Hugh Grant has another hit with Heretic. His new horror movie was a favorite at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), earning high praise from critics. Heretic now has a strong 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes with 60 reviews.
Grant’s chilling performance adds to his recent comeback, following other popular movies like Paddington (99%), Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (91%), and Florence Foster Jenkins (88%).
Anna Miller from DiscussingFilm gave Heretic 4 out of 5 stars, calling it:
Advertisement A unique thriller/horror with some biblically-inspired scares and chilling tension, plus a wickedly charming Hugh Grant.
Brian Tallerico from RogerEbert.com also praised the film, calling it “clever” and giving it 3 out of 4 stars.
Many horror movies show fanatics using violence to push their beliefs, but this clever film is more of a psychological game. It explores not only the stories we hear but also who has been telling them.
Tessa Smith from Mama’s Geeky praises Heretic, saying, “Hugh Grant has never been as scary as he is in this film.” She calls it a powerful movie that makes viewers think about their own beliefs while examining religion. Murjani Rawls from MovieWeb agrees, describing the upcoming A24 release as:
Strong enough to make you question your beliefs.
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Hugh Grant’s Heretic Plans to Scare the Hell Out of Audiences
Hugh Grant drew from real-life examples to make his character, Mr. Reed, truly frightening in Heretic. The upcoming A24 horror film is expected to earn between $7 million and $12 million in its U.S. opening weekend this November, according to Boxoffice Pro. Critics are highly praising the movie, though Variety’s Peter Debruge has a playful critique about the film’s “fruity dessert” in his review. In his review, he writes:
Mr. Reed’s twisted ‘lesson’ in Heretic is like a Bible study turned as intense as a Saw movie set in shop class. But it’s Hugh Grant playing him, so when his polite, sweater-wearing character with glasses opens the door, the young women have no reason to suspect him—or his kind offer of fresh blueberry pie. If you go along with it, Heretic can be a fun ride. It might not change your thoughts on religion, but you’ll definitely see blueberry pie differently!
Ross Bonaime from Collider rates Heretic 7 out of 10, calling it a “clever twist on religious horror” with standout performances, especially Hugh Grant’s chilling yet charming Mr. Reed. However, Meagan Navarro from Bloody Disgusting isn’t as thrilled about the A24 film, though she does praise Grant’s performance.
It turns out that the lively yet quirky charm that made Hugh Grant a beloved romantic actor works well in horror too. His charming villain, a playful character who enjoys mind games and talks about religion, really makes Heretic shine. Although the film gets stuck in its basic lessons about religion, the smart casting, powerful performances, and a fun sense of humor keep it interesting. This movie relies heavily on its villain, and Grant’s entertaining portrayal of Mr. Reed might just win you over.
Heretic will hit theaters on November 8. But for Halloween fans who love to watch scary movies in theaters, today is a special treat! On Wednesday, October 30, Joya Studio is partnering with Alamo Drafthouse to host early screenings of Heretic.