Two young religious women are drawn into a game of cat-and-mouse in the house of a strange man.
Pam says:
“Heretic” plays the devil’s advocate, at least at first, as two female Mormon evangelists knock on the door of Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant) as per his request. The innocence of Sisters Paxton (Chloe East) and Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) is obvious as we eavesdrop upon their discussion of “sexing” in a porno. There’s an intelligent air about Sister Barnes, however, and the two find themselves discussing “the one true religion” in the home of Mr. Reed while his supposed-wife bakes a blueberry pie for them to share.
While “Heretic” uses many of the horror genre tropes — entering a secluded home, not listening to your gut, entering dank and dark underground places through unknown doors — it also uses intelligence to create a discourse about religious sects and beliefs and its history. In fact, much of the first half of the movie hones in on this, prompting our own intrinsic conversation about what we are hearing and seeing. It is this cognitive stimulation that makes “Heretic” a unique film within the genre of horror.
The cast is small consisting primarily of Grant, Thatcher, and East who all find their rhythm in their roles. Grant is shockingly chilling as Mr. Reed; a mastermind of sociopathic ideas. He lets us into his head, captivated by his passionate and numerous soliloquies, his eyes smugly twinkling as he debates these two young girls. Grant appears to relish his role, taking us down a rabbit hole of research supporting his character’s hypotheses. We find ourselves floundering with a response, but thanks to Thatcher’s Barnes, an equal match intellectually, we are buoyed by her counter arguments. It’s a game of verbal tennis that rallies with intensity and fear as we watch these girls in what seems to be a no-win situation. East rises to the occasion, digging deep within her character to create a believability to a horrifying situation and together they become a memorable ensemble.
With any horror film, editing and a musical score are of utmost importance and “Heretic” has this in spades. Camera angles bring us into this claustrophobic atmosphere filled with things that go BOO! And music and sound bring it all together to create one creepy story.
Conceptually and visually, there are disturbing scenes…remember, it’s a horror movie. Thankfully, if you’re like me, there’s a balance so that those graphic scenes don’t dominate the entire film. They add to it at just the right moment to remind you that Mr. Reed is truly evil, albeit quite intelligent.
“Heretic” isn’t your typical horror movie; it’s really so much more. Warning: if you’re a “believer,” this might offend you or perhaps even challenge your beliefs. And when a horror movie can do that, you’ve got a winner.
3 1/2 stars
Chuck says:
There’s always been a sense of the mischievous about Hugh Grant. What with a glint in his eye and the nature of his sly smile, the suggestion that a bit of malevolence may lurk beneath his charming mien has always been there. So, I suppose it should come as no surprise these traits would finally be put to good use in a horror film, Scott Beck and Bryan Woods giving the actor one of his best roles in “Heretic.” Not only playing against the audiences’ expectations where Grant’s casting is concerned, their script has more than its fair share of smart twists. Too bad they fail to stick the landing, the third act regrettably falling victim to genre tropes and incredulous plotting.
Grant is Mr. Reed, a retired professor and theologian who, were you to see him in the neighborhood, you’d likely receive a big smile and wave. This, of course, is all a ruse yet Sisters Barnes and Paxton (Sophie Thatcher and Chole East) don’t know this and are immediately taken in by his seemingly wholesome charm. Having requested information about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the two young ladies have been dispatched to Reed’s house with the intent of making him see the light. Armed with a pamphlet and boundless enthusiasm, they enter the man’s home, unaware they’re stumbling into a trap.
Reed exploits their naivete by posing increasingly complex questions about their religion and faith, asking them if they truly belief in their religion or are just saying so because they have been asked to. In a brilliantly acted and written sequences in which Reed compares various religions with Monopoly, he argues that all belief systems are essentially the same, that all adhere to the same doctrine though there are surface elements that make them appear different. This is all done with a sense of mounting menace until Reed, revealing to the girls they are trapped in his house, presents them with a choice. With two doors available for them to exit, one labeled “belief,” the other, “disbelief,” they must choose the door that best describes their state of mind, and it will lead them to freedom.
Of course, it’s not that simple, as their decision leads them to a series of other moral quandaries, their answers to each leading them, Reed claims, to the truth about the one true religion. Beck and Woods’ premise is intriguing and their theme worthwhile, yet once all the fascinating talk ends, holes in the plot begin to show. Much of what plays out simply doesn’t hold water, the film’s logic jettisoned for cheap thrills and nonsensical plot twists. And as the story falls apart, nagging questions begin to emerge.
Just what is the history of Reed’s house? It sits above a labyrinthine system of seemingly ancient tunnel and passageways. Surely its background could have added some depth to the story, while the presence of other characters who appear beg even further explanation. And just what is Reed’s raison d’etre? The story is simply begging for his back story as there’s no explanation as to what makes him tick. A missed opportunity, revelations concerning his past would have made him more human and terrifying.
It’s unfortunate the heady questions posed by the filmmakers are reduced to narrative detritus in the end. Once the improbabilities start piling up and the hoary conventions are utilized – you’ll be scratching your head over how a supposedly dead character is still alive – it’s obvious the rails have been jumped. Grant is a delight and nearly worth the price of admission. Too bad Beck and Woods couldn’t sustain the faith of their narrative convictions.
2 1/2 Stars
