Heretic [Movie Review]

Heretic [Movie Review] | I read rave reviews about the movie. It took me quite some time to finally watch it.

Did it live up to to reviews?

SYNOPSIS

Heretic (2024) Trivia

• Starring: Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher & Chloe East
• Director: Scott Beck & Bryan Woods
• Producer: Stacey Sher, Scott Beck, Bryan Woods, Julia Glausi & Jeanette Volturno
• Production Company: Beck/Woods, Shiny Penny Productions & Catchlight Studios

• Distributed by: A24

• Release date: November 8, 2024

• Running time: 111 minutes

• Rating: MA

• Country: United States

• Language: English
• IMDb: 7.1/ 10
• Tomatometer: 91%
• Metascore: 71% 
• Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East, both raised Mormon, brought authentic insights to the film's portrayal of the faith. However, neither practices the religion anymore. 
• The main characters are never given first names—they’re simply known as Paxton, Barnes, Reed, and Kennedy. 
• This is A24’s second horror film featuring miniatures, the first being Hereditary.

Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton are two young Mormon missionaries trying to share Lord's words when they arrive at the secluded home of Mr. Reed. Barnes is self-assured and ready to lead their mission, while Paxton is quieter, still finding her footing. 

Reed greets them warmly and mentions his wife is baking a blueberry pie. The air is filled with its sweet aroma as they sit down to discuss faith. But Reed's questions soon turn uncomfortable, challenging their beliefs in ways that feel unsettling. When he excuses himself briefly, Barnes notices something is wrong: the smell of pie comes from a candle, the front door is locked, and their phones have no signal. 

Reed invites them into his study, where his tone grows darker. He declares all religions are mere copies of one another and claims to have discovered the ultimate truth. He offers them two doors: one for those who believe in God, the other for those who don’t. Refusing to play his game, Barnes chooses the "Belief" door, but it leads them to the same dungeon as the other. There, a frail woman appears, eats a poisoned pie and collapses. Reed calls her a prophet and promises they’ll witness her resurrection.

As the women are held captive, a church elder briefly visits the house, but he leaves without hearing their cries for help. The prophet does resurrect, describing an afterlife that Barnes recognizes as a fabrication, pieced together from known near-death experiences. When Barnes signals Paxton to fight back, Reed violently slashes Barnes’ throat, claiming her death will prove his theories. He extracts a contraceptive implant from her arm, calling it evidence they live in a simulation. Paxton sees through the ruse, realizing the resurrection was staged by Reed and a hidden accomplice. 

Determined to survive, Paxton discovers a chute leading to a horrifying underground chamber filled with caged women. Reed’s true belief emerges: the desire to dominate lies at the heart of all religions. 

Will their beliefs save them from the hellish ordeal?

MY REVIEW

What I Like:  

• A great act by Hugh Grant - I truly hate him in this one. 

What I Don't Like:

• I think I've watched movies with similar plot before. 
• Wordy. 

Will I Watch It Again: Probably no.  

Overall: 3.9/ 5.0

The pictures are taken from multiple sources on the Internet. Thank you.

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