Nefarious(2023)

Plot Summary

• A psychiatrist named Dr. Alan Fischer nervously moves around his office. After writing his will, he commits suicide by jumping off the building's roof.In a state penitentiary, Fischer's protégé, psychiatrist Dr. James Martin, arrives to interview a notorious serial killer and death-row inmate named Edward. Before meeting Edward, Martin meets Warden Tom Moss, revealing that Fischer had been evaluating Edward just before his suicide. Edward is scheduled to die by electrocution (the method he chose himself) that very day. Moss says Edward's fate depends upon Martin's diagnosis: if Martin declares Edward sane, he will be executed but if he is declared insane, as Fischer believed, Edward will be spared.Martin meets Edward who is confident and knows so much information about Martin that it leaves him at a loss. Edward insists he is not a human but a demon inhabiting Edward's body and named "Nefariamus," a name Satan gave him- "Nefarious" for short. Martin does not believe Nefarious is who he says he is and thinks instead that it is an act by Edward to seem insane, however he is surprised when Nefarious insists that he wants to be executed, or rather, that he wants Edward to be executed. Nefarious also declares that before the day is over, Martin will commit three murders.Martin, an atheist balks at this idea which annoys Nefarious who calls him a "pompous sack of meat", believing that he is safe only because he thinks such things as demons don't exist. Martin plays along, asking Nefarious how he came to inhabit Edward. Nefarious explains that he began tempting Edward from a young age to commit small sins before communicating with him through a Ouija board Edward received for Christmas. Nefarious possessed Edward's body only after Edward consented to the possession multiple times. Martin brings in a chaplain to confront the demon in Edward, which frightens Nefarious until he realizes that the priest does not believe in demons and therefore has no effect on him. Martin then asks to talk to Edward, causing nefarious to recede and produce a timid, childlike Edward who is terribly distraught and shaken by his possession. Edward insists that he is possessed and that the demon had murdered multiple people using his innocent body as a vessel. When Martin begins probing further, Nefarious takes control and insists that martin murdered his mother.Shocked that Nefarious knows this, Martin insists that his mother was dying of a terminal illness and was euthanized after a difficult decision on his behalf. When Nefarious infers that Martin euthanized her to acquire her massive wealth, Martin becomes angry and threatens to leave the meeting. Nefarious explains he is mentally training Martin for an endeavor he wants Martin to do, and that he mentally tortured Stewart, driving him to take his own life so as to select Martin for this job. When Martin continues to be doubtful of Nefarious, the demon explains that he knows Martin's girlfriend is pregnant, and that because of Martin's threats to break up with her to avoid fatherhood, she is terminating her pregnancy.Nefarious explains that Martin can save his son with a simple phone call within the limited amount of time but Martin refuses, thinking Nefarious is bluffing, while also insisting that such a thing is his girlfriend's choice to make. However, overcome with curiosity, Martin begs a kindly prison guard for access to a phone, which he uses to call the Women's Health Clinic. Upon calling he realizes his girlfriend has just finished with the abortion. Nefarious cackles with glee, explaining to Martin that "All Hell is rejoicing."A prison guard asks Edward what he wants for a final meal before execution to which Edward gives specific directions for a simple burger, fries, and milkshake, only to have Nefarious to resume control and tell the guard to retract the order.Martin is now interested in what Nefarious has to tell him. Nefarious explains the war in Heaven from his point of view, saying that the demons rebelled in order to avoid an eternity of slavery, and that they have been prospering in the world. He also explains that he chose death by electric chair because it was the most excruciating and painful death available and would be a "parting gift" before Edward's soul goes to Hell for an eternity of more torment.Martin insists that the world is reclaiming the moral high ground by allowing all kinds of rights and freedoms, which Nefarious laughs at before revealing to him the truth about such "freedoms," including a decline in education and a resurgence of slavery and sex trafficking, which the demons help the elite to manage behind closed doors. Martin begins pitying Edward/Nefarious and almost writes him off as insane to which Nefarious tells him to redact. Martin is genuinely confused as to whom Nefarious is, until Edward breaks through, begging Martin to help him. However, before he can tell Martin how to help him, Nefarious takes control again and punishes Edward by breaking one of his fingers, then resetting it at Martin's insistence. Nefarious then explains the endeavor he wants Martin to do for him is to write a book called "The Dark Gospel" which is his Satanic equivalent to the Bible and will begin another world religion, this one in servitude to demons. Nefarious then lets Martin in on a closely guarded secret, that more people are currently going to Hell than to Heaven.Martin is called away by Warden Moss who reveals to him that upon searching Edward's prison cell, they found documentation of Martin's life as Nefarious had done with all his other victims, as well as "The Dark Gospel" which Edward already wrote, crediting it to Martin's name. Moss encourages Martin to condemn Edward, insisting that if he is spared, he will probably go after Martin. Martin, still believing Edward is faking, confronts Nefarious about the dossier on himself and manuscript. Nefarious breaks his hand to slip free of one of the handcuffs and seizes Martin, threatening to break his neck unless Martin begs him for life. Overcome with terror, Martin begs Nefarious to spare him to which Nefarious complies. He is beaten by the prison guards. In the heat of the moment, Martin declares that Edward is sane, but not before being warned by a triumphant Nefarious that he is condemning Edward to death.Edward's head is shaved and he is led to the electric chair. As Martin uneasily sits with the families of Nefarious' victims to witness the execution, he is complimented by the detective who spent six years pursuing Edward before capturing him. However, Martin is unsure of whether he made the right decision, remembering the "three murders" Nefarious told him he would commit which he surmises was his mother, his son, and now Edward. Before the execution, Edward pleads with Martin to tell the truth about the demonic possession, but Martin is unsure. Before the switch is pulled, Nefarious takes control of Edward's body for a final time, asking if Martin accepts his offer, to which Martin silently refuses. Disappointed, Nefarious quotes, "Mene tekel upharsin," ("You have been measured in the scale and found wanting") before leaving Edward's body, causing Edward to suffer an extremely painful and terrible death in the chair.The demon then tells Martin, "You should have accepted my offer," before possessing him. Martin, under Nefarious' influence grabs the detective's gun and holds the witnesses at gunpoint. Martin then realizes that the three murders he would commit that day were: his son, Edward, and now himself. Nefarious forces Martin to attempt suicide, but Martin spontaneously prays to God for help, and the gun misfires. Nefarious lets go of Martin as he faints into the arms of the guards.One year later, a visibly changed Martin is shown promoting Nefarious' book- not as a "dark gospel" but as a rewritten cautionary tale for people to read and realize the demonic influence in society. Despite insisting he is still an atheist, he reveals he has undergone many changes. On his way home, Martin sees a homeless woman rummaging through a dumpster. He gives her some money and she takes it before saying "Hello James," in Nefarious' voice, implying that she is Nefarious' new host. The screen fades to black while Nefarious' hideous laughter is heard.

Storyline

• A notorious serial killer, Edward Brady, is facing execution at 11pm. Dr. James Martin is brought in to replace Dr. Alan Fischer who committed suicide after interviewing Edward. Edward's fate now depends on Martin's diagnosis. If Martin decides that Edward is sane, he will be executed, but if he declares him to be insane, Edward will be spared. "Edward" claims that he is possessed by a demon named "Nefariamus", and also says that Martin will commit three murders by day's end. Martin initially dismisses Edward's claims, but as the demon's knowledge of Martin's life proves uncannily and disturbingly accurate, Martin's skepticism begins to fade. The weight of Nefarious' claims both frighten him and fill him with self doubts. With Edward's fate hanging in the balance, Martin must make a fateful decision based on his professional diagnosis, while grappling with his personal feelings of fear and disgust, and the conflict of interest they create. — Frank Liesenborgs