Reviews

With Heretic, Hugh Grant goes from being a ’90s romantic comedy staple to an unnerving character named Mr. Reed.

The film, written and directed by A Quiet Place creators Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, follows two Mormon missionaries Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East) who knock on people’s doors to spread the word of their church.

When they reach the home of Mr. Reed (Grant), they are welcomed inside to discuss their religion while his wife bakes a pie in the kitchen. But it turns out Reed has no interest in learning about Mormonism – he wants to test their belief system in horrifying ways.

The film has two big strengths – the strong script and Grant’s committed performance. The screenplay is clever, thought-provoking and sometimes funny, presenting Reed’s theories and arguments in a compelling and easily digestible way. You’ll find yourself mulling over these interesting discussions hours after seeing the film.

Meanwhile, Grant is perfectly sinister and menacing. His casting is unnerving because it is so at odds with his ’90s heartthrob persona. He doesn’t play Reed as a moustache-twitching villain; he truly believes his theories and wants to prove them to these young girls.

He is complimented well by Thatcher and East, who gradually turn up the dial on their scared performances as the film progresses. East is a particular standout because Sister Paxton is unfailingly smiley and polite, even when her life is clearly at stake.

Heretic sadly loses its way once it tries to be more of a horror instead of an intellectual thriller. Once it enters horror territory, the story becomes quite far-fetched and less interesting. Who expected the discussions about religion to be more entertaining than the horror?

While Heretic doesn’t maintain the high quality of writing right until the very end, it is still an intelligent and engaging thriller with a deeply unsettling performance from Grant.

Previews from Thursday 31st October and a wide release from Friday 1st November.

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