Nefarious

by Armando Simón

            I went to see the film Nefarious for several reasons. One reason was the preview, which made it sound intriguing, a psychological thriller. Another reason was that the elitists were not happy with it, as evidenced by the Rotten Tomatoes scores: 97% of the public liked it as opposed to the effete critics’ 33%. But mostly I went to see it because the plot involves a psychologist that is ordered to give an 11^th hour formal evaluation on a prison inmate who is a serial killer and now claims to be a demon, presumably in order to get out of a death sentence (most films depicting mental illness have been idiotic, e.g., Shutter Island).

No special effects, no space aliens, no time travel, no cringing sex scenes, no multiple cars exploding. I was looking forward to seeing it.

Sean Patrick Flanery gives a superb performance as the inmate who claims to be a demon named Nefarious. The psychologist has to give an evaluation as to whether the inmate is faking (a common tactic) or is exhibiting a psychotic breakdown. However, the inmate gets under the psychologist’s skin by knowing highly personal, shameful, things about the psychologist to the point that he begins to seriously consider the possibility of demonic possession even though he is an atheist. The cat and mouse game between the two is very intense. One of the most intense scenes is where the psychologist humors the inmate and informs him that his side is losing, whereupon the demon/inmate pours forth a torrent of facts to counter the psychologist’s naivete. Any other details that I might give would be spoilers.

Suffice it to say that the question of abortion comes up in a highly unique manner, which explains the elites’ antipathy for the movie.

There were no verbal obscenities in the movie.

However, the previews were full of them.

Anytime that Hanoi Jane, Michael Moore or Oliver Stone make a movie, liberals trample each other in a mad stampede to go to the theater to support their movies. Conservatives, on the other hand, do so reluctantly, preferring to wait until the movie hits Netflix or Red Box in order to check it out without spending the money they would have spent at the theater (as a result, the movie loses money). Elsewhere I have lambasted conservatives both for their stupidity and for their unwillingness to support movies that are critical of leftists and/or pro-conservative, such as An American Carol, 2000 Mules, Death of Stalin, or The Hunt.

Then, they complain because their movies are not being made.

We shall see how Nefarious makes out (as of this date, it has grossed only $3 ½ million, domestic).

Armando Simón is a retired forensic psychologist.