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In 2023, a movie was released called "Nefarious" starring Sean Patrick Flanery (you might know him from The Boondock Saints).
As is often the case, according to Rotten Tomatoes, the critics and audience had entirely different takeaways. At 33% positive in 21 reviews, the critics seem out of touch with the 96% positive comments provided by over 1,000 audience members. If you look at this page, you will find a faithful reproduction of the review summations currently available at Rotten Tomatoes as of January 17, 2024. The purpose of this essay is to identify the reason for the disparity between the critics and the general audience, other than subjective assessments of appropriate particulars such as cinematography, writing, acting and directing. If you read the comments provided in the other page, you will recognize a theme that runs throughout. The theme is the theological aspect of the story. The question becomes why does this aspect generate low scores and negative overall reactions? One of the reviewers, Dennis Schwartz, comes close to revealing why so many critics felt compelled to tank the film. He observes that the film tells us "...Hollywood is immoral because it acts to corrupt its viewer's minds." As Schwartz characterized this idea as "heavy-handed and bogus," we can likely assume his negative reaction was because he feels the opposite: that Hollywood is moral because it is a good influence on its audience. Let's dispense with argumentative prattling about neutrality. There is no honest neutrality in life when it comes to moral debate. However, something the movie Nefarious very effectively accomplishes is pulling the curtain away and exposing some of the worst decisions we make as human beings for what they truly are, as opposed to how we prefer to characterize them for the appeasement of our own consciences. When referring to the theological aspects of the story, negative critics used words like "indoctrinating," "preachy propaganda," "right-wing beliefs," "preposterous," "Christo-fascist," and "Christian and Conservative propaganda." I can understand if someone watches a movie and disagrees with its premise. We're all entitled to our own opinions. But how much of the critics' assessments were based on general standards for movie quality, and how much were based on their own obvious hatred of things concerning the Lord? A movie can be about many different things. When Christian concepts automatically relegate the entire project to substandard status just out of principle, what does that say about the persons making that assessment? Here are some words to ponder... Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears God's words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God." ---John 8:42-47 NKJV You just read the words of Jesus to the Pharisees, the Jewish religious leaders back in the first century. Who are the Pharisees of today? They are those who believe they occupy the moral high ground while simultaneously dismissing the Word of God. They are the ones the character Nefarious is referring to when he mentions those who not only don't recognize evil when it's right in front of them, but also don't even realize it when they're committing evil themselves. If you watched Nefarious and didn't care for some aspect of production, then I can agree to disagree. However if you rejected the movie because the subject matter offended you, you should expend some time and energy examining your motivations, because you may not be fighting the good fight you thought you were. |