Dir. Scott Beck & Bryan Woods | Now in Theaters | Rating: 5/5

Heretic almost snuck by me this year. So many of you sent me this trailer but I wasn’t wowed. Billy D of Halloween Babies eventually convinced me to catch this in theaters and I’m so glad I did. 

Delivering in typical A24 fashion, Heretic presents the question of belief in a cerebral and artsy way. However, I found the storytelling and characterization in the film grounded enough in reality to feel palatable and believable. Since there are really only three people on screen for the bulk of the film, we spend so much time getting to know Barnes and Paxton. There is so much empathy driven toward these young girls, you want to protect them from Reed – even when you aren’t quite sure what he’s up to yet. 

The story of Barnes and Paxton’s journey to escape can be compared to a parable or old Greek myth. The house is likened to a labyrinth with uncertainty and danger lurking around every unknown corner. The storytelling is rich with religious symbolism from the references to Dante’s Inferno to the numerology incorporated in Reed’s lectures. In some ways, we could see Reed as a characterization of the Devil – questioning, intelligent, but at the core innately evil. 

The scares in the film stray far from what we’re seeing from other 2024 releases. Heretic avoids body horror and gore to deliver sickening suspense for the first two acts and ultimately reveal the true psychological violence in its finale. I’m intrigued by this director duo because I feel like the dread that is unique to the female perspective is palpable in Heretic. The genuine fear we have for Barnes and Paxton’s lives propels the audience through what may seem like an ambiguous script. 

Heretic’s cerebral yet simplistic message will not be for everyone. To say you need to be “smart enough” to “get” it or to insinuate that this will be to everyone’s taste is foolish. But if you’re a fan of religious horror and allegory, Heretic will deliver an insanely creative and well acted narrative that will reveal more and more secrets on each rewatch. 

Know Before You Watch: Features death, blood.