“Heretic” (2024) – A24’s New Dark Gem That Dives Into Religion… and Messes With Your Head

“Heretic” (2024) – A24’s New Dark Gem That Dives Into Religion… and Messes With Your Head

What if Hugh Grant himself told you he had discovered the one true religion… in a horror movie?
That’s how Heretic kicks off—A24’s latest film that blends faith, manipulation, and paranoia inside a house where nothing is what it seems. If you’re into psychological horror with a philosophical twist, this one’s worth checking out.

One night, I was in the mood for a horror movie and stumbled across this one. I’d heard a bit about it before, and apparently, it was supposed to be pretty good.

Heretic, from A24, released in 2024, stars Hugh Grant, Sophie Thatcher, and Chloe East. It follows two Mormon missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Just knowing it was from A24 made me want to watch it even more—this studio gave us gems like the X trilogy with Mia Goth, Hereditary, The Witch, and Midsommar.

And honestly, it starts off really well. There’s a point where it dips a little, but overall, I thought it was a solid film.

It begins with these two girls, both Mormon, going around preaching their faith—but it’s clear most people aren’t really listening. There’s even a scene where one of them gets her clothes pulled down as a “joke,” which honestly wasn’t funny at all.

At one point, the two girls visit a man’s house. Apparently, they’re trying to convert him. They say they can only come in if his wife is present. He tells them she is, so they go inside.

By the way, the house is super weird—kind of isolated, with tiny windows and this timer system where the lights turn off unless you keep cranking it to keep them on.

These girls, faithful and innocent, have no idea they’re walking into the home of a man with a lot of secrets—and maybe even more religious knowledge than they have.

One of my favorite moments is when the guy starts comparing Monopoly, music, and religion. He basically says everything is just a copy of something that came before. Same concept, different packaging.

This man wants to test the two sisters. They're like subjects in some kind of twisted experiment—a project meant to prove his theory about religion.

Because here’s the thing I haven’t mentioned yet: this man has spent years studying every religion out there. And he’s come to a very specific conclusion.

At the end of the film, he even dares to tell you he’s figured out what the true religion is. I was super curious to hear it. But I won’t spoil it—you’ll have to see it for yourself.

This was one of those movies that left me kind of disappointed at first. It started strong, then lost a bit of steam. But now, writing this review, I realize it was actually pretty damn good.

And if you’re into theories or history, this movie might just catch your interest.