HERETIC Spoilers: A24's Religious Horror Starring Hugh Grant Ends On A Shocking Note

HERETIC Spoilers: A24's Religious Horror Starring Hugh Grant Ends On A Shocking Note

Heretic is now in theaters, and as long as you're okay with spoilers, you can find out how the twisted religious horror movie plays out right here...

By MarkCassidy - Nov 08, 2024 12:11 PM EST
Filed Under: Horror
Source: Via FearHQ

A24's latest twisty chiller, Heretic, is now in theatres, and we're breaking down what happens in the final act of the critically-acclaimed religious horror flick.

Written and directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, who broke through with their script for John Krasinski’s A Quiet Place, Heretic stars Hugh Grant as Mr. Reed, who has some fiendish plans for two missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East), who come calling.

Initially wary of coming inside the house, the girls feel more at ease when the seemingly gregarious and welcoming Reed tells them that his wife is at home and currently baking a pie in the kitchen. Alarm bells go off when one of them notices a blueberry pie scented candle burning on the table, and Reed's mask begins to slip.

Reed tells his "guests" that they he "won’t keep you if you wish to leave, but I want you to choose which door to go through based on your faith.” He then writes “BELIEF” and “DISBELIEF” on two doorways, and asks them to choose.

This has all been revealed in the trailers, but they only offer a few vague hints about what happens next, so beware of major spoilers from this point on.

After some arguments, both girls decide to go through the belief door, which Reed tells them will lead to an understanding of the "one true religion." Down in a dingy basement, they encounter a decrepit old woman, who Reed claims is a prophet. She eats some poisoned pie, dies, and seemingly resurrects to give her account of the afterlife.

This is revealed to be a ruse orchestrated by Reed, however, who is keeping multiple women locked in cages for the purposes of perpetuating the prophet deception.

The one true religion is control, he explains.

When Barnes begins to protest, Reed suddenly slashes her throat, promising that she, too, will come back to life. When she doesn't, he cuts a contraceptive device from her arm and tells Paxton that her friend didn't resurrect because she's an artificial person. Paxton now fully sees through Reed's lies, stabbing him with a concealed letter opener. This isn't enough to fully incapacitate him, though, and he responds by stabbing Paxton in the stomach.

Paxton begins to pray as they both lie bleeding out together, but before Reed can finish her off, Barnes finally manages to kill their captor by plunging a plank of wood with nails into his head. Barnes then succumbs to her wound, and Paxton escapes. It's snowing outside, and a butterfly lands on her hand before disappearing.

There's a lot here that's left ambiguous. Did Barnes "resurrect," or was she simply still alive when Reed left her (this seems like a stretch given the seriousness of her wounds). Did Paxton actually die and enter the afterlife where her friend was waiting as an angel (this would explain the snowy streets and the butterfly), or did she really survive her ordeal?

The movie doesn't provide any definitive answers. Did you see Heretic yet? If so, what did you make of the ending? Let us know in the comments section.

"Two young missionaries are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse."

The cast also features Elle McKinnon, River Codack, Carolyn Adair, Stephanie Lavigne and Elle Young. Along with Beck and Woods, producers include Katie Aquino, Scott Beck, Liliane Bedford, Julia Glausi, Kai Raka, Stacey Sher and Jeanette Volturno.

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Shivermetimbers
Shivermetimbers - 11/8/2024, 12:46 PM
Saw it last night. I thought it was really good. Excellent acting and very thought provoking for anyone who has been involved in any form of religion. It isnt exactly what I would call horror, more of a psychological thriller. Some may find it slow or boring, but I thought it was tense and gripping.
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 11/8/2024, 12:48 PM
@Shivermetimbers - what did you think was going on at the end?
Shivermetimbers
Shivermetimbers - 11/8/2024, 12:50 PM
@MarkCassidy - What do you mean by that? Are you asking for my interpretation of the ending?
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 11/8/2024, 12:51 PM
@Shivermetimbers - yep
Shivermetimbers
Shivermetimbers - 11/8/2024, 1:01 PM
@MarkCassidy - I felt like she actually survived long enough to escape, but I'm not sure she will ultimately survive. I like your thoughts on whether or not she was resurrected, but I though the fact that others had been proven to die in that chamber, it established the fact that they would not resurrect. The butterfly was a good touch to get you thinking further about reincarnation though.
philinterrupted
philinterrupted - 11/8/2024, 4:39 PM
@Shivermetimbers @ MarkCassidy - I loved it. All the characters had their own belief structures and this was about how far you'll go before you break away from that. As well as what will you do to reconcile information to fit in with your beliefs.
Shivermetimbers
Shivermetimbers - 11/8/2024, 5:24 PM
@philinterrupted - Yes! I loved the way it challenges the viewer to think about those things.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 11/8/2024, 5:40 PM
@MarkCassidy - I think there are three ways of interpreting the butterfly.

1. It wasn't really there.

2. It was the dead girl landing on her fingers so that she'd be sure it was her (as per their earlier conversation).

3. It was Hugh Grant (as per their earlier conversation about The Butterfly Dream).
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 11/8/2024, 5:43 PM
The first one seems the most boring at first, but it speaks to the films themes about wanting to believe in the afterlife (and in meaning) to the degree that you believe in things that might not be real.
philinterrupted
philinterrupted - 11/8/2024, 8:27 PM
@ObserverIO - I took it as the dead girl being the butterfly. But I also think it could be her being near death and she’s going through what was talked about earlier. She’s still down in the basement dying.
I don’t think it’s Hugh Grant.
ItsNotForMeWahh
ItsNotForMeWahh - 11/8/2024, 1:24 PM
As an ex mormon I am definitely intrigued by this one. I may have to check it out!
amesjazz
amesjazz - 11/8/2024, 1:36 PM
@ItsNotForMeWahh - Haha I am too. Went on a mission and everything. Really enjoyed the flick and it really portrays the mormon missionaries sooo well.
ItsNotForMeWahh
ItsNotForMeWahh - 11/8/2024, 1:41 PM
@amesjazz - I fortunately got out before my mission. Your recommendation makes me want to see it more thanks!

Hopefully you are doing well with the post mormon life. It can be frustrating to reflect back on those times
amesjazz
amesjazz - 11/8/2024, 1:45 PM
@ItsNotForMeWahh - Oh yeah it's been so much better for myself. Still have a lot of friends in it and no judgment at all. Just not for me. I loved my mission but it was all just nonsense haha
ItsNotForMeWahh
ItsNotForMeWahh - 11/8/2024, 1:49 PM
@amesjazz - Same for me! I still have lots of close friends still in it and I'm willing to talk to them about what drove me away if they want to have that conversation but just like any religion, no judgement from me unless it is impacting others outside of their religion.

My buddy went to Bulgaria and has the craziest stories about the mafia out there
amesjazz
amesjazz - 11/8/2024, 1:53 PM
@ItsNotForMeWahh - Crazy stories. I would never walk through the areas I served in ever again. Heretic really hammers home how absolutely bonkers it is that the church sends young women and men to go knock on random people's doors to try and get inside to teach them! Never thought twice about it when I was serving but the whole idea is terrifying.
ItsNotForMeWahh
ItsNotForMeWahh - 11/8/2024, 2:02 PM
@amesjazz - And they've decreased the ages recently which is also nuts!

Wish you the best in growing away from that world! It really is a different world once you are out
amesjazz
amesjazz - 11/8/2024, 2:04 PM
@ItsNotForMeWahh - You too buddy. Go check it out i think you'd get a huge kick.
Antitrollpatrol
Antitrollpatrol - 11/8/2024, 5:29 PM
@amesjazz - as someone still practicing I'm excited to see this. I'm seeing it tonight. Total respect to both of you and your paths but I'm curious to see how it is. I've heard a lot of good things. Hoping it's good though.
amesjazz
amesjazz - 11/8/2024, 7:27 PM
@Antitrollpatrol - it's a brutal takedown of religion but also puts a positive spin on it in some aspects. Really enjoyed it and it's very tense. Great performances.
BrainySleep
BrainySleep - 11/8/2024, 2:14 PM
Enjoyed it. Parts of the ending were silly but a good watch and well acted by everyone. Hugh Grant was great.
TheLobster
TheLobster - 11/8/2024, 4:00 PM
Saw this last night and loved it! Great writing and great performances.

We’re truly in the golden era of horror. Bless.
dragon316
dragon316 - 11/8/2024, 5:35 PM
I watch spoiler review was disappointed how it ended I expected him be crazy killer if they pick right door they go free if not he kills them another misleading trailer
SummersEssex
SummersEssex - 11/8/2024, 8:12 PM
I appreciate you using the full title of the church in your article rather than the common Mormon moniker.
Antitrollpatrol
Antitrollpatrol - 11/8/2024, 9:01 PM
@SummersEssex - I didn't even notice he did that. I wonder if that came from the synopsis but it's nice seeing the correct title of the church. It seems like news just always resort back to Mormon.
Kadara
Kadara - 11/9/2024, 5:29 PM
How did it perform in Netherlands, just curious?

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