No Real Danger

I kind of slept on Heretic. I don’t really have an excuse. My interest just wasn’t really piqued by the trailer. I know, I know – I shouldn’t judge movies on their trailer – for good or bad. I can’t help myself! And, besides, Hugh Grant isn’t even scary. Right? Well, I’ve seen it now as I work through my various queues for my 31 new-to-me horror watches in October. This one is #6. I can say now that I regret sleeping on it. (uh oh! i’m spoiling my review all the way up here!) Let’s get into it, shall we?

Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton are Mormon missionaries hoping to convert some folks to their belief system. They work their way down the list of people who have expressed interest in learning more about the church until they get to Mr Reed’s house. Mr Reed is very eager to hear about Mormonism and invites them in. This is not allowed unless he has a female roommate or wife. He assures them his wife is home and baking blueberry pie in the kitchen. They accept his invitation, but not the proffered sodas he brings out on a tray. No caffeine for them. It quickly becomes clear that Mr Reed knows more about their religion than most and more than even they know themselves. The atmosphere gets tense as the conversation progresses and Mrs Reed never actually shows up. The missionaries excuse themselves only to find that they are locked in. Mr Reed claims to know the one true religion that will turn them away from their faith. All they have to do is survive his pedantry and his demonstrations of miracles. 

Bryan Woods and Scott Beck – the writing/directing duo behind Haunt and 65 – have crafted an impressively tense story. From the moment Mr Reed answers the door, the vibes are off. But just a tiny bit. They get further and further off as time goes by until the psychopathic other shoe drops. (what is up with that phrase? shoe dropping?) Grant absolutely shines in this role. His Mr Reed is all smiles and golly gee at first and transitions to off-putting and to menace so gradually that by the time the young women decide to get the hell out of there, it’s too late. Hugh Grant is most definitely scary here. Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East also put in solid work. Their naive – but not as naive as they are expected to be – missionaries are vulnerable but resilient and clever. They cling to the assumption that people are fundamentally good for just long enough that the audience doesn’t start to question the film’s logic. Once their (and our) suspicions are confirmed, the film goes full-on nightmare. As for the film’s critique of religion, it comes off a bit ‘debate nerd’. That’s ok though. Mr Reed isn’t wrong about things. His argument has been made by many a college freshman who recently rejected their Christian upbringing/indoctrination. The clever part is why he is doing what he’s doing. He needs to assert his intellectual dominance to get the young women on the back foot (i actually get this idiom!) to ultimately get them where he wants them. And clever pretty well sums up this religious psycho-thriller. 

The Final Cut: Heretic is a tension ratcheting chiller that delivers some gut wrenching twists and reveals. Grant is amazing as the avuncular psychopath inviting young true believers into his spider’s web.