Religion and horror movies easily go hand in hand. Whether it’s the priests fighting the demon in The Exorcist, the cult protecting the Antichrist in The Omen, or Van Helsing using a crucifix to repel Dracula, religious symbolism can be found in many. Heretic similarly uses religion to tell its wicked story, but it is much more nuanced and, in a way, sinister than the aforementioned films.
Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant) has set an appointment to have two Mormon missionaries, Sisters Barnes and Paxton (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East, respectively) come to his house in order to educate him on the finer points of their religion. Upon arrival, they balk at entering at first as they require another woman to be present but soon come in after he informs them his wife is indeed at home just in the kitchen making a blueberry pie. The friendly discussion soon turns sour as Mr. Reed begins to poke holes in and belittle their beliefs until the two uncomfortably ask to meet his wife. When he heads off to get her, they attempt to leave only to find the doors locked, and that they have no cell service. With no recourse but to go further into the dark house, they end up playing a psychological game of cat and mouse with their captor that might not let them leave with their lives let alone their souls.
One thing we should immediately discuss is that this is not the Mormon version of Saw. While the trailers don’t explicitly show traps or anything, the way they are presented makes it seem like the Sisters will face “live or die, the choice is yours” moments as they try to escape from Reed. Life-altering decisions will be made, but they play out in much more interesting ways than Saw could ever accomplish.
This is because the suspense and terror that escalates is due to simple conversations and not the house itself. Don’t get me wrong, what’s in it is sinister, but it’s the discussions they have with Reed that drive the story. And what would those be? Why the history of religion, its origins, and offshoots. As we learn of Reed’s actual plans, we find that his motives don’t lean towards murder and mayhem but to destroy their faith. This is what is truly horrifying – to break someone down and completely reduce the core tenets of their lives into merely the cast-asides of past belief systems. Losing your religion and yourself along with it is an evil we don’t see too often, and Heretic revels in showing it to us.
Of course, none of that would have worked had our main characters not been up to the acting challenge, and all perform admirably. Hugh Grant, especially, puts in his best work to date. He carries the charisma and charm he always has had from his rom-coms but simultaneously oozes malevolence that makes each line he says drip with poison. Not to be outdone, Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East are also wonderful as the pious missionaries who evolve into survivors who have no plans on letting Reed get his way with them. Each of them somehow manages to steal the show whenever they are on screen which just showcases their talent and skills.
While some will argue that this is more a thriller or suspense film, the way it delves into ripping apart people’s psyches means that it is just as horrific as any slasher. Rarely do we see a genre film do so much with just conversation, but this will stand up there with some of the best that has been offered in the past. Belief is a powerful idea that can either support or tear people down, and Heretic is here to use it to obliterate existence and salt the earth after. It’s something that will stay with you and control your thoughts long after you leave the theater.