BLU-RAY REVIEW

Nefarious

Featured In Issue 268, July/August

Picture4.5
Sound4.5
WSR Score4.5
Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
(Studio/Distributor):
Mill Creek
(Catalog Number):
61614
(MPAA Rating):
R
(Rating Reason):
Some disturbing violent content
(Retail Price):
$19.99
(Disc Type):
Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-50)
(Widescreen Edition):
Yes
(Full Screen Edition):
(Running Time In Minutes):
98
(Color Type):
Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
Yes
(Closed Captioned):
Yes
(Regional Coding):
A
(Theatrical Year):
(Theatrical Release):
Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release):
No
(Disc Release Date):
8/15/2023
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
(Director):
Chuck Konzelman & Cary Solomon
(Screenplay/Written By):
(Story):
(Music):
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer):
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor):
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers):
(Co-Producers):
(Producers):
(Academy Awards):
(Principal Photography):
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio):
(Measured Disc Aspect Ratio):
(Disc Soundtrack):
DTS HD Lossless 5.1
(Theatrical Sound):
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(DTS Bit Rate):
(Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
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In "Nefarious," on the day of his scheduled execution, a convicted serial killer (Sean Patrick Flanery) gets a last minute court ordered psychiatric evaluation. The killer surprises the psychiatrist (Jordan Relfi) with his claim that instead of trying to avoid his fate, he is a demon who wants the execution to go forward...and further claims that before their brief time together is over, the doctor will have committed three murders of his own. (Gary Reber)

Special features include a making-of featurette (HD 32:42) and easter eggs.

The 2.39:1 1080p picture, reviewed on a VIZIO Quantum X P85QX-JI UHD/HDR display, was photographed digitally in anamorphic Panavision® and sourced from a 2K master Digital Intermediate format. The primary setting is a room within an Oklahoma prison in which a psychiatrist evaluates the sanity of a convicted killer and as such the setting is extremely limited in the visual context of a dull prison facility. The room appears realistic with a single table at which the restrained killer and the doctor sit across from each other. The color palette of the room exhibits dark grays and a brownish wood table. The doctor is dressed in a bluish suit with white shirt and the killer in an orange prison dress. The ending scenes are more vivid in color. Hues appear natural, including flesh tones. Contrast is excellent with natural white levels, deep backs and revealing shadows. This is a powerfully realistic presentation and depiction. (Gary Reber)

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1-channel soundtrack is dialogue focused with well executed spatial integration. Dialogue is intelligible throughout and dynamic sounding. The synthesizer-infused orchestral music is haunting and eerie. The music projects excellent soundfield envelopment. One segment is a thunderous rain storm with deep bass, which sounds realistic as well. The storm and the electrocution provides extremely aggressive surround envelopment. Otherwise there is not much more to the holosonic® soundtrack, which is well crafted and compelling. (Gary Reber)