Heretic (Film) Reviews: Critics, Ratings & Ending Explained

Few actors have done a sharper pivot than Hugh Grant—rom-com king to horror villain—and audiences noticed. Heretic, the 2024 A24 psychological thriller, has crystallized that shift with a Rotten Tomatoes score that speaks for itself.

Release Year: 2024 · Lead Actor: Hugh Grant · Genre: Horror Thriller · Key Praise: Hugh Grant’s villain role

The film stars Hugh Grant as Mr. Reed, with Sophie Thatcher as Sister Barnes and Chloe East as Sister Paxton, directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods for A24. Here is what critics and audiences have said.

Was Heretic a good movie?

Critic consensus

The Rotten Tomatoes consensus reads: “Hugh Grant has infectious fun playing against type in Heretic, a religious horror that preaches the gospel of cerebral chills over cheap shocks.” That line captures why critics gravitated toward this film. Empire Magazine called it “an incredibly tense, tightly contained bottle horror, showcasing a genuinely chilling turn from Hugh Grant.” The praise centers on restraint—Heretic builds dread through philosophical confrontation rather than jump scares.

“An incredibly tense, tightly contained bottle horror, showcasing a genuinely chilling turn from Hugh Grant.”

Empire Magazine (Film publication)

Audience reactions

Viewers mirror the critical enthusiasm. Rotten Tomatoes audience reviews highlight the cast, writing, and Hugh Grant’s dual role as charming host and menacing antagonist. One recurring theme: the film rewards patience. Heretic spends its first half in theological debates, and audiences who leaned in reported the payoff was worth it. The ending sparks ongoing conversation—viewers dissect whether Sister Paxton survives or whether she has entered a simulation.

“Hugh Grant has infectious fun playing against type in a religious horror that emphasizes cerebral chills over cheap shocks.”

Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus (Aggregator)

Pros and cons

The implication: this is a film that rewards engagement—viewers who brought their attention got the experience critics praised.

Is Heretic hit or flop?

Box office data

Heretic performed respectably during its theatrical run, though exact box office figures remain less documented than the critical reception. The film ranks as the most successful directorial effort from the team of Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, according to coverage from ScreenRant. A24 releases rarely chase blockbuster numbers—the studio’s model favors critical cachet and streaming longevity—and Heretic aligns with that strategy.

Review aggregates

Rotten Tomatoes shows a 94% critics score with an audience score that tracks closely, suggesting alignment between professional critics and general viewers. The film’s placement on “top horror films of the year” lists from outlets like ScreenRant signals industry recognition. Critics specifically note Heretic as Grant’s most critically-acclaimed film and his highest Rotten Tomatoes score in the horror genre.

Audience vs critics

The consensus between audiences and critics is unusually tight here. Both groups emphasize Hugh Grant’s performance, the tension-building, and the thematic weight. Some audience reviews note that the second half shifts from intellectual horror to something more straightforwardly sinister, and not every viewer found that transition seamless. Still, the overall alignment marks Heretic as a rare case of unified critical and popular approval.

The pattern: Heretic succeeded on the terms that matter for an A24 horror film—critical credibility and audience engagement—even if it did not produce nine-figure box office returns.

What is the point of the film Heretic?

Core themes

At its center, Heretic explores the tension between faith and doubt, and the way manipulation can wear the costume of theology. Mr. Reed traps two Mormon missionaries—Sisters Barnes and Paxton—in his home and subjects them to philosophical tests. He uses iterations of Monopoly to represent the evolution of religion, framing Judaism as the first edition and Mormonism as a later revision. His method: prove that all religions are manufactured systems of control. Co-director Bryan Woods has been explicit about the thematic intent, stating that “Mr. Reed’s one true religion is ‘control’ and the evening part of his ‘experiments of control.'”

“Mr. Reed’s one true religion is ‘control’ and the evening part of his ‘experiments of control.'”

Bryan Woods (Co-Director)

Plot overview

The first half unfolds as an intellectual cat-and-mouse game. Mr. Reed presents himself as a curious host with strong opinions about religious history. Sisters Barnes and Paxton engage, believing they can witness through debate. The second half reveals the trap—Mr. Reed has kept malnourished prophets in cages to demonstrate his thesis about manipulation. The missionaries attempt to escape by starting a fire with matches for a smoke signal, but Mr. Reed maintains control. A blueberry pie-scented candle hints that the fictional wife Mr. Reed mentions is another fabrication.

Religious horror elements

Heretic falls into the lineage of religious horror that questions faith through dread rather than satire. Films like The Exorcist and Rosemary’s Baby used religious frameworks to explore psychological vulnerability; Heretic uses philosophical debate to similar effect. The horror here is cerebral—the audience watches characters realize their faith is being weaponized against them. The film’s R rating and its approach to horror suggest A24’s intent to reach adult audiences seeking substance alongside scares.

What does the ending of Heretic mean?

Final scene breakdown

The ending unfolds with Sister Paxton presented two doors: one representing belief, one disbelief. She chooses disbelief—but finds herself in a space that mirrors belief, alongside Sister Barnes. Mr. Reed kills Sister Barnes by slashing her throat, framing the act as a miracle consistent with his earlier demonstrations. Sister Paxton develops a theory: Mr. Reed swapped bodies during a doorbell distraction and improvised the entire narrative of prophets and cages. The implication is that she may have entered a simulation or afterlife that reflects her choice.

“It isn’t real.”

Old woman in the film (Character)

Interpretations

Coverage from No Film School emphasizes that the ending resists easy resolution. The film presents Mr. Reed’s experiments as tests of faith, but the conclusion suggests that reality itself may be one of the variables under examination. Sister Paxton’s choice of the door of disbelief leads her into what looks like a belief environment—the reversal is deliberate. The debate between simulation and genuine survival mirrors the film’s broader interest in how people construct meaning under pressure.

Star explanations

Co-director Bryan Woods has addressed the thematic intent behind the ending, confirming that Mr. Reed’s obsession with Sister Barnes stems from her 98% escape chance—he was fascinated by the one scenario where his control might fail. The prophets in cages serve as evidence of systematic manipulation. The film’s final ambiguity suggests that Sister Paxton’s afterlife theory may be fulfilled, or that she remains trapped in another layer of Mr. Reed’s design.

What did the butterfly mean in Heretic?

Symbolism details

Butterflies appear at key moments in Heretic, functioning as visual markers of transformation and fragility. In the context of Mr. Reed’s home, the butterfly connects to the film’s broader interest in manufactured belief systems—nature imagery weaponized within a controlled environment. The symbol recurs when characters confront the gap between what they expect and what they experience.

Sister Barnes context

Sister Barnes is the character most closely associated with the film’s interrogation of faith. Her background includes a birth control implant, which Mr. Reed uncovers and uses as leverage. The detail matters because it reveals vulnerability beneath her certainty—her religious convictions exist alongside choices that complicate them. Mr. Reed exploits this gap, using personal information to destabilize her confidence. The butterfly imagery ties to her arc as a character who begins certain and ends questioning everything.

Birth control implant tie-in

The birth control implant serves as one of Mr. Reed’s tools for dismantling Sister Barnes’ composure. He retrieves personal medical information and uses it to frame her beliefs as inconsistent. The scene underscores the film’s argument about control: Mr. Reed does not simply test faith through abstract debate—he finds concrete vulnerabilities and exploits them. The butterfly imagery near this thread suggests that what appears beautiful or natural may be part of a larger manipulation.

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Hugh Grant’s menacing performance drives Heretic’s acclaim, as cast details and scariness breakdown unpacks the ensemble alongside fresh takes on its thrills and twist.

Frequently asked questions

For horror fans, the choice is straightforward: seek out Heretic for a film that earns its tension through intelligence and Hugh Grant’s unsettling performance. For viewers hesitant about religious horror, the craft is undeniable—Beck and Woods deliver a contained thriller that outpaces genre conventions.