Heretic (2024) - Movie Review

What if I told you that a single location horror movie with limited violence, no gore, and very little action kept me wrapt for the entire hour and fifty-one minute runtime?

What if I told you it stars the romantic lead of many a romantic comedy, Hugh Grant?

Yeah, buckle up, this gets wild.

Let’s discuss.

Heretic is a 2024 psychological thriller brought to us by the writing / directing duo of Scott Beck and Bryan Woods. You should recognize those names as they’ve been busy. They’re the men responsible for such overhyped horror films like 2018’s A Quiet Place, 2019’s Haunt, and the epic bomb 2023’s 65. Suffice to say, I have not been a fan…. until now. This film exceeded the hype and instantly became one of my favorite movies of all time.

The film focuses on two Mormon missionaries, Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton, as they navigate their murky existence as agents of a dying church. These young women are under pressure to bring in converts, and their performance couldn’t be any more different. Sister Paxton bubbles with enthusiasm for the gospel yet struggles to bring anyone into the fold, while Sister Barnes methodically collects baptismal commitments like a banker counting deposits. When a heavy winter storm rolls overhead, they decide to end their route after one last appointment. Little did they know that this little house nestled in the woods up the hill and across the way holds much more significance than just another tally on their quota sheets. What follows is a tense, cat-and-mouse game where the girls must confront just how true they are to their faith and how much they’re willing to sacrifice to prove it. Will the girls complete their mission, or will they just be another victim of the one true god? Find out in tonight’s thriller, Heretic.

This movie is a masterclass in tension without aggression.

The film plays on many things right off the bat. One is the subtle dichotomy between the two girls. Sister Paxton represents those in the Mormon faith who cling to the scripture as their entire personality, while Sister Barnes represents the cold, calculating business behind the church responsible for the proliferation of Multi-Level-Marketing schemes across the world. However, neither is what they seem, but both are, in their own ways, hypocrites. It’s this small, unspoken conflict that begins to snowball as the film rolls onward.

The script is tight, and the jargon and speech patterns are absolutely dead on to the two types of Mormons that will surely be knocking on your door sometime soon.

Here’s the thing…

I hate the Mormon church. I can’t say it any other way. Half of my extended family are Mormon, and I’m extremely familiar with their faith, history, and teachings through osmosis, as well as my time studying Cults and World Religions in school. It’s a corrupt, awful scam that gave birth to Scientology, among other abusive organizations. The religion’s history of human trafficking, polygamy, and child brides speak for itself. I say this to express the impact of my next statement:

This movie made me root for the Mormons.

Both Chloe East and Sophie Thatcher deliver performances far beyond their years. The chemistry between them is palpable. The non-verbal dialogue the two share throughout the movie feels organic and real. It’s as if these young women have been through some scary visits before. Both women get an equal chance to showcase the depth of their talents and range as their characters go through this psychological gauntlet.

Chloe East's performance as Sister Paxton caught me completely off guard. On paper, her character reads like a mindless sheep, butEast imbues her with such genuine warmth that I couldn't help but root for her. She captures that universal adolescentuncertainty with remarkable authenticity. When thefilm's darker elements began closing in around her, I found myself gripping my armrest, genuinely concerned for her.

Sophie Thatcher is Horror’s best-kept secret.

Sophie Thatcher gives an equally powerful, if not wholly different, performance. She is the older sister of the pair, in a way, as she grew up outside the church. Her additional life experience is essential to the girl’s navigating the terrible maze set before them. Thatcher has been omnipresent in the sci-fi/horror genre over the last few years, and for good reason. She’s a versatile performer with an incredible singing voice and a face that’s naturally beautiful without conforming to societal beauty standards. She’s one of those character actresses that you recognize, but can never place due to her chameleon-like presentation.

And then there’s the villain...

Hugh Grant is obviously the intended star of the film. He’s front and center in all marketing for the film. His face is featured in 99% of the movie posters, thumbnails, etc., and for good reason. Known for being impossibly likable even when playing the asshole, he brings his awkward, wallflower charm to the villainous Mr. Reed. His congenial menace is palpable, and even though he rarely shows any sign of ill intent, there’s an underlying current of madness that is electric when paired with the incredible actresses described above.

This film is obviously the unofficial sequel to Notting Hill.

Hugh Grant’s performance harkens back to his romantic comedy days, specifically his awkward charisma from 1999’s Notting Hill. I feel like living with Julia Roberts for an extended period of time would turn any charming Brit into a monster. Only Hugh could tell us for sure, but I feel like he rewatched his back catalog and settled on Notting Hill to base his character’s existential discontent.

The special effects in the film are sparing but powerful—simple things like mirroring the architecture in a scene to heighten the viewer's discomfort. Everything looks painfully real, and the little gore/blood there is serves as an exclamation point on important moments of the journey.

The sound design is the real star of the film.

The soundtrack and sound design are brilliant. Sound is the most important part of any horror film. A wrong choice of sound effect or song can make or break a scene. This film plays on the trope of jump scares without succumbing to the urge to overuse it. The sound is there many times, not only to increase your discomfort but also to provide hints about the real motivation of our villain.

This is not a movie you can watch while scrolling Instaface.

This is the antithesis of the Netflix formula of over-exposition and filler content. To understand it, you’ll need to pay attention. I watched the film twice and noticed hints and easter eggs that I hadn’t noticed before. What’s really cool is that when I watch it a third time, I’ll find more.

This film isn’t a gorefest, and it’s not action-packed, but it kept me on the edge of my seat. This is single-location horror done right. Words can be just as scary as a butcher knife. More so when there’s a chance the villain might be right. When the words make you doubt your existential foundation.

Obviously, the film blew me away.

I can’t recommend it enough.

This should be required viewing for all theology students.

You gotta check this one out.

At the time of this writing, the Heretic is available to stream on HBOmax with subscription.