Movie Review – Heretic

Heretic follows two missionaries who knock on a man’s door after he had requested info on their religion. He invites them in, and despite their efforts to maintain safety, he begins a religious game of cat and mouse to manipulate them into doing what he wants.

Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East are great as they slowly realize Hugh Grant’s game. Acting is spot on all around, and that’s what sells this film. Grant is menacing as the villain, in ways I’ve not seen from him. He combines it with his usual charm which makes it more unnerving.

The plot is a lot of smoke and mirrors, tracks laid for later realizations. Maybe it’s my own cynical views on organized religion, but I felt the film was equally cynical. It compares religion to board games, and even comments on how preying does no good. I really liked this aspect of the film. It goes all in on how religion uses control to manipulate people, and that’s always been my issues with religion as a whole.

Suspenseful movie, both inside the confines of the house and outside as a winter storm rages throughout the film. There aren’t any jump scares and very little gore, so the suspense is what makes the film.

Three and half out of five stars.