• Sun. Dec 8th, 2024

Heretic – A Gripping, Edge-Of-Your-Seat Thriller!

ByTaylor T Carlson

Nov 3, 2024
HERETIC is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods. It stars High Grant, Sophie Thatcher, Chloe East, Topher Grace, and Elle Young.

Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton are missionaries with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Their efforts to recruit people to the church lead them face to face with the mysterious Mr. Reed. What was planned to be a brief mission visit quickly spirals out of control when Reed forces the young ladies to test their faith in what becomes a battle of wits, as they enter a cat-and-mouse game that will push the bounds of their faith to the limits. Will they escape the house and Mr. Reed’s trials with their lives?

When I saw the trailer for HERETIC, I was immediately fascinated. Hugh Grant always brings something special to his film roles, and the Mormon Church has long been criminally underrepresented in cinema and television (unless you count the works of Trey Parker and Matt Stone, which actually DO get name-checked here!) While a bit uneven at times, HERETIC kept me on the edge of my seat, with an Oscar-worthy performance from Mr. Grant, and some fantastic work from relative newcomers Chloe East and Sophie Thatcher.

HERETIC runs both ends of the spectrum, from laugh-out-loud funny (a scene utilizing board games as metaphors for religions had me in stitches) to the intense and fearful. I’m not quite sure what HERETIC’s overall message is, even after having thought about the movie for the past two days, but it certainly has a lot to say. Even if you go in and hate the film, I have no doubt you’ll be talking or thinking about it long after it’s played. Beck and Woods’ film leaves an impact. Plain and simple. It keeps its story simple and its cast small; these play to the film’s advantage in the long run.

Hugh Grant gives the performance of his career as Mr. Reed, playing host to two young ladies and pushing their faith to its limits. I could never guess what this guy was going to do or say next; I can’t in all honesty name the last time a movie character scared me AND made me laugh as hard as he did. While obviously an antagonist, he’s just so damn charming. It’ll be criminal if he’s not, at the very least, nominated for an Oscar.

And then we have the other end of the spectrum. Thatcher and East are fantastic as two female Mormon missionaries who are brilliantly brought to life by a brilliant script. Very little of the movie is set outside of Mr. Reed’s house, but the opening scenes with the two of them set them up brilliantly; hearing their thoughts on some more adult themes manages to be absolutely hilarious. Coming from a predominantly Mormon family on both sides, some of these moments felt quite familiar and hit close to home. The two don’t even always agree despite their close bond, which makes for some great gripping moments and uncertainty, further keeping the viewer glued to the screen. Not only does HERETIC feature some great performances from its leads; it’s a great example of both female and Mormon representation on the big screen. In all my years of watching movies, I can’t name a single other title that featured female LDS missionaries. Hell, for that matter I can’t name very many that even have male ones.

While I did love HERETIC, some scenes admittedly don’t work as well as others. Topher Grace is wasted as a fellow LDS member who is barely in the movie at all, and the ending did feel a bit underwhelming after all we endured throughout the lengthy and intense duration; you may walk away with more questions than answers. That said, I’m still quite satisfied with the end result.

HERETIC is Hugh Grant at his finest; this guy’s still going strong and gives the performance of his career here. And Thatcher and East are no less excellent! It’s an intense movie that never lets up, combining a gripping premise with some unexpected (but welcomed) humor. And somehow, most of it works. If you want a thriller with some long overdue Mormon representation on the big screen, HERETIC fits the bill nicely.

By Taylor T Carlson

Taylor T Carlson Assistant Editor/Senior Staff Writer Taylor T. Carlson was born August 17, 1984, and has called the Vegas Valley home his entire life. A die-hard fan of classic rock and metal music, Taylor has been writing album and concert reviews since he was 16 years old, and continues to do so, having done well over 1,000 reviews. He is also a fan of video gaming and cinema, and has reviewed a number of games and films as well, old and new alike. His thorough and honest (some would say brutally honest) reviewing style has won him the respect of hundreds of music fans and musicians alike, both local and abroad, and the ire of just as many others. Despite being one of the youngest attendees at classic hard rock/metal shows around Vegas, he is also one of the most knowledgeable, having gained the unofficial nickname of “The Eddie Trunk of Las Vegas.” In addition to reviews, Taylor has written and self-published three books on classic hard rock bands, and is a regular participant in rock and roll trivia contests. Taylor also holds a masters degree in special education from the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), and has appeared on the hit History Channel television series Pawn Stars. His dream is to be able to one day make a living from writing music books and reviews.

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