A horror film where the conversation is often more threatening than the violence.
Nerdy Up North Podcast
The setup
Mormon missionaries Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton visit the home of Mr Reed, expecting an ordinary religious discussion. What begins as polite conversation slowly becomes a carefully engineered trap designed to challenge their beliefs and test how far Reed can manipulate them.
The performances are what make Heretic work. Hugh Grant is incredibly effective because Mr Reed initially seems charming enough that you understand why the girls stay. Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East are equally important; both characters develop in ways that stop them simply becoming two interchangeable victims. We loved the dialogue, the attention to detail and how much you can learn about the women through tiny choices, even down to their shoes. The film is at its strongest while it is making you uncomfortable rather than actively trying to scare you. The final section comes close to becoming more conventional than the rest of the film deserves, and we all worried it might go completely off the rails.
Positives
Hugh Grant; excellent lead performances; intelligent conversations about religion; strong character development; beautiful production and costume details; genuinely unnerving slow burn.
Negatives
The final act is less interesting than the build-up; some logistics require a bit of movie logic; it could have pushed the ambiguity even further.
Verdict
Heretic is smart, uncomfortable horror led by three excellent performances. The ending does not quite match the strength of its opening conversations, but there is far more here to think about than in most modern horror releases.
