A scary and subversive movie opens on April 14th

The pro-life movement long ago recognized that spiritual warfare lies at the heart of the abortion movement. Blaze TV host, Steve Deace, has teamed up with the crew that produced the movie, “Unplanned,” to create a subversive film called “Nefarious” that fittingly opens seven days after Good Friday.

On Good Friday, Pontius Pilate asks the question with which our culture continues to grapple, “What is truth?” Deace and team have crafted a terrifying film that answers the question, and they do it in a way that will shock the modern power structure that so dominates American life.

Straightforward plot?

The plot is seemingly straightforward: A serial killer is scheduled to be executed at 11PM. The state needs to confirm that the man is of sound mind before they electrocute him. They employ a psychiatrist to conduct an evaluation. The condemned man maintains he is possessed by a demon, and tells the shrink that he (the shrink) will have committed three murders of his own before the day is done.

The movie contains no sex, nudity, crudity, profanity, or serious violence, other than the depiction of an execution. Nonetheless, the Motion Picture Association imposed an R rating, which will surely hurt the film’s box office with Deace’s core audience: evangelical Christians.

Should teens see “Nefarious”?

For parents and pastors who wonder if their teens should see this film, the answer is a qualified yes. The film is an eye-opener for young people whose minds have been clouded by a secular religion that says right is wrong and wrong is right. The devil is scary, and some kids can’t handle it. But the devil is also real, and Jesus spoke about demons and confronted them on many occasions.

The genius of the film is its honesty in its presentation of spiritual warfare. There are no tricks. Special effects aren’t needed. Deace conceived the piece (which is based on his novel, “A Nefarious Plot) as a sort of follow up to C.S. Lewis’ “The Screwtape Letters.”

Can you match wits with a demon?

In “Nefarious,” the secular psychologist attempts to match wits with a demon, in the guise of a condemned man. The former represents the smug, atheistic ‘religion’ of the progressives; the latter represents the reality of the evil that seduces and thrives in the wake of progressive secular theology.

The conversation between the two keeps you on the edge of your seat and slowly, but surely, opens your eyes to … the truth. That’s why parents and pastors should consider taking their teens to this film. They will quickly discover it opens up the potential for rich conversations on culture, religion … and what is truth.

The screenwriters, Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon, adapted the movie from Deace’s novel, “A Nefarious Plot.” They’re the same team that brought you “Unplanned,” the Abby Johnson story.

“Nefarious” is more compelling than “Unplanned,” because you’re not sure where it’s heading. By contrast, the Abby Johnson movie begins at the end of her career at Planned Parenthood, post-conversion from abortion advocate to pro-lifer. There are no big surprises.

Why Nefarious is subversive

“Nefarious” is creepy from the opening scene, making it an apt entry into the horror film category. Deace weighed in on why his film is so subversive:

“The culture is attracted to darkness. Make no mistake, this movie is a thriller with the intent of grabbing the culture by the throat and saying to them, ‘you’re right to the tip, to the tape line of the mouth of madness. If you take one more step, you’re belly-flopping and you’re not coming back.’”

“Nefarious” sucks you into a world of darkness, a world where abortion is considered ‘healthcare’ and pro-lifers are viewed as ‘haters of women.’ Yes, abortion is a sub-theme of this film. And the way they incorporate it into the plot is gripping and terrifying.

Secular filmmakers own the horror/thriller genre, which deals with spirituality, the occult, and demonic activity. Deace says that’s a mistake:

“The idea that we’ve surrendered all of that supernatural material to the world system is a terrible idea. Jesus cast out demons. That’s our home space. Those with a biblical world view should own the supernatural space.”

That’s why “Nefarious” is so subversive. It dares to compete in a space hostile to a Judeo/Christian worldview, horror films, and present a truthful reality that is hard to ignore.

Good work, Mr. Deace.

[Checkout “Nefarious” showtimes here.]