Heretic, the new A24 horror film from directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, will hit streaming platforms this week after its fall theatrical release. The film follows two Mormon missionaries, Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East), who knock on the door of Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant) one night in the middle of a snowstorm. Lured in by Mr. Reed's friendliness and willingness to discuss religion with them, the two friends soon realize they are caught in a nightmarish and deadly maze of riddles and religious tests. And while we've already covered the film's nuanced portrayal of Mormonism and the way it proves Hugh Grant should play more villains, there is another crucial element of the story which hides in plain sight. Heretic takes elements of classic fairy tales and gives a modern, unsettling spin on them. The result is a film that feels more in the realm of dark fantasy than pure horror. And if you haven't seen the film yet, we suggest watching before reading on, as the following contains spoilers.
'Heretic' References Classic Fairy Tale Tropes
Heretic presents a patchwork collection of images and symbols which call back to much older fairy tales and myths. Mr. Reed's house is designed as an inescapable maze that extends much further than it appears above ground, a nod to the Greek myth of Theseus, who managed to navigate King Minos' Labyrinth, which was guarded by a deadly Minotaur, and was also referenced last year in Saltburn. In Mr. Reed's study, Barnes and Paxton are presented with two doors, one that says "belief" and the other which says "disbelief," and they are asked to choose. Danger or a way out could be behind either door, and they won't know until they choose. This choice between two doors recurs in many stories, not only in the Bible's concept of the "gates" to Heaven and Hell, but also in fantasy, most notably in the 1986 dark fantasy gem Labyrinth, where Sarah is confronted with the seemingly impossible and treacherous Two-Door Riddle.
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Heretic also subtly references many classic European folk tales. The memorable shot of the two girls emerging from the forest and walking up Mr. Reed's driveway in the snow to knock on his door is suggestive of the Charles Perrault fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood. Meanwhile, Mr. Reed's luring them inside with the promise of blueberry pie has undertones of Hansel and Gretel. These fairy tale references fit very well in this philosophical film, which is deeply interested in stories as a way of telling both truth and lies.
'Heretic's Bryan Woods and Scott Beck Were Influenced by Parables
In an interview with Deadline, Woods and Beck were asked about the fairy tale undercurrents of their film. Beck responded that he and Woods were interested in religious parables as a framing device for the film. Parables are stories which are told to teach a lesson, just as fairy tales are often told to warn children of danger. There may be an element of truth to them, but they are exaggerated for dramatic effect. Beck added that he and Woods toyed with the idea that Heretic itself can be seen as a parable. The film does have an epic, fantastical quality to it, like a ghost story passed down around campfires and altered one degree more with each retelling.
In Heretic, the line between what is real and what is imagined becomes blurred. At the end of the film, Barnes seemingly comes back to life after bleeding out to stab Mr. Reed, and Paxton escapes into the morning outside, where a butterfly lands on her hand. This powerful sequence makes us question if Paxton died inside Mr. Reed's house, and she merely hallucinated Barnes' resurrection and her own escape in her final moments. The butterfly serves as a recurring symbol in the film, and Mr. Reed even tells a Taoist parable of a man who dreams that he is a butterfly, and when he wakes up he wonders if he is instead a butterfly dreaming that he is a man. This symbolism adds more meaning and further questions to the ending. Heretic is interested in storytelling in all its many forms — religious, secular, and everything in between — and the film's fairy tale imagery goes a long way to darken and deepen its impact.
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Heretic
Two young missionaries are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed, becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse.
Release Date November 8, 2024
Director Scott Beck , Bryan Woods
Runtime 110 Minutes
Writers Scott Beck , Bryan Woods
Studio(s) A24
Distributor(s) A24
Character(s) Mr. Reed , Sister Barnes , Sister Paxton , Elder Kennedy , Prophet
Heretic will be available to stream on Prime Video on December 10.
English (US) ·