Directed By Scott Beck and Bryan Woods

Starring – Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher, Chloe East

The Plot – Two young Mormon (Thatcher, East) missionaries are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly and intense game of cat-and-mouse.

Rated R for bloody violence

Heretic | Official Trailer HD | A24 (youtube.com)

POSITIVES

Marrying religion and horror is a dicey enough proposition in itself, but to then base roughly 95% of that movie as a debate on religious beliefs between two sides who spiritually couldn’t be any different, is downright audacious, and it’s that fearlessness to filmmaking that captivates ‘Heretic’ as something refreshingly transfixing that throughout 105 minutes of storytelling, I simply couldn’t take my eyes off of. In terms of writing, the dialogue goes a long way towards gauging the atmospheric uneasiness that blankets these interactions with mystique and ambiguity between its characters, with Grant’s Reed subtly shedding the layers of psychological disarmament to hint at a terrifying layer of truth towards such devilishly devious intentions. The material has a clever way of not only dissecting Reed’s perspective as an atheist, using pop culture music and even board games as clever metaphors for the points he is trying to prove, but also in testing the waters for the vulnerabilities conjured in being locked away in a house with a stranger who you’ve never met before, with initial breaking of the ice moments that capably set the stage for an exploration that you can’t even begin to imagine where it’s headed. Unpredictability is one thing, but there’s a confidence to Beck and Woods work here that tantalizes the taboo without being downright crude or even one-sided to alienate a particular demographic in the audience, instead pursuing this need to continuously challenge conventions in ways that effortlessly attains a thick layer of suspense and dread, even throughout the occasional comedic indulgence, which only serve as the tip of the iceberg to channeling atmosphere in ways that every single element of production vividly influences. The photography from ‘Oldboy’ and ‘The Handmaiden’ cinematographer, Chung-hoon Chung, pitches a perfect game with what’s shown, frequently surveying the ticks and responses of the characters in ways offer no means of escape to the awkwardness of the engagement between sides, with meaningfully expressive movements of the camera that seamlessly speak volumes to the duality that Grant’s character confides in, until he absolutely doesn’t. This is then complimented by the dimensions inside of the movie’s blanketing sound schemes, radiating a consciousness deep within the depths of the creaky house that only further drives audience intrigue, as to what could or could not be awaiting them behind the doors that start their journey towards enlightenment. Perhaps as an effective way to immerse me in the bleak and dire situation of these initially unsuspecting girls, there were times throughout this film where my mind felt like it was playing tricks on my ears, with such sharply contrasting undefined sounds echoing uncertainty in ways that elevated the evolving mystery that felt like it could’ve materialized into literally anything in a film piling one gruesome discovery after another. I also can’t underscore the established setting of this wild house, that feels limitless in the distance and secrets that it covers, with tremendously creepy detail to each room that got my mind racing as to just what was in store for these ladies. Everything from the enveloping darkness of hallway corridors playing tricks with perception, to damply resonating set decoration, makes the house feel like a defined character of its own in the movie, and though it expands upon many different rooms and situations, it never sacrifices the claustrophobic factor of the ladies’ unforeseen captivity of being held hostage by a man who judges them purely on their spiritual beliefs, forcing them deeper and deeper into the pits of this hell, in order to find the answers that they seek from a lifetime of speculation. Amid the film’s many surprises, the biggest seems to be its use of awkward humor, which is utilized towards showcasing a grave disconnect between sides that never compromises the film’s suspenseful factors, instead surmising these pocketed payoffs in levity that keep the engagement from feeling too stuffy with its seriousness in hefty themes and talking points. Because these aforementioned interactions are defined by an air of unwavering tension and awkwardness, laughing feels like a natural impulse for an outsider’s perspective, and though the gags don’t necessarily dominate the tonal consistency in ways that marry them naturally to the horror, such as something like ‘Scream’, they prove that the material isn’t above poking fun at its truth-seeking thesis, with humor used to outline some of the outdated and bizarre concepts of religious traditionalism. It’s also worth noting that the characters are refreshingly written, with the kind of cunning intelligence and razor sharp intuition that balances an already thick layer of likeable personality to their respective portrayals. Empathy certainly isn’t a problem for two girls put in a deceiving situation, but there’s a real charm and chemistry factor to Thatcher and East’s growing dynamic that makes each of them integral towards resolving the conflict, with two battle-tested performances from each that are every bit diverse in design as they are compelling to interpret Grant’s onslaught. Thatcher commends vulnerability with glowing eyes and a frightened demeanor that convey insight into things that only she can see, and though East is more of the soft and prissy type initially, the exploration of the themes mature her towards feeling like a completely different person by film’s end, with a transformation subtly peeling back the layers of her familiarity, to give us a woman worn and wrangled by constantly defending her faith. But obviously the real showstopper here is Hugh Grant, whose typical charms and suave cadence are this time used as table dressing for the darkness that lurks beneath his manipulative exterior. Grant has certainly played an antagonist before, but only in Reed does he channel something truly sinister, with the kind of conviction and stern sensibilities in his deliveries that constantly send a chill down your spine, with a crooked smile that constantly conveys something darker afoot to the lessons his character is casually teaching.

NEGATIVES

Despite an overwhelmingly entertaining feeling from ‘Heretic’, there were some unfortunate instances that weathered my appreciation for the film ever so slightly, particularly with some actions during the third act that didn’t flow as smoothly as the developments of the first two. While I interpreted everything seamlessly from the film’s ending, I feel like the big motivation for Reed at the end of the climax doesn’t hit with the kind of effectiveness that Beck and Woods were emphatically expecting, as a result possibly of long-winded exposition dumps that I feel deserved more time to properly flesh out with ease, instead of abrupt force. My only other problem with the film pertained to overwhelming conveniences in the form of one of the girls being able to sniff things out easily, as a result of some inconsequential motion previously in the film that feels like a bit of a stretch with what she was able to pull from it. Clarity is definitely needed to keep any story moving forward, but these epiphanies from the character make her feel like Rain Man in ways that are overwhelming with specificity, and I just wish the script plotted these instances out in ways that weren’t as big of a stretch as the ways they’re summoned and eventually pieced together.

OVERALL
‘Heretic’ serves an originally compelling master that fearlessly dissects conversations about faith and belief in ways that are every bit intelligent as they are thought-provoking. Despite overwhelming conveniences that prematurely forces characters to jump to unearned conclusions, the performances, production values and character studies are among the best that the genre has conjured in 2024, cementing a fearlessly ferocious slice of psychological horror that has no problems letting its mouth do the talking.

My Grade: 9/10 or A-