47/32
Best Christmas Pageant (2024)
Plot
Two young religious women get sucked into a cat-and-mouse game in a strange man’s house. Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East in Heretic, and more modern women killing horror. The music at the end is a version of “Knocking on Heaven’s Door”; set to “Fade in You” by Mazzy Star. A nod to the fact that Radiohead’s “Creep” is a reprise (in melody) of The Air that I Breathe; The Hollies, who Grant mentioned earlier in the film. It’s written at the end that no generative aluminum was used in the making of the film. If, like me, you watched this film because you wanted to see Hugh Grant as a terrifying villain, you won’t be disappointed. Heretics is the story of two young Mormons who visit the home of Mr. Reed, played by Hugh Grant. However, not everything is as it seems.
Reed, played by Hugh Grant
Outside the gate you meet two Mormons, Sister Barnes played by Sophie Thatcher and Sister Paxton played by Chloe East. I personally came to this movie because of Hugh Grant’s performance but these two actresses rocked it and both gave great performances. Since this movie is really only 3 characters it is important to get 2/3 of the cast involved and they did! I would say that Sophie Thatcher’s character, Sister Barnes, is the more accurate of the two Mormons and the more experienced. 2. Chloe East’s character, Sister Paxton, who is a new missionary who feels more religious than her counterpart and wants to convert and spread the word of God. Both of their performances are mostly about fearing Mr. Reed and thankfully neither falls into the trap of being a silly character. Now Mr.
Which it is
It is hard to pinpoint exactly how Hugh Grant plays this character so well. Because the way he acts is not scary or frightening in any way. It’s more the context that makes Mr. Reed scary. The way he delivers the dialogue is calm and lecture-like. He’s trying to lecture and enlighten 2 Mormons. The way Mr. Reed heard me was patronizing and talking to you. That and the fact that we’re in a weird, creepy house with timers and a dripping ceiling.
Reed just feels bad!
Mr. I mentioned the dialogue above. Writer/directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods did a great job writing Eretic. Giving each character their own identity through dialogue. Heretic had excellent cinematography, effectively using close-ups and panning shots. The sound design was simple but effective. The sound of creaking floorboards, water dripping, and old metal locks and doors really permeated the idea that this is an old farmhouse. This is a spoiler-free review, so I won’t say too much about that part, but one aspect of the movie that I wish they had explored more was the idea of the maze. The figurines and the maze model appear on the poster and trailer for the movie, but they aren’t as prominent in the movie.
But what was there was simple and effective
So if you were expecting a horror movie like Labyrinth, I would have been disappointed. Also, the set was pretty sparse, so there wasn’t much to talk about. The main theme of Heretic is religion and faith. This movie does a great job of showing both sides of the coin without feeling like it’s favoring one opinion or attacking it over the other. It manages to strike a balance, which is important, without feeling like it’s attacking the audience’s point of view or beliefs. I will say that I didn’t think the movie was all that scary. It doesn’t really bother me, but it was released around Halloween and was marketed as a horror movie, so that may affect your enjoyment of the movie, based on your expectations.