Nefarious

On the day he is scheduled to die, a man convicted of multiple murders sits for a psychiatric evaluation that could decide his fate. The inmate, who calls himself Nefarious and also goes by Edward Wayne Brady, claims a much older power speaks through him. Dr. James Martin probes the man’s memories and motives, but the conversation keeps tipping toward the uncanny as the patient insists he is a demon who has chosen to reveal himself beneath the glare of the execution chamber. The session becomes a high stakes test of faith and science, with the psychiatrist forced to weigh medical judgment against a troubling prophecy. The clock ticks, and tension mounts.

Directed by Chuck Konzelman from a script by Cary Solomon, Nefarious was produced on a 3 million dollar budget and released in 2023 as a tense religious horror drama.

The film grossed about $5.4 million worldwide, against a budget of $3 million, reflecting a modest but solid return for a niche horror title.

Critics were mixed, with praise for Sean Patrick Flanery's chilling portrayal and the tense dynamic between Nefarious and Dr. James Martin. The movie wrestles with faith versus science, the nature of evil, and the ethics of judgment under pressure.

Cultural conversation around Nefarious has centered on its treatment of demons as psychological states and the implications of a death row setting for moral accountability. Fans debating religious themes and legal ethics have kept the film in discussions beyond the theater.