Heretic

Heretic
Starring Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher, Chloe East, Topher Grace
Directed by Scott Beck & Bryan Woods

As a person who has a firm belief in my Christian faith, I'm also someone who can listen to and respect other peoples' religions as well, knowing you can't force your own religion on another. Also, as such, there's a lot that I don't know and have to rely on my faith to figure out, as well as understand the difference between truth and the "truth" I'm being told by people who claim to know more than I do. I question my faith, I research it, and I don't take things for face value. Organized religion is something I do not adhere to, as the core concept is concocted by people who want to control others through fear, intimidation, and manipulation to lead us to believe what they believe in. That being said, true religion is a test of faith, and one that has to be worked out in your own mind. "Heretic" is a film that tackles this topic in a truly horrifying and intrinsically intelligent way that had me both in utter suspense and deep intrigue from start to finish, a film that doesn't rely on jump scares or other tricks of the trade to send chills down your spine, but a deep, intellectual dialogue and three top-notch actors who deliver the scares.

Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East) are two devout young Mormon missionaries who travel and talk about their faith in Jesus Christ and the Book of Mormon, and arrive at the home of Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant) who invites them inside, but they refuse because they say a woman needs to be present - until Mr. Reed tells them his wife is in the kitchen. They have a discussion about faith and religion that slowly amps up the tension as Mr. Reed challenges their thoughts and beliefs before disappearing to get the pie his wife was making, and Barnes sees the blueberry scented candle on the table. They try to leave but find the door impossible to open, and find Mr. Reed in a room created to look like a church where he gives a lecture about the three major religions, and how organized religion itself is a manipulative entity, taking advantage of trusting people to believe what they want them to. He offers them a way out between two doors - belief and disbelief - and when they girls enter the door they find themselves trapped in a game of intellectual cat-and-mouse as they try to find a way out of Mr. Reed's labyrinth maze both in their minds and in the physical.

"Heretic" is an intellectual film that is as intense as any action blockbuster I've seen with the conversation had between Mr. Reed and the Sisters, especially considering my religious beliefs. It challenged me more to think about my own faith and why I believe what I believe, especially when it was just told to me by someone else. Fortunately I've been able to attend religious school where I was encouraged to think for myself, and in doing so I uncovered a lot of "facts" I had been told by ministers that weren't actually biblical, and "Heretic" dives head-first into that discussion, where Mr. Reed even gives a comparison when he tells the girls that their belief is based on what others told them, just as they believed he had a wife that they never saw just based on what he told them. It's a mindf*&^ in the greatest way, mixing the physical horror with the religious/psychological.

One moment that sticks with me is when Mr. Reed writes "belief" and "disbelief" on the doors and talks about each, how "belief" is what we've been told to believe because of what others have told us, despite its severe contradictions and how it's led people to commit atrocities in the name of religion, and "disbelief" having no faith in any higher power or afterlife, and stating that both are equally terrifying - and he's right. It's strange to relate to the villain, but Mr. Reed offers profound points in ways that make sense and are told in a logical, thoughtful manner. Is he insane? Yeah, but he's also a genius when it comes to religion and uncovering the one true religion that...I can't really argue with.

While the film does paint religion in a negative light (and deservedly so), it's the concept of organized religion that's painted in that light. "Heretic" also opens the door for true faith and its true meaning that's given by the girls that continually butts heads with Mr. Reed's logic. It's like watching Professor X and Jean Grey having a psychic duel, with just as much intensity. And that's before the girls try to find a way out of their physical prison, and while that's equally intense, I was more about the theological debates - but that's just me.

Hugh Grant continues to reinvent himself from the romantic comedy lead to truly terrifying villain, a man who isn't as insane as he seems, but speaks eloquently and with authority, because he knows what he's talking about. He's studied religion for decades and has discovered the one true faith, and wants to show it to the girls in a very unorthodox and dangerous way. He is spellbinding, captivating, and alluring in his speech.

Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East are equally captivating, basing their faith on belief and eloquently professing their viewpoints, as they're mentally attacked by Mr. Reed at every turn. Their faith doesn't waiver in the important sense, but their eyes are opened to different viewpoints against their own publicly taught theology. Thatcher's Sister Barnes is the more street-smart of the two and takes the lead, while East's Sister Paxton is the more sheltered, but equally as intelligent, sister who has the biggest development in the film. These girls are on equal footing with Mr. Reed, and their intelligent discussion kept me on the edge of my seat.

Then the girls are thrust into survival mode and the film loses a bit of its intensity, but it still maintains the intensity thanks to the brilliant set design of Mr. Reed's house, where cinematographer Chung Chung-hoon really lets his talent loose. The house is a character all its own, with darkened hallways, enclosed spaces, and dimly lit rooms that maintains the intensity and mystery, with the camera focused on the characters' faces and their internal struggles and confidences.

A heretic is defined as someone who believes or teaches something that goes against accepted or official beliefs, and "Heretic" fully encapsulates that definition, giving a captivating, thought-provoking film filled start to finish with intense tension and brilliant performances that elevates it beyond what others could've done.

The Score: A+