Heretic

I’m normally not impressed when filmmakers play with ambiguity. I often think it’s a pretentious crutch allowing filmmakers to hobble along because they don’t know what story they’re telling. Here, though, I think it’s justified. This story is about faith and religion and what could be MORE ambiguous. Conversations between the co-leads, naïve missionaries, tackle Mormon inconsistencies right away. The young women are awash with doubt, unlike their over-confident kidnapper, who relishes winning arguments to the point where he reveals himself (spoiler alert) to be a psycho. Acting is first-rate. Hugh Grant crushes the talkative, befuddled scoundrel. Suspension of disbelief is required. Abduction logistics are sketchy and filmmakers finesse the timing and the location for maximum suspense. I wish the end was a little clearer, but otherwise, it’s a small and neat horror yarn with things to say about the testaments.