By Jonathan Klotz
| Published
Horror is an interesting genre, covering everything from the gorefest of Saw 3 to the campy meta-movie Scream 3, but sometimes, for a film to be truly unsettling and creepy, it doesn’t even need to have a high body count. Take for example one of 2024’s underrated horror thrillers, Heretic, a moody, slow-burn film that takes place entirely in one house with a central cast of only three characters, and yet, it’s incredibly effective at staying with viewers for weeks after watching it. Hugh Grant, the man who made his name in rom-coms, turns his effortless charm into a terrifying weapon and in the process he turns the low-budget film into a must-see acting showcase streaming on Max.
Hugh Grant’s Charm Becomes A Deadly Weapon
Grant plays Mr. Reed, a man living on the edge of a small town who had reached out to the Mormon church for information, prompting the Church Elder (Topher Grace) to send out two young missionaries to spread the Good Word. Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher, star of the recent horror film, Companion) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East, fromThe Fablelmans), who in one of many smart writing decisions Heretic makes are unlike most horror protagonists and aware that something isn’t quite right the moment they enter Mr. Reed’s strange home, which he points out, is lined with lead so cell phones won’t work inside. Under the impression that Mrs. Reed is baking a blueberry pie, the girls sit and engage in a spirited debate over the nature of faith, God, and the role of religion, when they realize that there is no Mrs. Reed, and the two missionaries are trapped inside.
Heretic lays its cards on the table soon after, when the girls follow Mr. Reed to his study, where using Monopoly as a prop, he makes his case about the one true religion. It’s a demented monologue that you never would have expected from the man who won audiences hearts in films like Notting Hill and Four Weddings and a Funeral, but that’s part of what makes it so effective, and it’s still just a prelude to what he’s really up to. Afterwards, in a scene from the trailers, the girls are standing before two doors, marked “Belief” and “Disbelief,” when they walk through and confront the real horror of Mr. Reed.
Another A24 Horror Hit
Though Hugh Grant steals the show, directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods use creative camera angles and panning shots to make sure viewers know the size and scope of Mr. Reed’s house. Heretic, with a budget of only $10 million, makes the most of its small, but detailed sets, and during the multiple scenes of long discussions on religion and humanity, you’ll have time to appreciate the fine details sprinkled throughout. Not since Hereditary has a film managed to go from slow burn to revelation quite like this one.
Credit is also due to Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East with each of the rising stars giving believable performances as idealistic Mormons willing to engage in philosophical debate according to their years of training. Both Thatcher and East are also ex-Mormons who helped shape the film’s portrayal to make it as realistic and respectful as possible, and that’s the greatest trick Heretic pulls in the end. For a film about religion, it leaves audiences with a totally different set of questions by the time the credits roll, encouraging those who have seen the film to debate over the ending and what they think it really means.
Heretic was a sleeper hit in theaters, eventually earning $50 million worldwide and becoming another low-key horror hit from A24. Hugh Grant’s pivot away from the roles that made him famous, first in Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves and now in Heretic, pay off by weaponizing his charm to disarm the audience. If you want a thoughtful, slow burn horror film that happens to also include Grant conquering another genre, it’s an absolute must-watch, especially with friends, as like the two missionaries, you’ll have questions when the end song kicks in.
Heretic is streaming on Max.
