What is the one true religion?
The very question is loaded like a double barrel shotgun. When engaged in conversations surrounding the major religions of the world, every statement feels pregnant with controversy. When you’re dealing with someone’s spiritual beliefs, pushback can feel like an attack at the very foundations of their lives. Historically, people have bled and died (and taken the lives of others) for the sake of their religious views and these conversations are no less difficult than they have been for the past hundreds (thousands?) of years.
Now, the new psychological horror Heretic wants to unpack them all… and does so brilliantly.
Heretic introduces us to Sister Paxton and Sister Barnes (Chloe East and Sophie Thatcher), two young Mormons who are out on their prescribed evangelical mission to convert unbelievers. When they approach the home of Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), they ring the bell with optimism. (After all, he reached out to them with an interest to hear more.) However, after entering the home, they soon discover that Mr. Reed’s call is motivated by his own religious distaste, leading to a game of spiritual cat-and-mouse that could prove deadly for them both.
Directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, Heretic does for religious films what Get Out did for Black horror. This is a film that is incisive and intelligent in its conversations yet never shies away from the intensity of the moment. For their first feature film, the duo have created a spiritual thrill ride that is both entertaining and elevated. While the film features more dialogue than destruction, Beck and Woods manage to make each turn of phrase feel like a turn of the knife.
Though, the true brilliance of Heretic lies in its dissection (and inversion) of religious tropes. Every room feels like a psycho-spiritual door that needs to be unlocked. (In many ways, the film is reminiscent of Saw for its manipulative puzzle-box style yet stays away from any particular gore.) Ensnared in Reed’s cruel game, Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton move around the house like pieces on a chess board, with each decision leading to
After all, the true horror here isn’t of the body. It’s of the mind.
Mr. Read’s game is meant to shake the foundations of these young women’s spiritual beliefs. In attacking their mind, Redd can do far greater damage than any particular bloody murder. His endgame is to steal their soul. Active in the Mormon church, these young women believe that they have found the truth. They have built their lives upon it and are willing to approach strangers in an effort to convert them. But Reed believes that it’s his job to uncover ‘the things they’ve believed simply because they wanted to believe them’. That very quickly becomes his mission—and he is ready to execute his plan with precision to force the issue. (“I need you to reflect very, very deeply and make a decision,” he snarls.)
Much of the film’s success lies with a deliciously malicious performance by Grant. In a role that approaches the comedic brutality of Batman’s famed nemesis, The Riddler, Grant is both charismatic and maniacal. With each gleeful game of psychological torture, Mr. Reed approaches his prey with twists in his soul but a twinkle in his eye. From board games to blueberry pie, Grant portrays his character as an entertainer but never trustworthy. Without overstating it, this is a career-best performance for Grant as he snarls his way through every trick and trap.
Even so, Heretic never succumbs entirely to its religious takedown. While Mr. Read remains the film’s central figure, Heretic refuses to judge these two young women for their faith. Whereas the world treats them as outsiders in their ‘magic underwear’, Sister Paxton and Sister Barnes are earnest in their pursuits. Yes, they have their doubts—doubts that are left exposed by Reed’s machinations—but neither are they portrayed as fools.
To say anymore would be to say too much but there is a genuine chess match going on within this film that pulls no punches. This is a film built upon the backs of religious manipulation… yet the door is open for disagreement. As Sister Paxton and Sister Barnes travel more deeply into Read’s home, Heretic attempts to cut through the terrifying trauma that can take place when one allows themselves to follow their spiritual leaders blindly. However, at the same time, the film leaves the (proverbial) door open for deeper discussions. There’s a (terrifying) dance between religion and faith that takes place in Heretic that seems to be genuinely looking for answers. The arguments are laid in front of us and we are left, as an audience, to decide for ourselves what to think.
Because, if Sister Barnes is correct, “the only thing that matters right now is what we believe”.
Heretic is available in theatres on Friday, November 8th, 2024.
