Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
This film made me anxious, made me scream, made me jump in my seat, even made me want to pause out of fear (I was watching it alone at 12 am, okay?), and really root for one of the primary characters toward the climax. And even though I didn’t like the ending, ‘Heretic‘ is undoubtedly an entertaining psychological horror-thriller for fans of the genre.
Directed by Scott Beck and Ryan Woods, the film follows two young Mormon missionaries, Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East), whose visit to influence an old man, Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), to join their church turns into a terrifying, nightmarish ordeal.
‘Heretic’ opens with an entertaining conversation between the young missionaries about false and manipulative marketing, a subtly clever way of setting the tone for the primary theme of the story. Sisters Barnes and Paxton then start going door to door to do their work of spreading ‘the lord’s word’. Unfazed by a patter of rain, they knock on Mr. Reed’s door, and the old man invites them in for some blueberry pie, assuring them his wife is at home. He begins an uncomfortable theological debate with the women, and with no sign of a “wife,” the sisters begin to worry about his motives.
Mr Reed attempts to make the sisters question the authenticity of their religion, although, ironically, the more he speaks, the more their doubts grows, but only over his intentions. He tries to demonstrate through pop-culture references how Christianity is a mere rip-off of other religions, lore, cults that pre-dated it. This is re-inforced through a comedic exchange, where at one point Mr Reed says says “With great power comes great responsibility” to which Sister Paxton says ‘Spider-Man’, while Mr. Reed says ‘Voltaire’. Although, perhaps the most entertaining reference in ‘Heretic’ is to Radiohead’s ‘Creep,’ which Mr. Reed claims is actually a plagiarized version of an older hit.
Hugh Grant is Psycho-level iconic as the creepy Mr. Reed in ‘Heretic’, confident in his oratory skills and theological knowledge. He plays the classic wolf in sheep’s clothing, seeming friendly at first and baring his fangs only after he traps the prey. Questioning the sisters’ faith, Mr. Reed sets a simple yet twisted challenge for the women: there are two back doors, one of which will lead them to freedom, but they must choose wisely.
Sophie Thatcher’s Sister Barnes is the more eloquent, bold, argumentative, and perhaps even smarter of the two women, while Chloe East’s Sister Paxton is a lot more timid and malleable. How these women play a dark battle of wits and grit against the scheming, terrifying Mr. Reed forms the primary conflict in the tale. Despite their different personalities, the women are united in their beliefs and support for each other, putting up a brave front against a clearly dangerous man.
While the first half of ‘Heretic’ makes you wonder if the young women are perhaps being overtly paranoid, things take a frighteningly violent turn in the second half. If you’re someone who gets squeamish at the sight of blood, this definitely isn’t the film for you. Like I said at the start, I was screaming in discomfort., despite usually having a high tolerance for gore. What makes ‘Heretic’ especially unsettling is the disturbing power dynamic between the much older Mr. Reed and the younger women, which adds an extra layer of dread to their experience.
Just under two hours long, ‘Heretic’ is tense, eerie, and violent, and keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat until the very end. The last few minutes feel slightly contrived, and deliver a resolution that will divide viewers. I don’t want to give too much away, so if you’re a psychological horror fan, just give this film a go.
Rating: 8 on 10. Watch ‘Heretic’ on Prime Video.
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