If you were to ask me what one of my favorite films that came out this year were, Heretic, directed by Scott Beck and Ryan Woods, would definitely be up there in the list. The film is a gripping psychological thriller that battles the intimidating and sometimes uncomfortable subject of religion. Starring Sophie Thatcher as Sister Barnes, Chloe East as Sister Paxton, and Hugh Grant as Mr. Reed, the movie follows two Mormon missionaries who visit a reclusive man’s home to teach him about their religion. The two encounter a night of confusion, fear, and confrontation as they quickly come to terms with the fact that the “unsuspecting” Mr. Reed is really a violent and somewhat resentful religious theologist, who wants to show them what the “one true religion” really is.
The movie starts out pretty light, with some occasional foreshadowing of the shocking events to come. We get to know the two missionary characters a bit more. Sister Barnes is confident and intelligent, while Sister Paxton is a bit more insecure and timid. They go to visit the secluded home of Mr. Reed, a man who reached out to the Mormon church to hear about their beliefs a few months before. They enter the home hesitantly, as they are not allowed to be alone with a man if his wife isn’t present. Mr. Reed, a welcoming and charming older man, keeps reassuring the two that his wife will be in soon, to Sister Barnes’ slight suspicion. The characters begin their usual speech on religion, when Mr. Reed launches into many uncomfortable comments about the Mormon faith. He steps out to “check on his wife” in the kitchen, and the two main characters contemplate leaving. They get up to leave and then realize the door is locked and they have no phone service. This is when it is made clear to the viewer that the women are not safe, and this movie is about to get more serious than it was previously letting on.
The film descends into a sequence of chaos. Reed urges them to follow him to his kitchen, and they fearfully do, as they have no other choice. They end up in his study, where he gives them a long and threatening lecture arguing that all religions are synonymous with one another, and claims that he has found the one true religion. He tells them to choose between two doors labeled “belief” and “disbelief.” However, it is discovered that both doors lead to the same cellar. The girls apprehensively descend downstairs, where Reed demonstrates to them a “resurrection” which we later find out is fabricated. Barnes rejects the resurrection, and Reed comes down to the dungeon to argue with the pair. However, one thing leads to another, and in an effort to attack him, Barnes is attacked in return.
The rest of the movie is led by Paxton, an unexpected candidate for the final girl, but nonetheless still portraying the role wonderfully. She accuses Reed of lying about all of his previous claims, stating that he faked the resurrection and is only doing this to prove a sick point. She eventually descends further into the basement and unveils a revolting operation. Mr. Reed has completed this “experiment” multiple times with multiple religious representatives, each time trying to prove his point that the one true religion is control. In a quick scuffle, Paxton manages to attack Reed, obtaining a small injury herself. As he slowly bleeds out, she begins to pray. Paxton claims that she knows praying doesn’t “actually work”, she just thinks that it is meaningful to show kindness. Eventually she escapes, and the movie ends. It definitely leaves the viewers with much to think about.
Overall, reviews were pretty good. Kyle Smith of the Wall Street Journal called it, “not only an expertly engineered work of suspense but also an ingeniously structured colloquy about the most deeply held belief systems.” He also said that “the movie itself is not merely disparaging of religion; in a way it is also affirmative, and smartly weaves in supporting points for both sides.” Heretic is an amazing outlook on religion. No matter what you believe, it’s certainly a movie that will make you think.
