Heretic (2024)
Directed by: Scott Beck and Bryan Woods
Premise: Two Mormon missionaries (Chloe East and Sophie Thatcher) are invited into the home of a man (Hugh Grant) who is interested in religion. The visit turns into a sinister test of the missionaries’ faith.
What Works: Heretic is a work of horror and suspense but it’s also very thoughtful. This is primarily a captivity story; two young women unwittingly walk into a trap and must find a way out. The horror and suspense are done quite well. There’s very little violence in Heretic and there are only a few major actions in the first half; much of the movie is a dialogue between Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton, played by Chloe East and Sophie Thatcher, and the homeowner Mr. Reed, played by Hugh Grant. Despite the lack of action, the film is never boring. From the time the two women arrive at the house the filmmakers key in on the gendered threat. Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton are a bit naïve but they’re not dumb. The women take precautions for their safety and throughout the first part of the story the filmmakers draw attention to the way the missionaries react to the increasingly suspicious situation. Actors Chloe East and Sophie Thatcher do a great job working these revealing details into their performances which the filmmakers seize upon, punching up the exposition scenes with an increasingly tense subtext. The religious discussion is engaging. The filmmakers have done their homework and the critique of religion is met with some smart retorts. Most of this exposition is delivered by Mr. Reed and Hugh Grant is terrific in the role. The philosophical soliloquies are dense but also funny and Grant is simultaneously charming and threatening and all without raising his voice or doing anything obviously intimidating. The first half of the picture is a masterful example of suspense through camerawork, editing, and performances.
What Doesn’t: The second half of Heretic is not as strong as the first half. It’s not bad but the payoff never quite matches the tension or the intrigue of the setup. Heretic is loaded with exposition as Hugh Grant’s character goes on about the history of religion and various logical and philosophical issues. For the most part the movie gets away with it because Grant is so good, the writing is smart and glib, and the exposition occurs in tandem with the growing sense of danger. However, the movie feels a little too full of ideas. Grant’s character and the film itself address a wide range of religious issues but not all of them are immediately relevant to way those ideas play out in the action. The film might have benefitted from a more focused idea.
Bottom Line: Heretic distinguishes itself within the genre of religious horror. The film deals with its spiritual and philosophical themes intelligently but it’s also a very tense thriller. It declines a bit in the second half but it’s still a very satisfying and interesting picture.
Episode: #1023 (November 17, 2024)