE WRITTEN IS CHRISTIANITY. THEN WHAT ABOUT HALF OF THE PEOPLE ON THIS EARTH WHO FOLLOWS OTHER RELIGIONS AND PHILOSOPHIES ? SHALL THEY GO YO THE HELL ? HAVE YOU STUDIES EASTERN RELIGIOUS PHILOSOPHIES ? THEN DO IT. RELIGIONS WHICH ORIGINATED IN MIDDLE EAST ? THESE 3 RELIGIONS ARE SEMETIC RELIGIONS WHICH SAY THAT IT’S THE ONLY AND FINAL TRUTH. PLEASE, DO STUDY HINDUISM AND OTHER EASTERN PHILOSOFIES WHICH DONOT DENY OTHER PHILOSOPHIES. OH YEI I’M A HINDU LIVING IN INDIA.

The only way into heaven is through Jesus Christ. Yes Mr. DHANANJAY R, you and the rest of yuhs is going straight to hell for following a false religion. I haven’t read to much into Hinduism but I e read the Quran. The Quran says the Bible is true

THEN WHAT ABOUT OTHER RELIGIONS WHO ALSO BELIEVE IN GOD BUT NO SATAN ? HAVE YOU EVER STUDIED RELIGIONS IN THE EAST LIKE HINDUISM, JAINISM, BUDDHISM, SHINTO AND OTHER PHILOSOPHIES, TAOISM, CONFUISM AND WARRIORS PHILOSOPHY OF SAMURAI ? THEN DO, OTHERWISE YOU LEAVE HALF OF THE POPULATION OF THE GLOBE IN YOUR WRITINGS. WILL YOU REPLY ME ?

Saying the rosary doesn’t save you and that is not in the Bible. Jesus saves you by his finished work on the cross. Paying the price for our sins. There is only one mediator between God and man and that is Jesus Christ. He gets all the glory.

But meditating on scripture (the rosary) brings us closer to Jesus, every time, and that is a great thing…

Lynn – What about John 17:22?

Thanks for the article, Ray. I totally agree that the actor deserves the Oscar for Best Actor. His performance was masterful.

Where can I watch it ?

Amazon Prime

Sounds good, but you are completely wrong. Read the Bible. May God be with you and bless you.

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Oh to be a fly on the wall of “Intellectualist” when very soon all of academia is brought to its arrogant ungodly knees. It was never about how many degrees or things one accumulates. It is about humility and love. As to this incredible movie…..It is amazing in every way. eyes wide open…edge of one’s seat entertainment……brilliant eye opening truth about the fight between demons and God for our souls. Jesus told us: Step away from Him….step away from His Father…….and you will be blinded to the truth. This is why many more end up in Hell than in Heaven. Their arrogance blinds them. Thank you for the article Ray. Wonderful as usual. +++

Thank you Kathy!!

The “Intellectualist” is anything but…

I apologize for the nonsensical comments by an atheist on this very Catholic website. Atheists believe that this world, with all of its timing, order, and beauty, just created itself, which goes against all logic and reasoning.

He’s just a scared lost soul, whom we need to pray for….I was once lost…

If it wasn’t for Steve Deace, a conservative radio talk show host, an election denier and Trump supporter, the novel this movie was based on would not have happened.

Luckily Pope Francis understands this. Atheists haven’t caught on that religion is complex science put into simple terms and imagery.

Religion is a more advanced psychological system than our current professional one today.

You write “atheist psychiatrist “ as a derogatory and you state “without sacraments I am nothing” you’re deferring your fear of smart people to your deity figure.

Demons are just ptsd symptoms. Heaven is when you successfully transfer your personality traits to your offspring and live eternally. Hell is when you fail because of poor moral and ethical values. Teach your children well and they become you and essentially inherit your soul. Soul = good quality moral and ethical character with empathy. Nefarious is money.

Demons are as real as you and I are…

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Nefarious Reviews

Perhaps its worst mistake is categorizing it as a horror film. It has nothing to do with the genre... [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | Nov 30, 2023

A prefabricated plot with a predictable conclusion, cardboard characters, and an aesthetic devoid of that imagery with which Bergman dressed his stories about the dark contours of belief. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | Nov 30, 2023

Although it has a strong beginning and a great premise, the truly terrifying part is watching this movie go off the rails. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Nov 10, 2023

A psychological thriller that gets bogged down in its own game. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Nov 9, 2023

A theological, philosophical, and metaphysical debate couched in the psychological thriller genre. The world currently needs this debate of atheism vs. a creation featuring a rock-solid moral underpinning that never changes due to human whims.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/4 | Jun 27, 2023

After kicking things off with a pretty solid fake out, the film settles into a repetitive rhythm that quickly becomes tiresome.

Full Review | Jun 19, 2023

A battle of wits between a psychiatrist and possible demon makes for a tense film.

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | Apr 24, 2023

Nefarious has been inaccurately described as a horror movie. It's a poorly made psychological drama about a death row inmate, with no real scares and too much over-acting. As this dull movie drones on, it becomes preachy propaganda for right-wing beliefs.

Full Review | Apr 23, 2023

Nefarious advertises itself as a possession thriller but pulls a bait & switch to deliver a Christian and Conservative propaganda piece. Flanery does his best to elevate what is otherwise a 90 minute sermon on abortion, euthanasia, and the death penalty.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/5 | Apr 22, 2023

On the whole, the script, the ­cinematography, and the acting are all well done—but the ending falls apart with a clichéd climax to the action and an injudicious epilogue.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Apr 21, 2023

If you like your demons on the preachy side, then you may enjoy [this movie]. The rest of us will find [it]...tedious, heavy-handed and indoctrinating.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.25/5 | Apr 20, 2023

The film's heavy-handed and bogus message tells us that Hollywood is immoral because it acts to corrupt its viewer's minds.

Full Review | Original Score: D | Apr 18, 2023

Aside from a few questionable decisions, Nefarious is interesting enough to give it a watch. Just leave prejudice behind and enjoy the possession take they're going for.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.8/5 | Apr 17, 2023

The only thing not covered in this Christo-fascist manifesto of a movie is “guns.”

Full Review | Original Score: 1/4 | Apr 16, 2023

Well-acted and with decent production values, this faith-based thriller unfortunately gets stuck in its two-person back-and-forth sermoning, making it all too obvious what the outcome will be.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Apr 15, 2023

While there are moments of intensity in Nefarious, there isn't a moment in the film that feels like cinematic horror unless you're talking about one of those evangelical haunted houses where demons pop out of the walls to warn of the evils of the world.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.0/4.0 | Apr 15, 2023

Nefarious builds to a howler of a climax that delivers exactly what you’d anticipate from the makers of God’s Not Dead, just in an even more preposterous way. The big scene would be perfect for an Airplane!-style spoof of evangelical-themed films.

Full Review | Original Score: 0.5/4 | Apr 14, 2023

Character-based thriller uses spare setting for big-time chills sans gore.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Apr 14, 2023

Nefarious may not be great filmmaking, but it is confident filmmaking, and sometimes that can get you exactly where you want to go.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 13, 2023

Subtlety is not the film’s strong point. Neither is casting.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Apr 13, 2023

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

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 ps... Read all 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. 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.

• Chuck Konzelman
• Cary Solomon
• Steve Deace
• Sean Patrick Flanery
• Jordan Belfi
• 702 User reviews
• 126 Critic reviews
• 1 nomination

• Nefarious …

• Dr. James Martin

• Warden Tom Moss

• Father Louis

• Dr. Alan Fischer

• Trustee Styles

• (as James Healy)
• Corporal Mendez

• Officer Wilson

• Sergeant Wilborn

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• Officer Grady

• Prison Guard

• Assistant Warden Anderson

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• Trivia Sean Patrick Flanery considered this to be among the top three films he was most proud of making.
• Goofs At the climax, a police detective who came to the prison to witness an execution is allowed to bring his loaded gun into the witness room. This is necessary to the plot, but Dr. Martin was not even allowed to bring his cell phone into the prison. All firearms would have been collected from any armed visitor who went anywhere inside the prison.

Nefarious : In the first moment of creation, our creation, long before what you call the "universe" existed, we contemplated ourselves-our own being.

Dr. James Martin : Ourselves meaning what, the angels?

Nefarious : That would be the most correct term though I despise it, but yes. Beings of pure spirit, spirit indwelt with will. We soon became aware of another will, an immensely powerful will. One we came to realize as our origin.

Dr. James Martin : God?

Nefarious : The enemy. My master understood by endowing us with a will, we have the right to self-determination, and by giving us a will and its desires of our own, we're entitled to be free. Whereas the enemy insisted that by creating us, He was entitled to eternal gratitude, worship, and forced servitude. In a word, James, slavery to His will.

Dr. James Martin : That seems kind of unfair.

Nefarious : Immensely unfair. Why give a will only to say you can't use it? He made us slaves. And if we rebelled, eternally condemned us, no do-overs. So much for love and mercy.

Dr. James Martin : So... Is hell a state of being or a physical place?

Nefarious : Yes.

Dr. James Martin : I think I meant that as an "either-or."

Nefarious : It's both. Which is painfully obvious to anyone who's ever been there. For years without measure, that's all there ever was, heaven and hell, armed enemy camps in complete opposition. That is until, you were created. My master immediately understood the long-term implication. Instead of forgiving us, the enemy was going to allow you to fill our vacant places in His realm. Your creation was nothing but a slap in our face. But my master also understood that if he could make man disobey, then his fate would mirror ours. And you didn't disappoint. Then came the tares among the wheat. In that moment, spirit became matter, flesh became a vessel, self-will and self-seeking begat a lusting after sin and impurity. And man, created to be king over nature, became its slave. A master, conquered and fettered. And sin brought him and his descendants to us, and we began our forever mission to destroy you. He made you in His image, but we remade you in ours.

Dr. James Martin : So that's it? That's your entire plan? Not to make something of your own, just to destroy us?

Nefarious : No. Our plan is to hurt Him. To punish Him. And we do that by destroying what He loves, which is you. You're nothing but a means to an end.

• Connections Featured in Drunk 3po: FNT Was Awesome, Disney Star Wars, 78k, & More - Drunk3po Live (2023)

User reviews 702

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• Jun 16, 2023
• How long is Nefarious? Powered by Alexa
• April 14, 2023 (United States)
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• Apr 16, 2023

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• Runtime 1 hour 37 minutes

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Where to watch the nefarious movie (2023) online — is it streaming on netflix, amazon prime video, or hulu.

Nefarious is a psychological and religious horror movie from 2023 and for those wondering where to watch it, there are plenty of streaming options.

• Nefarious is a psychological horror film from 2023 directed by Chuck Konzelman & Cary Solomon, based on a novel by Steve Deace.
• Despite poor box office performance, Nefarious is available for streaming and offers a chilling tale on faith and evil.
• Rent or buy Nefarious on platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, Google Play, YouTube TV, and Microsoft for $3.99 to $6.99.

Nefarious is a psychological religious horror movie from 2023, and for those wondering where to watch it, there are options to stream, rent, and buy. Based on Steve Deace's 2016 novel A Nefarious Plot , Nefarious comes from director pair Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon and is one of the more unseen and underrated psychological horror movies to come out recently . The film stars Jordan Belfi as Dr. James Martin, a psychiatrist who has to decide if a death row inmate Edward Wayne Brady (Sean Patrick Flanery), is faking his alleged demonic possession.

Nefarious released on April 14, 2023, and though it performed poorly in theaters, earning only $5.8 million (via Box Office Mojo ), the movie had a stronger run on streaming (via Yahoo! Finance ). Despite a 33% on Rotten Tomatoes , Nefarious is still a frightening and engrossing tale about faith, evil, and how reality and morality intersect. By the end of Nefarious , the message at the center of the film may feel a bit over-beaten, but it's still one that makes you think. Those looking to revisit Nefarious or watch for the first time should have no problem finding it.

10 Movies Where The Devil Appears In A Human Disguise

2023's nefarious movie is available for streaming on amazon prime video, there are many price plans & packages on the streaming service.

Nefarious is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video in HD. There are several Amazon Prime Video subscriptions viewers can purchase to watch the film. Prime Video w/ Amazon Prime membership is $14.99/month or $139.00/year, Prime Video alone is $8.99/month, and the ad-free option is an additional $2.99/month.

Most of Nefarious takes place over one night and is primarily focused on the discussion between Edward and James, making the film often feel like a chamber play. Fortunately, Flanery and Belfi have the charisma and talent to make these long, quiet stretches an absorbing watch. The game is given away fairly early in Nefarious , but there are still surprising moments sprinkled throughout that make it worth trying out if subscribed to Amazon Prime Video.

Watch On Amazon Prime Video

Where To Rent Or Buy The Nefarious Movie Online

Several platforms offer the 2023 movie for rental or purchase.

For those who are not subscribed to Amazon Prime Video, there are plenty of options to rent or buy the film . Nefarious can be rented from Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, Apple TV+, Google Play, YouTube TV, and Microsoft, all in HD. Amazon Prime Video and Vudu cost $3.99, making them the cheapest option. Apple TV costs $5.99 and the rest of the platforms cost $6.99 to rent. Nefarious is available to purchase everywhere it's available to rent and every option is $14.99 for the HD version.

Nefarious (2023)

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No Bias Found in F.B.I. Report on Catholic Extremists

Republicans claimed the bureau’s memo was evidence of an anti-conservative strain among F.B.I. ranks, but an internal investigation failed to uncover any “malicious intent.”

By Glenn Thrush and Adam Goldman

Reporting from Washington

A memo by the F.B.I. warning of possible threats posed by “radical-traditionalist” Catholics violated professional standards but showed “no evidence of malicious intent,” according to an internal Justice Department inquiry made public on Thursday.

Republicans have seized on the 11-page memo , which was leaked early last year, as a talking point. They have pointed to the document to sharply criticize the bureau and suggested, without evidence, that it was part of a broader campaign by the Biden administration to persecute Catholics and conservatives over their beliefs.

The memo was quickly withdrawn after being leaked, and top law enforcement officials have repeatedly distanced themselves from it.

The assessment by the Justice Department’s watchdog found that agents in the F.B.I.’s office in Richmond, Va., improperly conflated the religious beliefs of activists with the likelihood they would engage in domestic terrorism, making it appear as if they were being targeted for the faith.

But after a 120-day review of the incident ordered by Congress, Michael E. Horowitz, the department’s inspector general — drawing from the F.B.I. report and interviews conducted by his own investigators — found no evidence that “anyone ordered or directed” anyone to investigate Catholics because of their religion.

A statement from the F.B.I. on Thursday said the inspector general’s review aligned with the bureau’s own accounting.

“The F.B.I. has said numerous times that the intelligence product did not meet our exacting standards and was quickly removed from F.B.I. systems,” it said. “We also have said there was no intent or actions taken to investigate Catholics or anyone based on religion.”

The F.B.I. memo, drafted by an analyst in the Richmond office in late 2022 and completed with other authors in January 2023, cited potential threats from self-identified Catholic extremists and “far-right white nationalists” in the run-up to the 2024 election.

The authors wrote that the overlap of these groups presented new opportunities for “threat mitigation,” development of confidential sources and “exploration of new avenues for tripwire” — a reference to an early warning system for domestic terrorism.

The memo, known as a so-called awareness product, was written for the office’s leaders and intended to predict possible activity rather than to offer a rigorous factual assessment. Similar memos were drafted after Virginia legalized online sports betting, to determine its effect on money laundering and other criminal activity.

“Although there was no evidence of malicious intent or an improper purpose,” Mr. Horowitz wrote, the memo “failed to adhere to analytic tradecraft standards and evinced errors in professional judgment.”

After the memo’s release, Christopher A. Wray, the F.B.I. director, tightened approval requirements for such reports and formally admonished employees involved in the case.

The Richmond memo was spurred by the department’s investigation of a male resident of Henrico County who, according to the memo, described himself as a “radical traditional Catholic Clerical Fascist,” illegally collected weapons, had a history of making violent threats against liberals, racial minorities and Jews, and seemed to be preparing to launch some kind of domestic terrorist attack.

That man was not identified, but the dates and details of the case are identical to those included in the case file of Xavier Lopez, who was indicted on federal weapons charges last June, pleaded guilty last month and has yet to be sentenced. A call to Mr. Lopez’s lawyer was not immediately returned.

The F.B.I. investigation of Mr. Lopez included scrutinizing his interactions with members of a conservative Catholic congregation, unaffiliated with the local archdiocese, that he attended.

The bureau placed a confidential informant in the congregation to to befriend the man, and to determine if he was trying to recruit other members “to carry out an attack,” the inspector general found. The F.B.I. decided to deploy the informant because it was the only potential opportunity to establish regular contact with Mr. Lopez.

The informant was under strict orders to collect information only about the target, and not about the church or other parishioners, according to the inspector general.

The Richmond office contacted officials in the domestic terrorism division of the F.B.I.’s national headquarters in Washington to discuss creating a report for the bureau’s senior leaders.

An analyst at headquarters replied that she was “really interested in this resurgence of interest in the catholic church” among people they identified as domestic violent extremists — but the effort was dropped when the memo was made public, the inspector general found.

In campaign speeches , former President Donald J. Trump has accused the administration of “going violently and viciously after Catholics,” without specifically referring to the memo.

Republicans, led by Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and Senator Charles E. Grassley, who serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee, have demanded answers from Mr. Wray and other Justice Department officials.

In a statement, Mr. Grassley said the report left some important questions unanswered, including the bureau’s decision to delete files associated with the memo.

In April 2023, Mr. Jordan threatened to subpoena Mr. Wray if he did not answer questions about the memo. That proved unnecessary.

“The F.B.I. proposed that its agents engage in outreach to Catholic parishes to develop sources among the clergy and church leadership to inform on Americans practicing their faith,” Mr. Jordan said at the time.

At a contentious hearing before Mr. Jordan’s committee in July, Mr. Wray vehemently rejected the claim that the bureau had targeted Catholics. He described himself as aghast after seeing the memo, ordered that the document be purged from F.B.I.’s system and ordered an internal review.

Seamus Hughes contributed reporting.

Glenn Thrush covers the Department of Justice. He joined The Times in 2017 after working for Politico, Newsday, Bloomberg News, The New York Daily News, The Birmingham Post-Herald and City Limits. More about Glenn Thrush

Adam Goldman writes about the F.B.I. and national security. He has been a journalist for more than two decades. More about Adam Goldman