Hugh Grant has been vocal about wanting to take on darker roles as of late and, with his latest role of Mr. Reed in Heretic, he does exactly that and knocks it out of the park.
The film centers around Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East), who are very young Mormon missionaries who get summoned to the home of Mr. Reed (Grant), who they think wants to learn more about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Amidst a violent winter storm, what seems innocent at first, quickly becomes very sinister and sees Reed playing a series of mind games with Paxton and Barnes, attempting to convert them from their Mormon faith and, at best, make them question what they believe by showing them the similarities between multiple religions.
From there, it gets darker, eerier and creepier as the film progresses and Reed slowly becomes more and more intense.
While many viewers may go into the film assuming Reed tortures the two with violence akin to Jigsaw, this isn’t the case- it’s much more psychological and complex. In fact, he can be awfully charming at times and Reed’s jokes throughout the movie are so cringe (purposefully so), that you can’t help but laugh at times.
While it does get physical and violent toward the end of the movie, the fact they don’t rely on jump-scares, violence, blood and gore, but rather make you think about what’s going on in front of you- and what you aren’t seeing- adds to the suspense.
The film boasts a small cast- with maybe two or three characters aside from the main three- including a nearly unrecognizable Topher Grace, who plays Elder Kennedy from the girls’ church, who comes looking for the two.
Along with the small cast, the number of settings in the film is impressive. They utilize three main areas throughout the movie- the living room, the back room and the basement, which is full of fun little side areas. While there are other places used in the scenes, the focus on these three makes the film just that much more enjoyable and interesting.
All three characters are relatable at times and, even Grant- though dark, twisted, sinister and borderline evil- has some very likeable traits. Grant’s portrayal of such a departure of a role in Mr. Reed is a grand slam and will make you wonder where this darkness was for so long. We could easily be seeing a career resurgence for Grant and his portrayal of Mr. Reed could open up a whole new world of roles for him.
Thatcher and East’s portrayals of such innocent and vulnerable characters would make you think they’ve been playing these roles for years and not that they’re both less than a decade into their on-screen careers. Thatcher and East solidify themselves as stars in this film.
Chung Chung-Hoon’s cinematography in Heretic is breathtaking and innovative. So many cool effects and camera angles are used that it keeps you enthralled and attentive throughout.
While the small cast and small amount of settings might make you think you can, this isn’t a film you can just turn on and zone out during. Heretic has so many moving parts and hidden gems that you have to really pay attention to it to get the full experience and truly appreciate it.
Rating: 9/10
-Reggie Edwards