This review was originally published on September 10, 2024, as a part of our Toronto International Film Festival coverage.

religious horror. The writer-director duo’s film is a wildly engaging cat-and-mouse hunt between Grant’s Mr. Reed and Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East), missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Beck and Woods know how to build up to something exciting. The film’s tension never lets up, leaving us on the edge of our seats.

Religious horror is often focused on possessions or the Antichrist, but Heretic goes in another direction. The central conflict here is belief and theological debate. It’s layered with Barnes and Paxton’s perceived will to choose, as Mr. Reed repeats that they can leave his house whenever they want (though he makes it difficult to do so). Mr. Reed has studied theology for years, but he claims he’s found the one true religion, while the “big three” religions — Judaism, Christianity, and Islam — are simply iterations of something far older. It’s an intoxicating story setup that leads to a striking final act.

Heretic Is A Magnetic Thriller That Examines Religion

Heretic is primarily fueled by excellent, sharp conversations. The film offers a push-pull dynamic between Mr. Reed’s disbelief and Paxton and Barnes’ belief. Regardless of what any of the parties believe, though, the film is adamant that they still have a system of ideas they subscribe to. It’s especially interesting because the power shifts at various points in the film, even if Mr. Reed has the upper hand for the majority of the film’s runtime. It’s a thorough and thrilling exploration of religion and theology, so much so that I wanted to do some more research after watching it.

As a horror, there aren’t too many jump scares or anything of that nature. Rather, Heretic relies on the claustrophobic tension that permeates the film. There’s a deep sense of unease that is felt as soon as Mr. Reed answers the door, and Grant plays Mr. Reed with a combination of menacing niceties and genuine intrigue. He’s horrifying even while bringing up some thought-provoking points in the discussion. The thriller can be excruciating to sit through because you’re just waiting for the other shoe to drop, but Beck and Woods have set a good pace so that nothing feels rushed.

Grant plays Mr. Reed with a combination of menacing niceties and genuine intrigue.

A conversation-heavy film can be difficult to tackle. The dialogue has to remain intriguing and tense to maintain interest and momentum. Luckily, the filmmakers have created an atmosphere that is unsettling and hypnotic. We hang on to every word from Reed, even as we fear for Paxton and Barnes’ lives. They aren’t ive characters, though, taking things into their own hands at points while pushing back against Mr. Reed’s ideas with their own. Thatcher’s Barnes is particularly astute, as her family is revealed to have tried other churches before settling on LDS, turning the back and forth into a chilling affair.

Heretic Makes Excellent Use Of Its Creepy Setting

This Allows The Actors To Perfect Their Performances

Limited to the interior of Mr. Reed’s creepy house, Heretic utilizes the small yet seemingly vast space phenomenally well. Camera angles shift to accommodate the interior, tricking our eyes as we roam over everything Mr. Reed has packed in each room and the ominous doors that stand like guards in the background. The dim lighting sets the mood, making us hyper-aware that something terrible is about to transpire. It’s almost as though the house itself, a maze of never-ending rooms and tunnels, is a layered and confusing argument unto itself.

The tight space allows the actors to use their body language and facial expressions in gripping ways. Close-ups of their faces heighten the tension that continues to build, and their proximity to one another underscores their every move. Sometimes we know their decisions before they make them, while at other points we’re surprised. Grant is at the top of his game here, conversational yet alarmingly unhinged. When he slowly smiles, it’s enough to chill your heart. As Mr. Reed, Grant is the best kind of villain — threatening, challenging, and sharp as a knife.

Heretic knows exactly how to keep us mesmerized. It's a unique horror experience that's sure to have everyone talking.

Thatcher (of Showtime’s Yellowjackets) is fantastic, too; her fear of Mr. Reed never overshadows her gumption and desire to protect Paxton. Reed preys on her doubt, but Thatcher’s character isn’t so naive. One of the best scenes comes when the two go head-to-head in a verbal spat that is deliciously intense. East is equally good, playing Paxton with an exuberant energy that works in contrast to Thatcher and Grant’s characters. She’s certainly the youngest character in thought, but East’s portrayal proves Paxton isn’t to be underestimated.

It’s been a while since a horror thriller has been this riveting. Heretic has everything I could want from horror, and it left me pondering the very discussions that make up the majority of the film’s conflicts. The entrapment aspect gives the film a caught-in-a-cage feeling that elevates the eerieness of the setup. The twists that come later are well-placed and the writing-directing duo knows when to move on from each story point, tying everything together in the end so cohesively. Heretic knows exactly how to keep us mesmerized. It's a unique horror experience that's sure to have everyone talking.

Heretic premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival and is now playing in theaters. The film is 110 minutes long and rated R for some bloody violence.