In a delightfully wicked turn, British heartthrob Hugh Grant steps into the role of a lifetime as the charming incarnation of evil in the new horror thriller Heretic. Swapping his signature floppy hair and boyish grin for sinister smiles and cozy knitwear, Grant sinks his teeth into the juiciest part of his career, leaving audiences both captivated and chilled to the bone.
A Knock at the Devil’s Door
Heretic, masterfully crafted by directing duo Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, follows the harrowing journey of two young Mormon missionaries, played by rising stars Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East. As they go door-to-door spreading the good word, they unwittingly cross the threshold into a suburban nightmare—the home of Mr. Reed, a wolf in sheep’s clothing with a taste for testing faith and serving up terror.
Grant’s Mr. Reed is the epitome of evil hiding in plain sight. With his disarming smile, cozy cardigans, and offers of tea and homemade pie, he lures the unsuspecting girls into his web. But as the minutes tick by and the tension mounts, it becomes clear that the only way out is through the darkness that lurks beneath.
A Testament to Low-Budget Brilliance
Despite its modest budget, Heretic delivers big scares and keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. Beck and Woods, the masterminds behind 2018’s sleeper hit A Quiet Place, prove once again that less is more when it comes to crafting an unforgettable horror experience.
Wringing the maximum mileage from its claustrophobic location, Heretic merrily spins us around and steers us towards darkness. It’s a tense, tight fairground ride of a film.
– film critic Xan Brooks
The film’s strength lies in its ability to build an atmosphere of dread through the masterful use of its limited setting. The confines of Mr. Reed’s house become a character in itself—a labyrinth of shadows, creaky stairs, and locked doors that trap the missionaries in a waking nightmare.
Grant’s Descent into Darkness
But the true revelation of Heretic is Hugh Grant’s magnetic performance as the villainous Mr. Reed. Gone is the bumbling, lovable Englishman we’ve come to know and love from rom-coms like Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill. In his place stands a figure of pure malevolence, a devil in human form who revels in the corruption of innocence.
Grant’s portrayal is a masterclass in understated menace. With every sip of tea and bite of pie, he peels back the layers of his character to reveal the rot beneath the surface. His performance is so deliciously wicked, so perfectly pitched, that one can’t help but wish he’d taken a walk on the dark side sooner.
Faith, Fear, and the Nature of Evil
At its core, Heretic is a meditation on the nature of faith and the insidious ways in which evil can manifest in the most unassuming of places. As Mr. Reed puts the missionaries through a twisted test of their beliefs, the film asks uncomfortable questions about the power of religion and the price of blind devotion.
Every religion, he argues, is an exercise in control.
– Xan Brooks on Mr. Reed’s philosophy
Thatcher and East deliver powerful performances as the young women grappling with the unraveling of their worldview. Their journey from wide-eyed innocence to gut-wrenching terror is the beating heart of the film, a testament to the fragility of faith in the face of true evil.
A Must-See Horror Gem
In a sea of jump scares and gore-soaked slashers, Heretic stands out as a beacon of smart, stylish horror that burrows under the skin and lingers long after the credits roll. With its claustrophobic setting, slow-burn tension, and career-defining turn from Hugh Grant, it’s a film that demands to be seen and savored by fans of the genre.
So go ahead, take a seat at Mr. Reed’s table. Just be careful what you pray for. In the world of Heretic, faith can be a dangerous thing, and the only way out is through the darkness.
Heretic is now playing in theaters across the UK and Ireland. Prepare to be shocked, thrilled, and forever changed by Hugh Grant’s most diabolical role to date.
