|
|
|
Heretic
[Blu-ray 4K]
Blu-ray ALL - America - A24 Review written by and copyright: Noor Razzak (29th June 2025). |
|
The Film
 "Heretic" is a taut psychological horror-thriller from Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, the writing duo behind "A Quiet Place" (2018) and leans into minimalist suspense and high-concept terror to deliver a chamber-piece of creeping dread. At its center is a chillingly reimagined Hugh Grant, playing against type as a charismatic yet unsettling religious recluse. The film, distributed by A24, marks another entry in the “elevated horror” trend, but it succeeds in grounding its stylized premise with nerve-fraying tension and committed performances. The story follows two young Mormon missionaries Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East), who knock on the wrong door—one belonging to a seemingly polite and inquisitive man, Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), who lures them into what appears at first to be a theological conversation, but quickly becomes a harrowing cat-and-mouse game. The setting rarely expands beyond the interior of the house, but the directors use the space to maximum effect, constructing a claustrophobic environment where each room harbors a new revelation, a moral riddle, or a psychological trap. Hugh Grant’s performance is the film’s most fascinating element. His portrayal is disarming and ambiguous, oscillating between charm, menace, and cryptic sadness. Grant weaponizes his affability, turning the idea of the “harmless English eccentric” on its head. This role stretches him further than his previous forays into darker material, crafting a figure who is both intellectually formidable and viscerally terrifying. Thematically, "Heretic" probes the nature of belief, manipulation, and free will. It blurs the line between faith and fanaticism, asking uncomfortable questions about the motivations that drive people toward dogma or rebellion. The script is lean and often cerebral, structured around escalating tests and philosophical quandaries. Some viewers may find its narrative gamesmanship a touch too schematic, but the film’s commitment to tone and atmosphere helps paper over its occasional lapses into contrivance. Visually, cinematographer Chung-hoon Chung employs stark lighting and deliberate camera movement to cultivate a sense of surveillance and entrapment. Meanwhile, Philip Messina's production design is spare but purposeful, enhancing the psychological dimension of the house as a kind of purgatory or labyrinth. Chris Bacon’s score adds an eerie undercurrent, using sparse instrumentation to heighten dread without overwhelming the drama. "Heretic" may not deliver conventional horror thrills—there are no monsters (unless you count the Prophet character), no jump scares—but it instead builds a steady, intellectual horror rooted in ideology and identity. It’s a film that trusts its audience to be as disturbed by a turn of phrase as by a twist of the knife. For those seeking something more contemplative than carnage, it’s an unsettling meditation on control, guilt, and the cost of spiritual certainty. "Heretic" is a cerebral, slow-burning thriller anchored by a revelatory performance from Hugh Grant. Beck and Woods craft a contained yet expansive horror experience that lingers long after the credits roll. Though its narrative tightness can feel stagey at times, its thematic ambition and eerie execution mark it as one of the more intriguing genre efforts of the year.
Video
A24 delivers "Heretic" in its original 2.39:1 widescreen theatrical ratio, mastered in 4K 2160p 24/fps and using HEVC compression codec and enhanced with HDR10 and Dolby Vision. The dark visuals of the film are beautifully rendered here, black levels are crisp and bold. Detail is excellent, right down to Mr. Reed's checkered shirt, skin tones look great, sharpness is excellent, and the muted color palette is accurately presented. Top marks from A24.
Audio
Two tracks are included in English Dolby Atmos and English Audio Descriptive Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo. The Atmos track is fantastic, with clean and clear dialogue but it's the surround channels that come alive in a subtle manner immersing the viewer as if you're inside the house along with Mr. Reed's victims. The score plays well throughout the mix. Overall an impressive audio mix for a richly detailed film. Optional subtitles are included in English for the hearing impaired and Spanish.
Extras
A24 has packaged this released with only minimal extras, they are a single audio commentary and a featurette, below is a closer look at these supplements. First up is the feature-length audio commentary with writer-directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, this is the typical track that features the filmmakers taking us through the writing process, on the themes of the film, development, on achieving the look, and on other aspects of the filmmaking process. Next up is the "Seeing Is Believing: Behind the Scenes of Heretic" featurette (15:19), this is a brief EPK clip that takes a basic look at the making of the film featuring interviews with key vast and crew.
Packaging
This A24 shop exclusive comes packaged in a cardboard slip-case and includes six collectible postcards with set photography by Kimberly French.
Overall
"Heretic" is a fantastic entry into the psychological horror genre, A24 delivers the film with wonderful picture and audio quality, but for the premium price they command more extras would have been welcomed.
|
|||||
|