“Heretic” is the ultimate test of faith, and A24 has, yet again, delivered an experience that renews my faith in the studio itself.

With an iconic A24 blend of atmospheric tension and razor-sharp storytelling, “Heretic” pulls us into a world where faith isn’t just tested but dissected – layer by layer, scene by scene.

Heretic follows two young Mormon missionaries, Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East), who are sent to Mr. Reed’s (Hugh Grant’s) remote home and find themselves confronted with an ultimate test of faith.

The result – a haunting exploration that feels as spiritual as it is sinister, reminding me why I keep coming back to A24’s vision: they understand how to transform the viewer’s deepest beliefs into a fragile, gripping exploration of the senses.

Directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods turn Mr. Reed’s home into a trap, a silent labyrinth where every creak and shadow suggests the fragility of human conviction.

The sparse soundtrack underscores moments of eerie quiet, amplifying the tension in the space between words, inviting viewers to feel the weight of the unknown pressing in on the two young missionaries caught in Reed’s sinister plan.

As CinemaBlend describes, Mr. Reed is no physical threat; rather, “his danger is as a charismatic guide leading the young women into his maze, and his recognized delightful grin is rendered chilling.”

It’s Grant’s portrayal of the charming Mr. Reed is what makes the film, and what defines his character from the typical American psychopath.

Grant’s familiar British charm and affable demeanor transform into an unsettling weapon, as he shifts from genial host to menacing philosopher, guiding Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton deeper into his twisted games.

It’s Grant’s likeability that helps him keep the Sisters’ doubt at bay long enough for him to ensnare them in his elaborate trap.

If your host has metal in his walls, windows that aren’t big enough for a child to fit through, and lights that randomly shut off, it’s probably not the smartest idea to try and baptize him in a snowstorm.

Then again, if your host is Hugh Grant you might want to stay for some blueberry pie.

The more the Sisters question Mr. Reed, the more they question the foundations of their own faith, and by extension, we as viewers start to reflect on the limits and strength of our own convictions.

It’s not the traditional terror of jump scares or gore that threatens the Sisters, it’s the calculated unwinding of their certainty, the slow realization that everything they hold dear is slipping away, undermined by the very words that Reed delivers so smoothly.

The slow unraveling of the protagonists’ faith, as they become trapped in Reed’s web reflects an all-too-human experience: the fragility of faith in the face of overwhelming intellectual power.

If knowledge is power, then Reed’s is overwhelming.

A question Sister Paxton asked Mr. Reed lingered in my mind after the film’s credits rolled.

“Why do you do that,” Sister Paxton asked, to which Mr. Reed responded, “The question is – why do you all let me?”

While revealing the subject of Sister Paxton’s question would reveal something rather essential to the plot, her question echoes a much grander moral qualm.

It’s easy to question those in power when they start to abuse it, but much more challenging to ask ourselves why we gave them unbridled power in the first place.

This is the essence of A24’s genius: they don’t just create characters who grapple with moral dilemmas; they compel us to engage with them too, questioning where our own boundaries lie.

“Heretic” is more than a test of faith – it’s a test of self-awareness, reminding us that sometimes the most unsettling monsters aren’t the ones lurking in shadows but the ones we quietly empower.

This story was originally published on The Gator on November 14, 2024.