One of the highlights of Heretic will have to be the creepy atmospherics that accompanied the narrative during a scene wherein the two missionaries address Mr Reed. The latter seems like a jovial extrovert, extremely polite with his outlook and actions even though the onset of rain and the changes in weather tell us a different story. In fact, you can immediately sense that something is amiss even as his inquisitive nature takes over, while questioning Paxton and Barnes about their faith and the monopoly of religion in various ways. He does hold a ‘hubby’ mug as a perfect alibi without any signs of his spouse which he promises the presence of, to the two missionaries who enter the house on one condition – only if there is a female presence in the house. Yet, this is just the onset of a character that would soon transform into a ‘monster’.

There is a considerable buildup with the proceedings that is quick to question the faith of the viewers particularly through the characters of Paxton and Barnes who are made to choose between two doors for an exit – that of ‘Belief’ and ‘Disbelief’. Several religions are referenced through the film while equating the entire scenario with monolopoly, and how every little detail is engrained into the folks believing a particularly detail, just because of the ‘monopoly’ that the religion has to offer. Ironically, both yhe doors of ‘Belief’ and ‘Disbelief’ have a common passage that leads further underground. The entire belief system of the two protagonists is strategically questioned when Mr Reed plans to demonstrate a live ‘resurrection’ of sorts, wherein an entrapped decrepit woman eats a piece of the pie and dies, only to be resurrected. The entire sequence acts as a simulation that doubles up as a test of faith for the viewers too.

The proceedings amp up the atmospherics of the drama to the point wherein the lines blur between religion and horror. In a way, the drama uses religion as a tool for horror while utilizing a classic secluded place as a setting that offers a template for umpteen number of survival horror thrillers. The homicide effect is a strong one but often masked by a lurking religious presence through a character that is eerily sinister, and definitely wishes to believe that he is a creator. Hence, it hardly comes as a surprise that Paxton is encouraged into tapping into her theory of something sinister with the entire ‘heretic’ angle, that supposedly also claims the life of her friend Barner. Interestingly, it was Paxton who had a wobbly establishment with respect to her faith while being blinded by religious duties at the start of the drama.

Ironically, it is the faith of Paxton that helps her to uncover a sinister secret, even as ‘she is allowed to’ by Mr Reed. Clearly for the latter, and admittedly so, the one true religion is ‘Control’,, a common thread that binds all followers of the religion. It is a powerful commentary that is self-reflective in many ways given the religious disagreements triggered around us. The commentary also doubles up as a smokescreen that blurs the concept of faith in return to, the case in point being the resurrection farce that was staged to ‘make the characters believe’ in something that wasn’t true. But the writing masterfully balances the concept of religion from the other side of the spectrum – when Mr Reed attacks Paxton, all the latter turns to do is pray that in turn results in a miracle, wherein the assumed dead Barnes ‘resurrects’ from the dead to kill Mr. Reed, again with a wooden plank with ‘three’ nails sticking out, a reference to the nails used to crucify The Christ (the two protagonists did also belong to the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints).

This also brought me to its final scene wherein you see Paxton being witness to a butterfly sitting on her hand before disappearing suddenly. This seemed like a reference to what Paxton had said earlier in the film – that she would reincarnate as a butterfly and return to a few people whom she cares about. Here, the butterfly may have been Barnes who had previously sacrificed herself for Paxton. Alternately, it would be Paxton who might be stuck between two worlds (remember she is injured too and shown stuck in the house, signifying the religious mess) wherein her reincarnated desire of being a butterfly may have been reduced to snow (notice her surroundings), in the garb of her faith being shaken, while solely being trapped in the garb of religion. Overall, the screenplay is well written and makes for an immensely pondering watch.