Heretic review

HERETIC: 

HUGH GRANT KILLS (AND CHARMS) IN LATEST A24 HORROR FILM! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: **** out of 4

A24

Hugh Grant in Heretic

 

            Two Mormon missionaries are trapped in a house with an unhinged and dangerous Hugh Grant (Love Actually, The Gentlemen, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves) in Heretic, the latest horror film from A24 and writer-directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods (A Quiet Place, Haunt, 65). I have been absolutely loving this new era of Hugh Grant acting in recent years with performances that really showcased his capabilities outside of those rom-coms from the 90s and 2000s such as the cartoonishly evil antagonist in Paddington 2 and his outrageously foul-mouthed performance as Fletcher in Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen so him starring in an A24 horror movie had me intrigued from the beginning. 

            After seeing it, I have to admit that not only do I think this is among one of Hugh Grant’s best performances, but it might even be his best ever. He is freaking amazing in this film and perfectly balances between being incredibly charming and creepy, often at the same time…oh, and the movie itself is fantastic too. 

            The film follows Mormon missionaries, Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher-Prospect, Yellowjackets, The Boogeyman) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East-Ice, Kevin (Probably) Saves the World, The Fabelmans) arriving at the home of a reclusive Englishman named Mr. Reed (Grant) in hopes of converting him to the Church of Jesus Christ. But it turns out this seemingly charming Englishman is much more dangerous and terrifying than expected as the two sisters are locked in this mouse trap of a house with only one way to escape, debate their religion.  

            The film also stars Topher Grace (That 70s Show, Spider-Man 3, BlacKkKlansman) as Elder Kennedy. 

            Overall, Heretic is a suspenseful and even humorous tour de force for Hugh Grant and a massive step up from 65 for Scott Beck and Bryan Woods. Grant really is what makes this movie work and is essentially like a twisted version of his rom-com persona as he does start off being genuinely charming and likable, but you also know he’s eventually going to do horrible things to these ladies. 

            I also love how even when he’s being creepy in the movie, Hugh Grant still acts like a gentleman which honestly makes the scenes even scarier somehow. It feels like a performance written specifically for him and I hope he gets some awards attention for this because this is Hugh Grant at his best. 

            The movie itself is consistently engaging and keeps your interest with the characters questioning their own religious beliefs and Grant’s Mr. Reed challenging those beliefs in intense and horrific ways. I’m not a very religious person if I’m being honest, but I was invested and captivated by these characters (Even Mr. Reed) and understanding their perspectives on religion. 

            The film gave me very conflicting feelings regarding its themes because I certainly don’t want these two Mormon missionary sisters to endure these horrific experiences by Mr. Reed while at the same time I want Mr. Reed to challenge their religious beliefs, maybe with less hostages but I will gladly accept more comparisons to fast food, board games, and The Phantom Menace in my religious analysis. It also dives into some horrific revelations as to how most if not all religions are created which I found a lot more terrifying than smiling demons and substances that turn people into deformed monsters when misused. 

            It still retains some traditional horror elements (The occasional jump scare, raggedy-looking person that’s been locked up for some time saying/doing something creepy to the protagonists, gory kill, etc.), but it’s mostly a very dialogue-heavy and intellectual kind of horror that’s more subtle with its scares rather than shocking. It may be a turnoff point for those expecting a full-on spook-fest, but I think most people know what they’re getting here so that shouldn’t be an issue. 

            Heretic is one of those indie horror films I absolutely loved, but at the same time I sort of don’t want to discuss it in great detail since it’s a lot more fun for your reactions to be 100% natural and authentic while watching it. I will say that it’s a creepy, brilliantly crafted, and even comical at times entry in A24’s ever growing horror library with a scene-stealing Hugh Grant at the top of his game, just go watch it!