Item: Heretic
Rating: 5
Author: Eli Brau

Scott Beck and Bryan Woods have steadily built themselves a career since their breakthrough writing credit for A Quiet Place nearly a decade ago. The duo has parlayed their success into multiple directorial efforts, including the pulse-pounding Haunt and the sci-fi thriller 65. Now, they return to their horror roots with Heretic, a chilling and twist-laden movie about two young religious missionaries who knock on the wrong door on a cold, snowy night.

Hugh Grant in Heretic — Hugh Grant in *Heretic*

The missionaries, Sister Paxton (Chloe East) and Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher), represent two contrasting views of modern religion. Sister Paxton clings to the traditional role of faith in shaping young lives, while Sister Barnes embraces a more progressive perspective, seeing adaptation as essential to keeping the church relevant and inclusive. Their differing ideologies set the stage for a fascinating dynamic, which is put to the ultimate test when they enter the home of Mr. Reed.

Hugh Grant, who dominated Heretic’s marketing, shoulders much of the film‘s weight as Mr. Reed. Grant delivers a magnetic performance, balancing sinister undertones with a deceptively inviting charm. His portrayal recalls an old-school, theatrical approach to acting, where every gesture and line feels carefully calculated yet natural. It’s not method acting but rather a display of showmanship—a larger-than-life presence that holds the film together. Grant infuses Mr. Reed with enough nuance and unpredictability to make the character both dynamic and unsettling, ensuring that he remains the film’s focal point.

Both Chloe East and Sophie Thatcher rise to the occasion, extracting enough depth from the script to make their performances resonate. Heretic leans heavily on its intricate, twist-laden dialogue, creating a challenge for the actors to establish a commanding screen presence amid the constant unraveling of the plot. Thatcher, in particular, stands out as Sister Barnes, channeling a raw emotionality that mirrors her work in The Boogeyman and MaXXXine.

While the reliance on trauma as a character’s primary motivator can feel overdone, Thatcher imbues her role with a physicality and quiet determination that elevate the material. Her soft-spoken resilience and nuanced expressions create an authenticity that makes her character’s journey compelling. Time and again, Thatcher proves she can bring depth to roles that might otherwise feel formulaic, and Heretic is no exception.

Heretic ultimately loses its footing in its quest to deliver a profound statement, its ambitions muddled by a narrative that doesn’t quite come together. The first half stands out as the stronger section, maintaining a grimy, schlocky charm that teeters on the edge of “elevated horror.” While the heavy exposition in both halves hampers the pacing, the initial tension and mystery—especially surrounding the pivotal moment where the missionaries are forced to choose a door—create enough intrigue to pull the viewer along.

Chloe East in Heretic — Chloe East in *Heretic*

The marketing campaign promised more than the film delivers, but approaching it without prior knowledge of the plot enhances the experience of its twists. Solid performances try valiantly to hold together a flimsy narrative. The result is a movie that isn’t entirely successful, but it’s undeniably dynamic and peculiar.

The twists are engaging on a first watch, but the film’s thin plot and sometimes clunky dialogue leave little reason to revisit. Despite its flaws, Heretic offers a singular, oddball experience that tries, even if unsuccessfully, to balance tension, spectacle, and its overreaching ambitions.

Heretic is far from the worst horror outing of 2024, but it falls into a familiar pattern for Scott Beck and Bryan Woods—movies that carry a whiff of self-importance without quite living up to it. A handful of lengthy monologues veer into tedious or unintentionally lightweight territory, undermining the film’s attempts at profundity.

Ultimately, Heretic lives and dies by Hugh Grant’s performance. His portrayal of the strange and unsettling Mr. Reed is the film’s lifeblood, injecting enough chaotic energy and magnetism to keep the narrative from completely unraveling. Grant’s rowdy, theatrical approach provides a compelling engine for the plot, even as the rest of the movie struggles to hold its weight.

In the end, Heretic is a mixed bag. It flirts with tension and intrigue but doesn’t fully commit to delivering a cohesive or satisfying experience. While there are moments to appreciate, the film leaves you wanting more depth and focus.

Score: 5/10