“Heretic” was released by A24 on Nov. 8, marking directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods’ latest terrifying contribution to the horror scene following “A Quiet Place” and other lesser-known horror films. The film stars Hugh Grant as the endlessly captivating yet bone chilling Mr. Reed, Sophie Thatcher as Sister Barnes, and Chloe East as Sister Paxton.
From start to finish, “Heretic” proves itself a gem amidst the slew of horror movies already released this year. While this year has heralded some truly great horror films, this film takes it a step further through its unique blend of horror, intrigue and questions it poses to the audience. “Heretic” takes place in one house and follows three characters, yet it never gets old. Whether through its extremely clever use of tension or the genuinely thought-provoking questions Mr. Reed forces you to ponder, “Heretic” remains a captivating film through and through.
The premise is simple: Two Mormons arrive at the sinister Mr. Reed’s house after he inquires to learn more information about the Mormon religion. His house, lined with metal in the walls, prevents phone signals, and the dead bolted door assures these unknowing captives will remain inside. His mission is simple: enlighten these girls as to the true meaning of religion — the one true religion. He will go to any means necessary to have them see his way.
This film is very clever in the way it executes its realistic horrors. The first and most important thing it does to instill fear is through its protagonist’s decisions; these girls are smart. Unfortunately, Mr. Reed is always ten steps ahead. The fact that these girls make all the right decisions, yet are still trapped in Mr. Reed’s intentions despite their intuition and quick thinking makes their being trapped all the more real and terrifying.
Hugh Grant is captivatingly haunting throughout this movie. He is imposing not physically, but mentally. The way he exudes power feels so effortless. Grant’s performance is captivating, making even the simplest of conversations feel suffocating. The way he studies the girls’ choices and actions under pressure –– all the while making casual remarks and never losing his cool –– is what makes him so gripping. He even cracks admittedly very funny jokes to break up the tension. This man is smart, effortlessly switching between intellectually captivating, funny and horrific. This monster has these girls right where he wants them and he won’t hesitate to make it known that he feels completely in control. It is clear through the way he talks, acts and studies them that he has no fear of being injured. He carries a certain preparedness about him — the type of preparedness that suggests he’s done this song and dance many, many times before. This sense of calm lends to a feeling of utter hopelessness, and amplifies every stressful situation tenfold. All these girls can do is stay strong and adjust to the predicament they are in, modifying their goal from simply escaping their captor to proving him wrong and hoping to God they can outsmart him.
Questions of religion are brought up throughout the movie, placing into question the girls’ own beliefs as well as the beliefs of everyone who practices religion. At the same time, it comments on those who do not believe in religion, stating both sides have their flaws and problems. Reed’s theory on religion is cynical, and the girls must hold true to what they believe deep down and question what they actually think is awaiting them on the other side. Reed’s comments on every mainstream religion from the perspective of a madman prove extremely interesting and allow for some very outside-the-box theories and metaphors that the girls must dissect. The more cynical and suspicious Sister Barnes works as a nice juxtaposition to the kind hearted Sister Paxton, yet this dynamic is played in some very interesting ways. Despite what they go through, the girls’ teamwork and care for each other allow them to play to their specific strengths and ultimately challenge Mr. Reed’s beliefs.
The cinematography in this movie is superb. There are some really creative shots and transitions. One shot that stuck out in particular was when the girls were trapped behind the basement door and had to use a rug to pull a matchbox towards them. The cinematography elevated this scene tenfold as the camera panned for an extremely long time to the other side of the room. This made for a very sensible and nerve-wracking scene where they were pulling the rug for what felt like forever to get the matches. Overall, the film was extremely pretty, and Mr. Reed’s house, despite being almost exclusively shown throughout the entire film, proved to never get stale regardless of being only composed of five to six rooms. Its use of layering set design-wise was very intriguing and added to the visuals.
“Heretic” proves to be a terrifying, funny and thought-provoking movie that actually has something to say. Horror can be a hard market to tap, but when something works, it works. Overall, this movie deserves to be watched, studied and remembered as an unforgettably chilling piece of cinema.
