At a state penitentiary, psychiatrist Dr. James Martin arrives to evaluate a notorious serial killer and death-row inmate named Edward Wayne Brady, believed to have murdered at least eleven people. Martin has just replaced Dr. Alan Fischer, who committed suicide after interviewing Edward. Warden Tom Moss warns Martin that Edward is an expert manipulator who can "get inside your head." Edward is scheduled to die by electrocution unless Martin finds him mentally ill and incompetent to be executed. If Martin finds Edward sane, however, he will be executed. Moss is hopeful that Martin will not agree with Fischer who was ready to declare Edward insane.
Edward insists that he is really a demon inhabiting Edward's body, and his true name is "Nefariamus", though he answers to Nefarious. He further defies Martin's assumption that he is trying to escape punishment. He wants Edward to be executed. Nefarious also knows many details about Martin's professional and personal life, and says that before the day is over, Martin will have committed three murders.
Nefarious accuses Martin of euthanizing his terminally-ill mother to acquire her money. Martin becomes angry and threatens to leave, but changes his mind. Suspecting that Edward suffers from dissociative identity disorder, Martin tries to reach Edward, but Nefarious allows only limited access to the timid, beaten-down man. Martin then draws out Nefarious' explanation of the role of demons in the world.
Martin declares that Nefarious is not making it up but, rather, has an insane belief system, and that he is certifying that Edward is unfit to be executed. As Martin leaves, Nefarious accuses him of taking advantage of his pregnant girlfriend who is having an abortion at that very moment in the mistaken belief that Martin will not abandon her afterward. Nefarious cackles with glee, saying that "all hell is rejoicing" at the moment of the abortion. Martin rushes out to call the clinic only to find that the abortion has just taken place.
Nefarious tells Martin he wants him to write a book called The Dark Gospel, a Satanic work. Martin is called away by Warden Moss who has just found in Edward's prison cell a scrapbook of Martin's life and an already-written manuscript for The Dark Gospel. Martin confronts Nefarious who slips free and strangles Martin, threatening to kill him unless he begs for his life, which Martin does. While Edward is beaten by prison guards, Martin signs the document that declares Edward sane enough to be executed. Thus, according to Nefarious, Martin has committed three murders: His mother, his unborn child, and Edward.
As Edward sits in the electric chair, Nefarious asks Martin whether he accepts the offer to reap the rewards of publishing Nefarious' gospel. Martin shakes his head. Edward suffers a painful and hideous electrocution. Nefarious then possesses Martin and forces him to attempt suicide. Martin spontaneously prays to God for help and the gun he is using misfires.
One year later, a visibly changed Martin is in a TV studio promoting A Nefarious Plot, which is based on The Dark Gospel, but he has rewritten it as a warning against the demonic forces tempting all of us. Upon leaving the studio he encounters a homeless woman who — evidently possessed by Nefarious — ominously addresses him by name.
According to the film's co-director, Cary Soloman, the film had a troubled production. Soloman, a Catholic, said that many of the film's production issues were the results of demonic manifestations; which included eight car crashes, equipment failure, electrical failure, frequent fire alarms, and faulty cameras. A Catholic priest was also present on set while the film was shooting and performed an exorcism on the film's set during production.[3]
Release
Box office
Nefarious was theatrically released on April 14, 2023. It grossed $1.3 million from 933 theaters in its opening weekend, finishing 10th at the box office.[4][5]
Critical response
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 35% of 17 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 4.5/10. The website's consensus reads: "Nefarious is well-mounted and boasts some solid performances, but it's hard to look past the story's heavy-handed proselytizing."[6] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale, while those polled by PostTrak gave it a 69% positive score, with 61% saying they would definitely recommend it.[4]
Bill Goodykoontz of The Arizona Republic gave the film two stars of a possible five, stating that it lacked subtlety and that the expressed views of the demon were simply a mouthpiece for the filmmakers.[7] Roger Moore of Movie Nation gave the film one star of a possible of four, expressing disdain over the script and its argument points, saying the film "fails as horror and as a laughably-loaded discourse on religion".[8]
Conversely, Bill Newcott of The Saturday Evening Post said of the film, "Nefarious may not be great filmmaking, but it is confident filmmaking, and sometimes that can get you exactly where you want to go."[9]
In 2023, author Steve Deace confirmed on Twitter that both a Nefarious sequel TV series and film are in development. Deace stated that the TV series would be released first, while the second film would adapt his novel A Nefarious Carol.[11][12]
