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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteHugh Grant’s most unsettling weapon in Heretic is the quality that once made him a rom-com fixture: easy, disarming charm. As Mr. Reed, he welcomes two Latter-day Saint missionaries into his home, then turns their visit into a test of faith and nerve. The film’s best stretch makes theological debate feel like a trap; whether its later horror and ending deliver on that tension is less certain.
What is Heretic about?
Written and directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, the 2024 horror film stars Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East. Its setup is simple and effective: missionaries Sister Barnes (Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (East) knock on the wrong door and meet Mr. Reed (Grant), a host whose apparent hospitality gives way to a deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The premise comes from A24’s official synopsis.
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Heretic (Blu-ray) 2024 | $28.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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Heretic [Blu-ray] | $17.49 | Buy on Amazon |
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The Heretic [Blu-ray] | $12.49 | Buy on Amazon |
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Exorcist 2: The Heretic [Blu-ray] | $19.99 | Buy on Amazon |
The opening conflict is less about immediate violence than about persuasion. Reed challenges the missionaries’ beliefs, and the film lets the conversation become its first source of suspense. The central question is not just whether the women can get out, but what happens when a debate is conducted by someone who controls the room.
Why Hugh Grant is so effective as Mr. Reed
Grant’s performance is the film’s defining pleasure. Reed is articulate and seemingly cordial, but Grant makes the politeness feel like a performance with something predatory underneath. The menace grows out of the contrast: familiar warmth becomes a way to hold the missionaries’ attention and unsettle them.
#1 Best Overall
In the Associated Press review, Mark Kennedy called Reed “a scholarly creep” and praised Grant for having “gloriously weaponized his natural charm.” That captures the role’s particular appeal: Grant does not simply play a villain who happens to be witty. His comic ease is part of how Reed exerts control.
Grant told the AP that playing Reed was a challenge, describing the character as “just so wonderfully (expletive)-up.” The actor’s own account of the film’s oddball humor also hints at its tonal mix. Asked whether Reed’s Jar Jar Binks impression was scripted, Grant said, “It’s hard to remember which was the writers, which was me. But I’m pretty sure doing the Jar Jar Binks impersonation was my idea.” The interview was published November 4, 2024.
Rank #2
Does the theological debate make the film scarier?
For much of its early stretch, Heretic is a chamber piece built around conversation, not a parade of shocks. Reed’s arguments give the missionaries a reason to stay engaged with him, while their attempts to respond expose the imbalance between a genuine exchange and a game designed by their host. That is where the film’s “cerebral” horror has its strongest footing.
Reed’s assertions should be read as the claims of a fictional antagonist, not as a neutral guide to Latter-day Saint belief or religion more broadly. The film’s interest is in the power dynamics of the encounter: who gets to set the terms, who is being tested, and whether a person arguing about faith is sincerely curious or simply seeking leverage.
Rank #3
Chloe East, who plays Sister Paxton, told TIME that “Depending on how you were raised, everyone has a different perspective on the movie and what it means.” She also described the script as “more of an open dialogue that had this equal, opposite argument.” That openness can invite viewers to think through the film’s questions, but it does not mean Reed himself is an impartial voice.
Does the horror escalation and ending work?
The film eventually shifts from verbal pressure toward physical danger. Whether that transition feels like a satisfying escalation or a loss of the earlier tension is a key dividing line: the debate-heavy setup is distinctive, while the later horror has to compete with the promise created by Grant’s controlled, talkative performance.
Rank #4
Mark Kennedy’s AP review praises the first half’s construction and the work of Grant, Thatcher and East, but calls the ending a “murky, muddled and disturbing mess.” That is Kennedy’s assessment rather than a universal verdict. It points to the film’s risk: a story that makes its ideas and atmosphere so central has to land both its plot mechanics and its final turn.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How critics and viewers have responded
Rotten Tomatoes’ critics consensus describes Heretic as a religious horror film that favors “cerebral chills over cheap shocks,” while highlighting Grant’s against-type performance. The aggregator page, accessed October 4, 2026, displayed an 89% Tomatometer based on 295 reviews and a 76% Popcornmeter from 1,000+ verified ratings. Those figures change over time and are a snapshot, not fixed measures of quality.
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The reception figures align with the film’s clearest strength: Grant’s unsettling charm and the early, talk-driven suspense. They do not settle the question of whether the film’s ending pays off its setup; Kennedy’s sharply mixed response illustrates why that part remains a matter of taste.
Where to watch or own Heretic
Availability depends on country and date. At the time Rotten Tomatoes was accessed, it listed streaming on Disney+ and Hulu, with rental or purchase on Fandango. Disney+’s US title page described the film as 1 hour 51 minutes. Check the services in your own region for current availability.
A24’s shop lists the film on Blu-ray and 4K UHD. Both editions have a listed runtime of 110 minutes and an R rating. The Blu-ray is 1080p; the 4K UHD disc is 2160p with Dolby Vision HDR. Both list Dolby Atmos, English SDH, Spanish subtitles and English descriptive audio. A24 notes that the 4K disc will not play in a standard Blu-ray player, and HDR requires a compatible 4K television and player. The editions include commentary by Beck and Woods, a making-of featurette and six collectible postcards featuring set photography by Kimberly French. A24 described the 4K edition as exclusive to its shop when the page was accessed.
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