Oh, it is a special day here on The Countdown to Halloween, it is the day before Halloween meaning in some places it is Mischief Night as it is known in my neck of the woods. I’ve also heard it called Hell Night, which I think might be in Detroit Michigan among other places. I remember several years ago fires being set and some crazy stuff going on instead of the more innocent fun where we toilet papered houses and soaped up some windows. Now not only is it the eve of All Hallows but today we have a special guest reviewer. I asked Dee Dee, my Horror Honey, if she would do a review for the countdown and she first said ‘No.”, and while I was crushed, I accepted her decision and moved on. A little while later she came back and said she would give it a try so without further ado I will hand it off to her but don’t worry you’re in good hands. Now I will say this though, I’ve read her review and let me give you a BIG WARNING: She gives a lot of spoilers in her review so proceed with caution. I will be back at the end of the review to put my two cents in but take it away Miss Dee Dee Delite.
Heretic is a tense psychological horror film directed by the film making duo of Scott Beck and Bryan Woods. They also directed the supernatural thriller Nightlight, 65, and the slasher film Haunt. They also co-wrote the two sequels to A Quiet Place, which are the only films in their resume I have seen. The movie starts innocently with two young Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints women proselytizing in a small town. Sister Barnes is confident and self-assured, played by Sophie Thatcher who stars in Companion and is the teenage Natalie in Yellowjackets. Sister Paxton, who is quieter and anxious to have her first conversion, is played by Chloe East who started her career as a child actress in True Blood and was recently featured in The Fablemans and A Big Bold Beautiful Journey.
As it starts to rain, they knock on the door of Mr. Reed, played by Hugh Grant. We quickly realize that he is not playing one of his usual Rom-Com characters that he made famous in Notting Hill, Bridget Jones Diary, About a Boy, or Love Actually. Sisters Barnes and Paxton are reluctant to enter his home, but he assures them his wife is in the kitchen making a blueberry pie. As they try to spread their message Mr. Reed flips the table on them and weaves an increasingly ominous view of religion. They ask him again to have his wife in the room, and when he goes to get her, they notice the candle burning is Blueberry Pie scent. They then try to leave the house only to discover they are locked in and there really isn’t a Mrs. Reed.
Reed leads them on a trail through the labyrinth like basement of his house, which he also has a model of. We see him adding hand carved pieces of them to the tableau. Sister Barnes becomes increasingly outspoken, and Reed slashes her throat. Sister Peyton runs and passes through multiple doors which leads her to a room full of cages with emaciated women held captive. She sees that Reed only craves power and control and stabs him with a letter opener when he catches up to her. Trying to escape, she ends up in the first room with Sister Barnes' body. Reed almost kills her when Barnes bashes him on the head with a board that has nails sticking out it. Seeing she has saved her friend, Barnes collapses and dies. Peyton runs and finally finds a way to escape the house. Hugh Grant did a nice job portraying the weird religious/control freak. An interesting thriller that I will give three and a half blueberry candles.
And there you have it, Dee Dee’s very first film review here on The Countdown to Halloween. Now, my two cents: Hugh Grant is incredible in Heretic. I’ve never seen him more ominous and while being vaguely threatening, he never really comes across as a nutter which he certainly is. The only thing I wanted to add that Dee Dee didn’t touch on is the fact that an unrecognizable Topher Grace (That 70s Show and Interstellar) plays the part of Elder Kennedy who shows up at Mr. Reed’s door looking for the two women. I do agree with her score, and I also give this three and a half songs from The Hollies out of five.
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