Heretic has a small cast that follows two young missionaries, Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East) whose religion is tested by an off-putting man named Mr. Reed played by Hugh Grant. This film is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, who directed the Adam Driver lead “65”, which came out in March of 2023. 

The audience gets thrown off by Hugh Grant’s charm which often leans into uncomfortable jokes and pop culture references. The comedic and religious elements of this film could have easily been muddled with lazy writing, yet this film delivers a compelling take on religion that never lets up. 

This film relies a lot on the atmosphere that is built through sound design and camerawork. The opening credits come in a very unorthodox manner that builds off the unique shot composition. We get introduced to our protagonists Sister Paxton and Reed, who are going through a small town as missionaries. Most of the people they come across are quite disinterested, acting as if Sister Paxton and Barnes are invisible. Their day does not get any better, as a group of women harass them as rain erupts from the sky. Sister Paxton and Reed end up trekking to an isolated house, home to the one person who wants to know about religion. 

In a very unnerving scene, Sister Paxton and Reed are greeted by Hugh Grant who is delivering extensive religious knowledge. While this scene plays out, a blueberry pie is being cooked by Mr. Reed’s “wife.” As the pie was brought out in the movie, a blueberry-scented aerosol was released in the theater. This was part of the multi-sensory element of this film. Not only did we get to smell the blueberry pie, but we got to taste some of it too. The hosts of the screening were kind enough to hand out some mini blueberry pies after the film ended. 

Things do end up taking a turn in this film. Most of this film is very dialogue-heavy. The protagonists are taken into a basement, which is when the horror kicks in. We are introduced to a religious entity that Mr. Reed wants to use to test the beliefs of Sister Paxton and Barnes. When the film gets to this point, the gap between religion and horrors is finally bridged. Most of the first third of this movie is all about the idea of faith. When you meet the entity known as “Prophet,” the audience starts to question what’s really going on. Mr. Reed is playing a game of 4D chess with these women’s heads. 

Mr. Reed knows more about these women and they know about each other. Which is why he’s able to play on their faith and make them question their stance on belief. Despite his intelligence, the “Prophet,” who is supposedly obedient to Mr. Reed goes off script. This throws off Mr. Reed’s plan; he ends up facing Sister Paxton who has been closely watching his every move. Everything behind the curtains is revealed leaving Paxton and Reed at odds. 

The film ends with a bloody face-off between Paxton and Reed. The final seconds of this film are powerful, as the film calls back to a moment from early on. It is a very open-ended film, but it’s fitting when the subject matter leans on the concept of belief. 

Heretic dives deep into faith while constantly playing with the audience's own ideologies on belief. Life will make you ponder on your faith more than anything. When we are withdrawn from our beliefs we are left with a void that must be filled. Like people, Heretic does not just explore faith, it challenges it in the most extreme and horrifying way possible.