Whatever you think about Heretic, you’re wrong.

Heretic was a wildcard for me. On the one hand, I somehow find horror movies both mediocre and utterly terrifying (jumpscares get me every time), but on the other hand, I adore exploring religious themes. I assumed I’d be getting lazy theology and lazier writing, since that seems to be the trend in movies these days, but I figured I’d give it a chance just in case. You can imagine, then, how horrified/delighted I was when I realised that not only was Heretic scary, it actually presented an interesting take on religion!

After reading other people’s reactions to the film, however, I still have a problem : nobody else seems to understand the film the way I did. And unfortunately, you might be one of them, because I’m almost certain that whatever you think about Heretic, you’re getting it wrong.

The film’s plot is relatively simple, but I’d still recommend stopping now if you don’t want to be spoiled. It tells the story of two Mormon women going door to door to “spread the good word”, only their first stop is very much the worst door they could find. What follows is a true test of their faith as Mr. Reed, played by Hugh Grant, pokes holes in their faith and shares with them what he’s come to learn after years of study : the one true religion is control.

There’s a pretty obvious reading of the film just from that description : it’s about an atheist “owning” religious people by pointing out how stupid and pointless their religion is. Everything about the missionaries' lives is dictated by their faith, from their ill-fated presence at Mr. Reed’s house to the special underwear they wear. Throughout their torture, god never comes to save them. They’re just idiots who’ve fallen for the religious equivalent of a niche version of Monopoly, as Mr. Reed puts it.

Then again, some people are taking the opposite perspective. Mr. Reed is the antagonist, after all, so wouldn’t it make more sense that Heretic is about religious people triumphing over evil atheists? Well, there’s certainly plenty of evidence in favour of this reading as well. Many of Mr. Reed’s arguments are flawed - I remember him saying that Judaism’s relatively small population was because they didn’t have missionaries pushing for conversions which is so wrong I’d have to write a whole other article just to explain why. Even his carefully thought-out torture and manipulation, his life goal, quickly goes off the rails, forcing him to improvise unconvincingly.

The missionaries, though, prove themselves to be more than just sweet and innocent. They’re incredibly intelligent, with deep knowledge of various religions and enough nerve to point out the flaws in Mr. Reed’s logic, even managing to defeat him in the end. They’re not mindless idiots or cowards - their faith strengthens them. Isn’t that the perfect retort to Mr. Reed’s beliefs?

Well, it’s a bit more complicated than that.

For context, I should share my own spiritual beliefs. I don’t go to church, in large part because I don’t agree with any religions I’ve come across - just like Mr. Reed, I find them way too limiting and controlling. At the same time, though, I think there’s a bit of truth in all of them, so it’s unwise to write them off entirely. Basically, what it comes down to is that real spirituality doesn’t come from reading a book and listening to a religious leader but rather from forming a personal relationship with the divine.

And I think Heretic agrees with me.

Think of the missionaries in the film : they’re controlled by their religion, yes, and often to their detriment. But they’re not slaves to it. One has watched porn, and while she’s pretty judgemental about the actress, she doesn’t seem to have turned it off. The other is also revealed to have a birth control implant, which while not expressly forbidden is definitely frowned upon by her religious community. While they both identify as Mormon and connect with those teachings, they’ve developed a different, more personal understanding of their faith, even going so far as to doubt their god’s existence.

That’s what makes their faith so strong : they question it and find the answers that make sense to them, whether or not it fits their religion.

Heretic is about the difference between religion as an institution and an individual’s spirituality, reminding us of the danger of religion and the beauty of faith in equal parts. If we want to make the world a better place, we have to hold space for both of those truths instead of just screaming about how amazing/terrible religion is all the time. So whether you’re religious, spiritual, or atheist, I definitely recommend you take time to check out Heretic. It won’t change your perspective, but if you really pay attention, it might just broaden it.