Heretic (2024) review – Hugh Grant’s sinister masterclass

Welcome to Knockout Horror. Today we are taking a look at a movie from 2024 that we, somehow, missed in the form of Heretic.

It’s a Captivating and Creepy Horror Movie

Heretic follows the story of a pair of young missionaries, Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East), going door to door, spreading their faith. After arriving at the house of an eccentric man called Mr Reed (Hugh Grant), the pair are invited in to discuss religion. It soon becomes clear, however, that the man may have an ulterior motive for his hospitality.

Heretic is a movie that does a hell of a lot right and manages to feel extremely original in the process, wasting little time getting into the suspense. We spend a brief amount of time getting to know our two protagonists, both of whom are incredibly likable and easy to root for. Sister Barnes is a little more streetwise than the, seemingly, innocent and immature Sister Paxton. Both girls, however, appear to be devoted to their faith and very keen to follow the rules set by their church.

After arriving at the house of Mr Reed, the pair begin to feel uneasy due to his overly friendly and accommodating nature, and that is where the horror begins. Heretic wastes no time getting into the business end of unnerving the viewer. What follows is over an hour of genuinely tense and suspenseful, cat-and-mouse style, house-of-horrors shenanigans, but done in a rather different way than what you may expect.

A rather atypical horror presentation

Heretic doesn’t follow the typical pattern that you might assume when considering a movie like this. It doesn’t consist of a maniacal person chasing the protagonists around a house filled with traps and pitfalls. It’s far more considered than that.

“Reed engages with his victims frequently, confronting them with face-to-face discussions about faith, history, and religion… It’s pretty intelligent stuff, as far as horror goes.”

Mr Reed engages with his victims frequently, confronting them with face-to-face discussions about faith, history, and religion, challenging them to make careful decisions, and tormenting them with topics designed to make them question their own faith and belief in themselves.

It’s pretty intelligent stuff, as far as horror goes, and very well scripted. Sure, a lot of the discussion topics are on something of a basic level, but the deeper explorations of religion and faith lend the movie a feeling of careful and considered writing – something that is easy to appreciate in a genre that is all too keen to plod along on base primal instinct and little else.

Mr Reed’s narcissistic nature makes him a rather interesting antagonist. Realising that his motive could be any of a huge number of self-aggrandising things means you never quite know what he will do next. Our protagonists aren’t incapable morons, though. Both Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton are wickedly smart and more than a match for Mr Reed’s games. The playing field is almost equal, here, which makes Heretic feel somewhat different from a lot of similar horror movies. That doesn’t stop it being massively tense, however. It is compelling, engaging, and full of tension throughout.

Absolutely fantastic performances

One of the most significant things about Heretic is how strong each of the performances are. We only, really, have three characters for the vast majority of the movie. That’s a lot of weight to place on the shoulders of the cast. Luckily, they are entirely up to the task.

“Hugh Grant does a sensational job, flitting effortlessly between warm and welcoming and genuinely sinister. This movie acts as a really good reminder of just how great of an actor he is.”

Chloe East is fantastic. She has crafted an insanely likable character, here, who feels extremely genuine. East really nails the quirkiness of Sister Paxton, perfectly reflecting her optimistic, yet nervous, nature. A really enjoyable performance, throughout.

Hugh Grant said he was looking to play a character that was against type, and he got exactly that, here. He does a sensational job, flitting effortlessly between warm and welcoming and genuinely sinister. Grant doesn’t miss a beat throughout the entire thing. This movie acts as a really good reminder of just how great of an actor he is. A real treat!

Sophie Thatcher is simply brilliant. I really wish that more young actors could look towards her and notice the little things that she does so well that others don’t do. She uses minor facial tics and expressions in a way that many experienced actors fail to do, projecting so much emotion through just that alone.

You always know what her characters are thinking because she leaves you in no level of doubt. She is excellent here and easily one of my favourite up-and-coming actors. I am hoping she still graces horror with her presence when she is in serious demand by Hollywood, because I guarantee it is coming.

A final act that will divide viewers

Direction is strong for most of the movie. There are some absolutely fabulous shots here that deserve significant praise. One involving a model house is one of my favourite shots in recent horror history. I can’t help but think that this movie could have used a 4:3 or even a 1.66:1 aspect ratio… Something to make it feel a bit more timeless and unique, especially given the strong character focus in most of the shots.

The final third of Heretic is, unfortunately, a bit of a let-down. Don’t get me wrong, it is hard to see where the movie could have gone given the events that take place. But the direction it does go in feels both formulaic and disappointing. The movie ends up feeling like it has a lot of build-up for very little payoff.

“Sensational acting, genuinely tense, often quite funny, compelling, and creepy. The only serious complaint is the final third which, unfortunately, undermines a lot of the good stuff.”

The initially unpredictable storytelling quickly becomes predictable and the surprises dry up, almost, entirely – something that keeps this movie from a much higher score.

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Horror is a genre that thrives thanks to indie film makers and low budget creators. At Knockout Horror, we firmly believe that every movie that we review deserves a fair fight. That's why we grade on a curve. Our star ratings are all about context, judging a film on what it achieves with the resources it has.

A 4-star rating for a scrappy indie horror made for $10,000 is a testament to its ingenuity and raw power. A 4-star rating for a $100 million blockbuster means it delivered on its epic promises. We don't compare them side-by-side; we celebrate success in every weight class, from the back-alley brawler to the heavyweight champion. Please keep this in mind when considering star ratings.

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