Can a Non-Believer Make You Believe in God at Your Last Breath? Ever wondered if the most devout atheist would fold under fear at the edge of death? That’s the nerve Heretic pokes – hard. It doesn’t just knock on the door of faith and fear, it busts it open, drags you in, and asks, “Are you sure you believe what you think you believe?”
What’s Going On: (A Spoiler-Filled Walk)
Two young Mormon missionaries, Paxton and Barnes, walk into a house. Sounds like the beginning of a joke, but it ends in philosophical horror. They meet Mr. Reed, a man who has studied all religions and come to one chilling conclusion: Belief is built on fear, control, and contradiction. He’s polite, intellectual, and terrifying. As the story unfolds, we’re taken through his twisted test of faith. From innocent questions to violent coercion, he slowly pulls apart their beliefs to see what’s left behind. Spoiler alert: Nobody is getting out of that house (Alive).
What’s Exceptional
Reed’s Acting: Chilling. Psychopathic. Eerie. The change and shift in his acting from faking it as a Sweet old man to a complete maniac questioning religions. He’s the guy you’d want as a professor until you find his deadly basement.
Barnes vs. Paxton: A brilliant contrast, one born into belief, the other converted. One question, one obeys. One talks, the other trembles. A duality so sharp, it cuts. (Watch till the end to get hit with something unexpected.)
The Story Layers: Every conversation is loaded. From Polygamy breakdowns, Judaism, Spider-Man quotes misattributed to Voltaire, it’s all commentary on blind faith vs. inquiry. (Must-watch section.). Instigating Yet Insightful)
The AV System of Religion: Let’s be honest, Reed is disturbingly right about some things. Religion, for many, is an operating system programmed by fear. You start doing things not out of belief but out of “what if I don’t?” “What if my lord gets angry?”
As a rational soul, I’d say belief without choice isn’t faith. You’re forced to acknowledge something even before you try to understand it! Religion hates questions. And Questioning weakens Religion. (Reed knows this and completely exploits it)
The Ending Explained (The Question of the year)
Believe it or not. Did anyone make it out of that basement (Alive)? – Is the question lingering on everyone’s mind? Ah, the big fat climax in the basement and the chaos that follows. The phone shows “No Signal,” which could mean both girls died. But that final…butterfly? It could mean rebirth (Of Barnes) or that someone survived. Or Paxton is dying in the basement and dreaming about the concept of heaven. Why is this butterfly and “No signal” significant? –
Only the Movie will answer. Well, I believe both of them died, as the “No Signal” means they’re still in the basement. Either way, the ending doesn’t feel like closure. So it means…Heretic doesn’t want to finish – it wants to linger, spark debates, or is it a trailer for Season 2?
Also Read…
When Will ‘Emily in Paris’ Be Released? Here’s Everything We Know So Far
What Reddit’s Screaming About
Divided, Disturbed, Defensive. The audience is torn right down the middle.
- Some are haunted, moved, and stirred. They love how thought-provoking it is.
- Others wanted more supernatural juice, less philosophical jargon.
- Some are furious at the killing of both girls (if that’s what happened).
- Some just termed it a propaganda film. Reddit’s take? Brutal. But also brilliantly divided. And that’s kind of the point – This film wants you to argue.
The Takeaway: Power, Control & Playing God in Your Basement
Reed doesn’t just reject God. He tries to become one. He craved power. His rejection of God wasn’t liberation – it was ego. He didn’t want to believe – he wanted to be believed. He wanted to be God, in a basement with zip-tied women and a philosophical script. And yet, you get it. You see the cracks in religion through this film (If you’re open to it). When fear is all that surrounds you, even an illusion of control starts to look divine. That’s the real horror: realizing how thin that line is.
Conclusion
Faith is Like a Mirror – It Shows You What YOU Want to See. Heretic blew up because it knows what gets people talking: Religion. Belief. Fear. Control. The writers definitely knew what they were doing. Everyone has a version of faith. Some painted it blindly. Some left their canvas blank. Some, like Reed, lit the whole canvas on fire and called it art.
So in the end, Non-believers say, “Faith is fear dressed as virtue.” Believers say, “Doubt is just the devil whispering.” Reed believes, “God is dead. I’ll fill the position.” And we? We watch, wonder, and question – Exactly what Heretic wanted.
Ratings – 7 / 10 ⭐
Written By MANSI SINGH