Director: Scott Beck & Bryan Woods
Starring: Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher, Chloe East
Certificate: 15
Run Time: 111 mins

Heretic is a high-concept horror written and directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, best known for scripting A Quiet Place and directing the Adam Driver-starring sci-fi 65. A semi-satirical theological chiller, the film follows two Mormon missionaries who go to a house off the beaten track to convert a reclusive man, Mr Reed (Hugh Grant), as night and rain are starting to fall. Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) appears confident, while Sister Paxton (Chloe East) is more timid. It’s a classic horror set-up – Mr Reed offers the women into his seemingly humble abode, assuring them his wife is preparing a blueberry pie in the kitchen when they ask if there is another woman present for their safety. However, it quickly becomes evident that this is not a safe environment. 

Heretic is a smart and thought-provoking psychological horror with a powerhouse Hugh Grant performance that loses some of its steam in the third act. The script is very wordy and dense, as Mr Reed quickly lets on that he knows a lot more about religion than the Sisters originally envisaged. Mr Reed is charming and likeable to get the girls through the door, but it’s clear he has a darker side. There’s a real thrill as the women start to realise they’re in trouble, but with the typical niceties of a guest who is too polite to leave. What follows is a tantalising rumination on religion and how it has the ability to trap people into a box, complete with gripping analogies. 

Hugh Grant’s played in a fair amount of dross over the years, but is now at the most interesting point of his career with against-type roles in films such as Paddington 2 and The Gentlemen. He’s completely magnetic as the cunning recluse, bringing his trademark charm and wit with a darker underbelly, the perfect ingredients of the best type of villain. The two missionaries don’t fare quite as well because neither are particularly well-developed but Chloe East gives the stronger performance of the duo with her meatier character. 

The film’s also beautifully lensed by Chung Chung-hoon, best known for his collaborations with South Korean auteur Park Chan-wook. His achievement is especially impressive, given the film is largely set in one (albeit expensive) location and it’s anchored by a dense script – two ingredients that, in the wrong hands, might not be particularly cinematic. 

It’s just a shame that the third act can’t quite live up to the first two. While still interesting, the film peaks early as we try and suss out Reed’s true intention. The direction it takes also isn’t as original as the film thinks it is, nor is it subtle. 

Otherwise, there’s a lot to like about Heretic and even if its reach exceeds its grasp. Hugh Grant’s performance is worth the price of admission alone and the film poses some ambitious questions on religion, asking us why we believe what we do and that every action has a consequence.