Jay Rohr
Heretic is fridge horror at its finest. It may not frighten straight away, but round about midnight, the implications of this thriller will creep in denying sleep. It isn’t the kind of film that’s easy to shake off, though it may not be what many are expecting. Far from the torture and gore of flicks like Martyrs (2008), this is a movie held up by an evocative atmosphere and stellar performances. Even when formulaic, predictability plays into the plot subverting expectations by making its villain seem omniscient. Heretic is a slow burning creep show that reminds how much horror there is in simple human interactions.
Mormon missionaries Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton, played by Sophie Thatcher (Yellowjackets) and Chloe East (The Fabelmans), are visiting homes hoping to convert others. At a scheduled stop, they encounter a charming Englishman named Mr. Reed portrayed by Hugh Grant (About a Boy). Their conversation soon takes a sinister turn as the young ladies realize they aren’t the only ones seeking converts. It seems Mr. Reed has notions about the one true religion he intends to prove by testing the two.
Heretic borders on being a new subgenre. It could almost be called rhetorical horror. That’s because most of the film is more of an eerie presentation than a blood-soaked thriller. Mr. Reed tends to talk in lengthy monologues which span several minutes. In the hands of a less talented performer these could easily come across like someone at a Christmas party who can’t wait to start ranting about Saturnalia. However, Hugh Grant imbues the character with a charm that’s paradoxically disarming and disturbing. There’s a certain suspense wondering how dangerous he is, if he’s all ideas or will attack directly. Not to mention the morbid curiosity of waiting to see how the two protagonists react to his rhetoric.
There has rarely been so charming a fiend in the history of horror that the loquacious Mr. Reed almost sells the film alone. However, that would insultingly ignore the masterful subtlety of the performances by Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East. For large portions of Heretic, they’re required to change emotions during lengthy takes without expressing too much. That’s to say, they must look content then terrified only to swallow that fear, contorting it into strained expressions of forced calm. These moment-by-moment shifts tell a wordless tale all their own as the young ladies realize they’re in danger yet do their best to keep their wits about them rather than panic. This provides Heretic with a certain tooth-grinding tension.
Cinematographer Chung-hoon Chung, who provided marvelous visuals for Last Night in Soho (2021), adds to that suspense by capturing the atmosphere. There’s just enough lighting to make Mr. Reed’s home cozy yet sinister as the mood shifts. That room for perception which changes as events unfold is wonderfully present. Yet, in areas where there’s obvious danger, the darkness prevails.
Credit: Kimberley French.
Writer-directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods wisely enhance the palpable unease by rarely cutting away. The camera orbits the young missionaries, observing their changing mood as Mr. Reed lectures. The villain himself stands wrapped in shadows, lit by flickering candles, as he expresses supposedly arcane insights, and just like the terrified protagonists, the camera doesn’t look away. It gives this sense of being captivated but also frozen in fear as he speaks.
A creeping dread prevails throughout the film once the audience enters Mr. Reed’s home. Beforehand, Chloe East and Sophie Thatcher do a marvelous job of presenting the personalities of these two young ladies. As such, Heretic not only sets up expectations, but gives the audience a chance to care about the protagonists. There’s an adorkable sincerity to Chloe East’s performance that makes Mr. Reed’s treatment of her seem all the crueler. And even though Sophie Thatcher is the firebrand one expects, verbally sparring with him, regardless how successful, still comes across with a certain desperation.
It’s refreshing to see protagonists in a horror film not fall into what’s known among genre fans as the idiot plot. Heretic presents two people who act intelligently despite their stressful situation. However, that doesn’t mean the villain isn’t often ahead of them.
Credit: Kimberley French
The theological ideas put forward by Heretic are not terribly new. Perhaps that’s the point. The movie is mostly a battle of wills, and the tension caused by wondering what comes next. Whether that’s from going through a door, down a dark passage, or waiting for the next monologue, Heretic is full of moments which leave a viewer wanting to see what happens.
Most of the opening acts unfold through rhetorical exchanges, but it soon builds to other kinds of creepiness. Essentially, Heretic has an incredibly lengthy setup which ultimately pays off. There’s a wonder throughout the latter acts as to whether Mr. Reed may be on to something. The lack of gore ensures that when blood is spilled it has a greater impact. Rather than splashing buckets, Heretic drips precision drops in a flinching eye.
Combined with its rhetorical fridge horror, the film feels like something different which provides a freshness any standard torture thriller would lack. Expert cinematography captures the atmosphere and mood as things go from sweet to sinister. Hugh Grant carries the movie by making the verbose villain charming in ways someone this creepy shouldn’t be. However, Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East are pillars as well, holding up parts of the film that wouldn’t work without their subtle performances.
Heretic is a wildly satisfying fright flick that relies on presentation, dialogue, and performance more than grotesquery. For anyone seeking the antithesis of films like Terrifier 3, this is your movie. Heretic is a satisfying slow burn that builds to a bonfire conclusion. It’s the rare fright flick that respects its audience enough to try and outwit them rather than distract with gore.
