Horror Movie Review: Heretic (2024)

Written and directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, Heretic is a slow-paced horror/thriller that demands the viewer’s patience, and in return, delivers an engaging and smart experience. It stars Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East.

Those two are young Mormon missionaries seeking to convert others. We have Sister Barnes, who is more confident, and Sister Paxton, who is more hesitant. The opening part of the film introduces both, sets up their characters well, their belief in their religion, and shows off the lavish cinematography that will become such a vital part of the film. They’re both immediately likable, regardless of your personal stance on religion.

This is important, because it’s very easy to feel disconnected to characters whose entire makeup is based in and around a religion, especially one as complex as Mormonism. Not only does the writing treat them with kindness, but it also treats the religion respectfully.

This is because Heretic is all about religion, and not just the Mormon faith. They just happen to be unlucky enough to visit the home of Mr. Reed, who is very interested in their religion. Hesitant to go into his house, Barnes and Paxton are convinced to come inside on the promise of pie, a blueberry one, being made by his wife as they speak. Heck, they can smell it in the air once inside. It also helps that Mr. Reed is a friendly man and seems to have a genuine interest in what they are doing.

That is until his questions, in particular around their faith, seem to take a different tone. He seems to know more about their religion than they do and seems quite interested in the nature of belief. Slowly, but surely, it dawns on both the young Mormon missionaries that something isn’t right here, least of all with Mr. Reed. He believes he has found the one ‘true’ religion and he wants to share it with them.

It’s not easy to talk about Heretic and avoid spoilers, but thankfully, the role of Mr. Reed in this story was part of the trailer, so there’s no spoilers as far as him being the ‘villain’ of the film goes. He is the one that questions their beliefs, he is the one that traps them, he is the one that piles them with theories and demands they entertain them, and he is the one that forces them to take part in his ‘tests’. He is in control, and regardless of an engaging performance by Hugh Grant, he is detestable.

Not only because of his actions towards Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton, but because he is a smart man, and uses that in wicked ways. There are many words spoken that will have you rooting for his end, but there are also times where Grant’s facial expressions do that too. He really is great in this role (who would have thought it?), but so are Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East. Together, they make magic, and so many scenes are held together by their back-and-forth dialogue. It’s a very ‘talky’ film, but it never feels like too much or slips into repetition and becomes boring.

That is testament to the actors and their performance, the writing, and importantly, how it is shot.

There are so many marvellous moments, but this is a film shot to keep you on edge. In fact, it’s such a tense experience throughout, that it holds the attention right up to the very end. An ending that, rightfully, ramps things up in interesting (and horror-laden) ways. Ok, it does start to push the limits of believability (there’s one part that doesn’t quite work), but not to the point where it becomes unwatchable.

It’s not for everyone. It’s far too slow and dialogue focused for that, but if you do want a creepy and uncomfortable experience that really does question what it means to believe, then you have to see Heretic.