Written and directed by Michael O’Bernicia (Roadkill, The Good Cop), ‘Nefarious’ is a road movie/thriller feature that stars Kim Bodnia alongside newcomers, Conor Woodman, Spek, Shaoron Percy and others. The film was actually shot in 2005 and has been remastered to HD for its long-awaited release in 2024.
A fast-moving, funny yet ultimately tragic European road movie about two hedonistic outlaws and their quest to open up a coffeeshop in Amsterdam, ‘Nefarious’ is a whole lot of fun. Michael O’Bernicia knows how to infuse a sense of demented fun into this tale as he sets about to create a compelling story that enthralls as well as entertains. The script is good although the dialogues could be polished further. However, the cast comes to the rescue here. Danish legend Kim Bodnia is a towering persona here and the newcomers Conor Woodman, Spek, Shaoron Percy and Guy Porritt are also great in their own right. The cast does a good job with what they are given and they manage to elevate the script by infusing their characters with as much earnestness as possible.
Visually speaking, the film is a treat to us all. The cinematography is crisp and the grainy footage from 2005 actually helps the story develop better, giving it a retro feel and a distinctly unique look. The cinematographer has done a fantastic job ensuring that the tense moments look and feel as real as possible and those tense, unnerving moments of interaction between characters look as energised and unpredictable as possible. Also, from costumes to set design, the production looks highly polished in all its aspects. With a seemingly low budget, it is fascinating to see how the production team managed to make the film look so incredibly good.
