Synopsis
Heretic (2024) is a profound, gradual tension-building psychological horror that looks at the perilous intersection of faith, control, and manipulation. The film is written and directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, creators of A Quiet Place, and represents a shift from creature-centric horror to human darkness, deception, and deep-seated belief systems.
The film focuses on two young Mormon missionaries, Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton, who are presented at the start of the narrative as a pair of Sisters weaving through an orderly suburb as if on a mission. They are both deeply loyal to their faith and mission and have a firmly embedded belief in godly order and purpose. Sister Barnes, played by Sophie Thatcher, is a contemplative character, while Sister Paxton, portrayed by Chloe East, is more emotionally expressive and extroverted. Their partnership is functioning optimally, but subtly marked with tension due to silent differences in views shaped by faith.
The missianaries approach a door belonging to a seemingly gentle and smart individual named Mr. Reed, portrayed by Hugh Grant. He politely lets them in for a chat and what appears to be a completely ordinary visit from missionaries turns out to be rather frightening as the meeting progresses. Mr. Reed does not wish to convert—that is not his goal. The goal is to fight. As the starting point, there will be an eloquent conversation about theology, morals, and ethics, and as the endpoint, there will be a somewhat unnerving battle for control in which Mr. Reed begins to churn women’s belief systems to pieces to get them to submit to him.
Logically, the missionaries begin to understand that there is absolutely no escape. In truth, Mr. Reed’s house morphs into a psychological dungeon where logic ceases to exist, reality is up for debate, and faith can be turned against you. The woman attempts to manipulate and control the women through twisted moral questions, compelling them to scrutinize the very morals they hold dear. He sets forth manipulative antics of banishment and mind games to test their resilience, all while cocooning them in a reality where they believe he’s a “heretic” in form. What this means is they believe he is not without belief, but rather, so fervently believe in something else, that he has to tear down their castle walls.
As the story progresses, Sister Barnes feels increasingly agitated, whereas Sister Paxton remains steadfast in her beliefs. They all experience strain in their faith, friendship, and mental health. The movie builds towards a climactic emotional final section that feels both suffocating and overwhelming where the distinction between victim and perpetrator becomes increasingly difficult to discern, with the true terror manifesting not as supernatural entities, but as ideology.
Cast & Crew
Director & Writers
Scott Beck and Bryan Woods have built a reputation for having a distinctive style of horror. While A Quiet Place used their skills with creature-feature cliches, Beck Woods’ latest movie, Heretic, is a more internalized work with little action but plenty of psychological stress. Their guiding hand is gentle but is unrelenting focus on atmosphere and dialogue makes for a great deal of tension.
Main Cast
Hugh Grant is Mr. Reed
Hugh Grant delivers one of the most shocking performances of his career abandoning his overt charm for an unsettling character. Mr. Reed, portrayed by Grant, is equally charming and terrifying—intellectually sound yet emotionally volatile.
Sophie Thatcher as Sister Barnes
Thatcher acts remarkably as a woman’s faith is tested in her role as a Sister. The film is powerful as it documents her unraveling and silence during doubt.
Chloe East as Sister Paxton
East’s rendition of the character shows her unwavering belief despite facing turmoil. Her emotional intensity is remarkable while the world disintegrates around her.
Topher Grace in a supporting role as Elder Kennedy
Even with minimal time on screen, Grace serves the function of situating the audience within the context external to Mr. Reed’s home, hinting at how the religious powers might view and respond to the girls’ situation.
Crew Highlights
Cinematography: Chung Chung-hoon
His work exacerbates the film’s essence of entrapment through a character’s emotion, as restraining shots and desaturated colors contribute to the deep frustration over the characters’s inner conflict.
Editing: Justin Li
Each scene has steadily flowing, yet tightly wound, pacing to elevate tension and importance.
Music: Chris Bacon
Bacon’s score deepens the film’s psychological focus by employing soft piano accompanied by unsettling ambient sounds. The music evokes an unshakable feeling of dread.
Ideas and Examination
Heretic is a film with an apologetic plot bearing heavy thematic never before explored in balanced motion pictures. Unlike other movies of the horror genre which create terror for the fun, this movie meditates how belief systems have the potential to build and also obliterate. The film’s central concern focuses around terror that stems from emotional and intellectual manipulation. The type of Horror depicted in this motion picture is real, human and vividly personal.
The movie interrogates the boundaries of ideology not only in the context of religion, but also outside of it. Both truths are equally valid. Mr. Reed doesn’t simply seek to torment the missionaries, he desires to unveil a darker truth. His heresy is not that he chooses to disbelieve. Instead, he believes in something else entirely with the same amount of conviction, this deeply challenges the audience and slow pacing protagonists wonder, is truth absolute or molded through force or perspective?
Feminism aside, the movie has multiple subplots woven together with the central narrative. The dominant male character uses psychological control to bound the female protagonist. Like other films in the genre, psychological dominance is often considered the most terrifying tool. However, this film steers clear from violence of a sexual and physical nature.
The title of the film, Heretic is a double-edged term. It first seems to apply solely to Mr. Reed, but by the end of the film, it is apparent that every character in one way or another, commits heresy—be it through doubt, rebellion, self-fulfillment, or departing from institutional orthodoxy.
IMDb Ratings and Reception
As of the beginning of 2025, Heretic has a steady 7 out of 10 score on IMDb. The film has been praised for the performance of Grant, particularly for what has been termed the actor’s “career defining” role as well as for the intense suspense created out of dialogue. It has been critiqued for bearing resemblance to Misery, The Invitation, and even Funny Games for its slow, suffocating atmosphere and power dynamics.
Not all of the feedback has been positive, however. Some users find the film too slow, the dialogues too abstract, and the story line too vague. Those anticipating supernatural horror or adrenaline-infused action may find the film overly intellectual and too subdued.
Conclusion
Heretic is a bold, unsettling and innovative addition to the horror genre. Unlike most horror films, Heretic employs few, if any, graphic scenes and relies on more deeply rooted fears: The manipulation of belief, the destruction of faith, and the paralyzing dread of one’s spiritual insecurities.
Heretic is among the most compelling and thought-provoking horror films of recent years thanks to its exemplary performances, challenging direction, and powerful introspective script. Heretic is a must-watch for those who enjoy deep psychological slow-burn thrillers that stay with you long after the credits.
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