What did you think of the ending of HERETIC and what themes and deeper meanings did you take away from this film? Thanks for watching! If you liked this video please Like, Comment, and Share! Be sure to hit that notification bell to know when I post my latest videos.
Well said and you basically described a lot of the concepts I was thinking about as well. Thank you for that. Very good, psychological thriller. These are the types of horror films that I enjoy. I just wanted to also add a fun little thing I noticed about the music at the end credits and the concepts of iterations. The ending titles song was by Sophie Thatcher "Knockin on Heaven's Door" which also has a very similar in tone and musical style as Mazzy Star's "Fade into You." I'm unsure whether or not that was intentional from the filmmakers but just something I noticed.
That’s interesting, I took it as the doors might look that way. But I believe that if they went to the unbelief door they would’ve been slaves like the other woman following whatever he wanted. But they had to choose that. He told the girl that the women that were their choose to be there. But because they choose to believe he died and they weren’t slaves to him
Yes, they led to the same place. I believe he knew they would never choose the disbelief door. He purposely got missionaries for a reason. Everything was calculated for him and controlled. He knew mostly what they were going to do next.
Finally someone who sees the ending how I did. I feel a lot of people missed the setup and what the movie was trying to say. If you "believe" Barnes somehow survived what she did, you are taking a leap of faith based on everything that was established.
Definitely my thoughts on the ending. I personally believe she didn’t make it out, it really felt like such a lighthearted ending given that it was pretty much impossible to get out.
From someone on quora: I survived forty minutes with a cut throat and I've read of people surviving hours. It varies based on a variety of factors; were major arteries cut? How deep was the cut? How was the neck and head positioned after? If no major vessels are cut, a person can survive for much longer. My mother cut my throat when I was a toddler. Fortunately, she pushed my head back, meaning the knife missed the most important arteries. I required life saving surgery once ambulance staff found me, and a tube in my throat for 11 years.
@@anyagetman8596 That's why I suspended disbelief for that scene, I knew not all throat cuts are immediately lethal, I've heard stories of people getting dismembered or disemboweled, only for them to put their guts back in place and seek aid and survive. I didn't take a leap of faith, I went of real actual events that occurred to people. But I can see how the narrative is pointing towards the conclusion that she died.
@@konghere it's sad, but yeah. People really see this garbage as smart. Then again, these same people just voted in the dumbest person on the planet and think he's going to "save" them. lmao!
He was essentially manipulating them based on his obsessively extensive knowledge of multiple religions. His intelligence was intimidating and believable. I could tell immediately he went through a period of extreme religious studies, which made him scared. Which he points out. The writing was incredible, and I hope for more movies like this. The truly scary thing is what atrocities humanity is capable of.
I think the movie did a great job expanding on the question of religion itself. Was the man a psychopath, ofc… but his show and tell for his thought process was valid. Monopoly is a game essentially of control , religion holds power and control as well. Different boards , same game. Different books/same control. It does get thrown off after the basement because he’s staging a miracle, but it’s also to point out that it’s not real. He wanted them to know miracles(religion) are not real only a way of control, he proves this by revealing the “magic trick” he’s a psycho.. no different than our world leaders that use monopoly, religion, political views to control us. It’s testing your beliefs of reality over faith.
@@nlmbkeyze1951 he only mentioned claims proving his point, while purposefully leaving out the glaring claims that disprove his points. The girl made it obvious when she told him about the differences between Jesus and horas being that he had a bird head. He was trying to make them not believe by any means, that included lying. He lied the whole entire time, and he also gaslit them, and tried making them feel stupid. Because what would’ve eventually happened once he was completed with them was they would’ve been like the other women that were down there as basically slaves. You can see what he really believes in a brief moment as see some writings that at the end of it had lucifer almost like a tribute to him. His god was control and he wanted to strip them of faith to be their god. But they chose the door of belief, and he ends up crawling on his belly with his mouth open almost looking like he’s trying to eat her, then getting hit with a wooden plank that has nails in it, on his head. Jesus feet had nails in them, almost symbolic to the Bible verse that his heal shall bruise your head.
The movie made it rather clear. She died, and she is having that near death moment. Its especially clear when the butterfly disappears and the shock on her face.
Yes! I don’t think people noticed the white light behind her when she was walking through the snow. It clicked right when I noticed the light, that she did die.
I interpreted it more as she escaped, but it’s the viewers choice to “believe” or not to believe that the butterfly was real. Is there an afterlife? Was it Barnes visiting her to tell her she’s okay? It was a hallucination? Meaning the whole point of the movie and religion is that it is a choice we have
Mr reed was wrong about every opinion he said. And deceptive. Just how he was wrong about the true religion is control. God saved the girl at the end and she lived.
I initially thought that sister paxton did die in the basement and in her last moments she thought she escaped, that butterfly I thought was her signaling to herself that she's dying or dead since she said she wanted to follow the ones she loves and it was a belief of self love My boyfriend thought that she did escape and the butterfly was sister barnes visiting since she liked sister paxton's butterfly sentiment I like both versions
Keeping it simple.. I feel like this film just tells the story that a part of the population believe we are all being controlled whilst the other part of the population are just simply happy to believe even if they don’t know how deep it goes and that’s ok.
Movie up until the basement scenes was really a psychological thriller and was challenging and interesting. But right after that it went sideways and was playing dumb. Kinda disappointed by the 3 acts and the ending. But the scene with doors and Monopoly Alegy was great and I was agreeing with him on a lot of staff. As an atheist it was intresting to listen cause I had this convos with myself untill decided where I stand. But the girls had all the advantage over him while in the doors room should have cornered him and attack him. They tried this in basement but it was too late at the time. Even opening the door was a mistake
The ending reminded me of ‘The Descent’. I think it all depends on whether or not the viewer believes that Sister survived the slash on her throat and managed to conjured the strength to hit and kill Reed. If you believe THAT, everything else afterwards is plausible.
SPOILERS. . . . . . . . The basement isn't just a reference to the seven circles of hell, it's the 5th of seven levels. Paxton did die in the end. But one critical piece of information you didn't mention was Barnes' conversation about her near death experience. What Paxton is experiencing in the end isn't necessarily entering the afterlife, it's a visual representation of her thinking about her butterfly during the final moments before her brain shuts down. They all died in the basement.
Ooh.. one way to interpret! I like it but I think Barnes did “resurrect” because the topic “miracle” was brought up frequently and they didnt really need to zoom in the broken wooden piece with three nails if it was all her imagination
I think that that's what she's experienced via hallucination, but I don't believe it's to ge taken literal. I need to rewatch it, though. Maybe I'll feel difficult afterwards.
I agree with you. The end was an illusion when really they all died in the basement. But even from a logical standpoint (which convinced me) Paxton couldn’t have escaped the basement after being stabbed in the gut, magically found the key, and crawled out the window. Logically she would have died in the basement anyways
Paxton didn’t die. She was caged like the other women. She became barely alive, malnourished, tortured, brainwashed, mentally unstable like the other victims. She was cold down in Dante’s lowest level of hell (as cold as walking in the snow without winter gear) and wanting so badly to have had the courage to stab her captor and escape, her mind created a realistic scenario/dream/hallucination. Watch for the glitches in her minds matrix. Three obvious clues being no cell reception, the malnourished knobbed fingers, and the butterfly. Not to mention, had elder B survived, it’s more reasonable to conclude she wouldn’t have the strength to stand let alone deliver such an impactful death blow with her excessive blood loss. Mr Reed designed the labrynth house and acquired several victims with whom he easily disposed at will because he was ever confident he could replenish his stock. He does not lose, he is in control no matter which door is chosen or whichever other illusion of choice is presented, every ‘choice’ leads to his predetermined outcome. This movie is a psychological cat and mouse game without the possibility of escape. There’s only one way in and no way out because Mr. Reed literally controls the door.
SPOILER FOR THE DESCENT (2005) I interpreted the ending of this movie the same way I interpreted the ending of The Descent (or at least one of the endings since there’s more than one ending- I’m referring to the one where she drives away and sees Juno in the car with her before she gets “hit”) in that Sister Paxton dies at the end and what you’re seeing is what she’s seeing as she’s entering the afterlife. The main character of The Descent never made it out of the cave, as Sister Paxton didn’t make it out of her “cave” either. However, I didn’t feel that the ending was totally bleak, and even with all the death, there was still a glimmer of hope in my opinion. I saw this movie a few days ago and I’m still thinking about it even now! Definitely one of the best movies I’ve seen this year. Great video!
I do think he makes a good point in the idea that the nature of faith from powerful leaders is control in the context of the long history of violence committed in the name of religion as well as the ideas of what is and is not moral that is entirely dependent on the person interpreting and sharing their interpretation of religious scripture. But faith in and of itself and belief in something beyond life is powerful comfort that helps a lot of people lead fulfilling lives. Both sides of faith and logic are exemplified in a compelling way. What a film.
The one true religion is choice, not control, and that's what he didn't see. Choice at every point is the engine of life. Choices we make interacting with choices of others, constantly and to infinity. Creating the rules (predefined choices) that govern the options that others have creates power, but they have the choice to reject your premise at every turn. Even if it is the cost of their own demise.
I watched this movie yesterday in Yuma, and it stuck with me afterward while I went shopping for household goods. Then, in the parking lot, it suddenly struck me that Mr. Reed is a polygamist, which ties in to things he'd said to the two Sisters about their church's history. --
Yeah, I think there's something related there. We don't know what he did with the women in the basement but there are some possible parallels there. Projecting onto Joseph Smith his own tendencies. Create a religion (with the miracle and prophets), subjugate women for own devices.
This is why i came HERE. I needed some guidance on what i saw and some help with the meanings. The thing about the trap door is tho, it made a lot of noise when it was opened so we're asked to believe that no one heard that. Thats almost a bridge too for for me. Overall, i liked the thinking aspects of this film. A24 keeping us on our toes.
I interpreted the end as she escaped, but it’s up to the viewer to “believe” if the butterfly was real or not. You can choose to believe there’s an afterlife and maybe Barnes was telling her she’s okay by landing on her hand or was it a hallucination and you think it’s a load of 💩? Basically the entire point of the movie.
Interesting, I liked your take in the other comment but not so much this one. Why would Barnes come back as a butterfly when it was Paxton who had that wish? What would be the meaning of the butterfly disappearing in this context?
@@propogandalf well she discussed it with her friend so who’s say we can’t choose what we do in the afterlife? Aren’t there always going to be people looking for signs from a loved one after they pass? It doesn’t necessarily have to be Barnes, but I just believe they left the end ambiguous for the shear reason of leaving it up the viewer to make the choice of what they think happened or not.
@@propogandalf I thought the main argument at the end was supposed to be like “was the butterfly real or not? Did it mean something or not? Like was it in her head or is there an afterlife and this is a sign?” type of thing. But I have also considered that she may have died at the end and is now in some kind of afterlife.
So for me, I found initially thinking and truly thinking about religion as a whole. In the end, we are faced with belief and trust. Is there an afterlife? Only those who have died or those who believe there is life after death. The ending showed me faith. When she began to pray, I want to believe that our creator intervened. The movie signs with Mel Gibson and night Shyamalan movie said it best. Either person who wants to believe that we are not the only ones here alone. There is someone else fighting for us. Or, you’re here believing that we are all alone. Personally, I’ll take the first. I always wanna believe that we are not alone. To sit and think that mankind as a hole is not crooked and greed, I could think of many adjectives, but we include myself. We all can be dark in our own reckoning. Every single one of us. What will you take on your daily walk? Whether that walk is to feed the light in you or is that walk to feed the dark in you this movie definitely many many emotional thoughts. In the end? I am left to my belief. And I believe, there is a creator. Not religion, not mankind, that there is definitely a creator of all things….. Godspeed 🙏
The ending in the trees was very reminiscent of the sacred grove scene that all Mormons are familiar with. Joseph on his knees praying for knowledge. But sister Paxton is left with no signal and has to go and get help on her own.
I like a movie that challenges our faith in a higher god. Good Movie. Good ahead and watch Venom if you want . But this movie gets your brain involved.
That sh*t was crazy. @ first, i assumed the sisters just went into Mr. Reed's house because he invited them, not because it began to 🌧. Mr. Reed pointing out that the MAJOR religions have similarities is something i did see coming. i took Intro to Theology in undergrad and it gives you a perspective on how civilizations cycle through different belief systems/traditions. While inside the basement, Sister Barnes started putting pieces together from the puzzle, i was a little stunned. Her theory made sense, but to see that far out is not something i saw coming. i figured Sister Paxton would make it out because she was more "final girl" like with her innocence.
Marketing this as a horror film was a misstep IMO. Its totally a psychological thriller.Everyone in this movie is fantastic. And being a movie thats all dialog, I was on the edge of my seat the whole way through. I saw this movie yesterday and Im anxious to rewatch it cause I know I missed a lot ...like the Daunte's Inferno reference lol. When it was done, 100% left believing she had died. The butterfly being there one moment and gone the next made me think ,in that brief moment, thats when she passed and was now the butterfly. Maybe she is /maybe not lol..but it was a great ride.
This did have multiple jumpsacres though. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed the movie but it definitely had more of a basic hollywood horror feel to it compared to a24s horror movies like midsommar, the witch, men etc. I still enjoyed it though and definitely worth a watch
I think the descent down the stairs regardless of the door are a symbolic construct from Reed with how the thoughts of going to hell often controls religious beliefs, “You have to pray every day or you’ll go to hell” type of thing.
Just saw this and loved it! Perhaps it says something about me but I definitely saw the ending as the dark interpretation and didn’t even consider that it could be seen a different way. Your explanation was very good. I missed the Dante’s inferno reference!
I just watched that movie. When he said step in and see one true religion. There is a pentagram and rad lock on the door same in movie "sinister" where devil lives behind a red door. I think in his mind one true religion was satanism but he didn't say in out loud cause that would be too obvious.
my other thought was that later religions are sort of based on earlier religions (paganism). most of those signs were related to paganism, which wasn't satanism but construed as such by later religions (judaism, christianity, etc.)
@@BreckL I grow up in satanic illuminati cult, when I tell you about red lock/red door I know what I'm talking about. Also the woman who was suppose to be a prophet was demonically possessed. I saw people's eyes go completely black in a real life. It happens after ritual. There's many other things I noticed too.
I definitely need to watch this again keep me leaving so uneasy especially with sister Barnes dying I really liked her so much so it hurt seeing her die but she got to save sister Paxton so she went out as a hero I loved that
i've been hearing about this movie for a long time and i''m gonna watch it when comes out. an intriguing movie. btw elliott, you should do a commentary about apple+ show 'before', with billy crystal and rosie perez. it's a very interesting one. it's right up to your ally. 👍
In the opening scene, Paxton describes the couple making the porno film who get interrupted by banging on the wall and someone yelling “we can hear you”. Paxton said she felt it was a poignant moment when the porn actress made a defiant reply and that she could almost see their souls leaving their bodies from the shame. Fast forward to when Paxton descends the chute to find the body of the “prophet” because she needs to know “the truth”. Reed gazes down on her as she defiantly says “I knew it”. I felt there was a parallel drawn because I think at that moment Paxton knew with 100% certainty what her destiny was. Any hope evaporated for her similarly to how the porn actress resigned herself to her reality. Iterations still.
From someone on quora: I survived forty minutes with a cut throat and I've read of people surviving hours. It varies based on a variety of factors; were major arteries cut? How deep was the cut? How was the neck and head positioned after? If no major vessels are cut, a person can survive for much longer. My mother cut my throat when I was a toddler. Fortunately, she pushed my head back, meaning the knife missed the most important arteries. I required life saving surgery once ambulance staff found me, and a tube in my throat for 11 years.
Has anyone else caught that his name, "Mister Reed," is evocative of "Mysteried." When I was growing up Catholic, every time I asked my very pious grandmother a difficult question about religion, her response was: "It's just a beautiful Mystery."
I loved the film and your analysis. I do wonder about the key though. Since the final red door was locked with the bike lock, how did Mr Reid know to put the key into the ‘wrong’ pocket of sister Paxton’ coat?
haha everyone’s interpretation of the ending is making me feel stupid. I just assumed the butterfly fly was sister Barnes . Yes, it was sister Paxton’s idea of coming back as one but remember when he mixed them up at the beginning. There has to be a meaning for that right.
I just left the theater and my husband thought Sister Paxton made it, I felt she didn’t so I’m glad I’m not alone in that interpretation. Aaaaannndd I know I never want to hear that song “all I need is the air that I breathe” ever again.😂
I LOVED this movie. Best horror movie and really movie period ive seen in a long time. The tension build up was so intense it was almost unbearable 😅 the pacing and everything was perfect 💯🥧😘
I just saw this movie and my experience was one for the books My man proposed to me right before the movie during the trailers and gave me top right there we ain't shy to be ourselves Someone racist ( elderly white couple) complained and we got caught by a ticket collector with one of them flashlights. He shined it right at my mans as he got his mouth full. I be mad embarrassed. When word got out, I got demoted from our south chicago BLM charter to 13th rank bc everyone mad that I'm dating a man who once dated my mom and helped raise me. He be the one who helped me realize I'm a woman stuck in a man's body. My pointbbe this. Don't let white Supremecy force you to hide yo self
I saw that butterfly disappear, so my immediate thought was “oh shit, the simulation.” Like what if that was his giant attempt at telling her the truth of reality at the table but she just wrote it off. Idk just a thought
I’m also seeing no one bringing up how the resurrection trick was a play on the resurrection of Jesus and this was a aha moment for the heretic once sister Paxton explained it to him.
haven't seen the film yet...but I often watch spoilers then see the film.... As for this one, I wish I saw the film first. All he narrator's talk of existentialism? philosophy etc. I need to go back to university and get a second degree cause all the big talk lost me... or maybe I shouldn't have picked this one at 4am. yeah, that's it...I'm going to bed.
I think his theory of the one true religion of 'control' was actually just worshipping himself as a god. That's why he has all of the satanic stuff in the last basement level of 'hell'. Do as thou wilt is a tenet of satanism, which also brings God back into the equation. I think the more logical conclusion, if all of the religions are so very similar, is that there's something to it; an original iteration, rather than 'it's all BS, and I don't believe in anything'.
I met a few nut-jobs like this character in Heretic, on my mission, who had zero interest in learning what we were teaching and only wanted to bash and debate us, completely wasting our time.
I liked most of the film but didn't care much for the ending. Too deus ex machina for me. Not a manifestation of human agency but a divine intervention, defeating the purpose of the whole film.
@@marionmarino1616 yes, earlier in the film Barnes was talking about how your mind hallucinates when you’re having a near death experience. That’s what was happening to Paxton when she imagined Barnes resurrecting and killing Mr. Reeds. Paxton was slowly drifting off and dying, that’s why she imaging all of that, then she imagined that she finally escaped.
The true ending is when the movie hits blockbuster and we get a part 2 and she lives or the movie sucks and the movie ends. There is still womens alive in the cage in the end of the movie.
All that atheist talk to just be a weird ass serial killer/abductor lol Whoever wrote this movie thought they were cooking with all the hate for religion 😂.
Awful movie confusing faith and religion. Motives are left undiscovered and there is no heresy. Pop philosophy peppered with a disrespect for the intelligence of the audience…
The whole movie was an attack on the LDS faith and culture. Very upsetting that there isn’t outcry to cancel the movie. Likely because LDS members don’t make waves to cancel media. The filmmakers needed serious insider knowledge and insight into LDS culture to attack LDS members so personally, but even then they got a lot wrong and misrepresented a lot of the beliefs. Heck, to understand the nuances of the movie, like the character development, plot, and final message you need prerequisite and background knowledge on the religion. With all that being said, the ending had 2 major messages: 1) an attack against “Utah Mormons” insinuating that they are all fake and insincere; and 2) a message that all Mormons can overcome their belief system when they challenge them. Let me explain further: There is a stereotype within the LDS religion that members who specifically grow up in Utah are more socially awkward, more judgmental and more fake. The “fake” aspect is of particular importance in this film as we realize at the end of the film that the Sister Paxton (from UT) was acting “fake” in every single situation up to that point, including wanting to exit through the disbelief door just to get home (despite already realizing that her ending looked bleak). The balance between how the two sisters acted throughout the first half hour of the movie was meant to portray both how the sister from Utah (Paxton) was less socially adept than the sister whose dad died (Barnes) and how the sister from Utah was fake. The dichotomy between Utah Mormon and non-Utah Mormon is best depicted by how Sister Barnes quickly corrected Sister Paxton when Paxton falsely told Mr. Reed that Barnes was from Salt Lake City, UT. The climax of the film occurred when we saw the Paxton’s companion, Barnes, died and she began to reiterate to herself how she needed to “challenge” the maniac. Subliminally, it felt to me like the writer wanted the ending to say that all Mormons are smart and that they can overcome the facade of their religion when they “challenge” their belief system, which was portrayed as Mr Reed. All of this raises the ultimate question though of whether Paxton was freed from the LDS religion (sometimes referred to as “a cult” by those who have left the faith) because she finally challenged her the foundation of her weak, Utah-formed beliefs or because she was just faking it all along and decided to come clean. This all becomes evident when Paxton said she saw Mr Reed’s hair wet and knew he must’ve been out in the storm. In my opinion, the movie makes several suggestions that it’s due to the latter as well. Here are several more examples from the film that exemplify this: 1) Paxton never converted anyone on her mission because she didn’t have enough faith in the religion herself; 2) Paxton was unwilling to go through the belief door, despite the likely and inevitable scenario of death; 3) Mr. Reed’s observations that he noticed something different in the two sisters and Barnes comment that Mr. Reed wouldn’t stop watching her (likely because she had a strong conviction of her belief); 3) despite Barnes urging her to focus to help her light the match, Paxton kept focusing on the prophet as she herself didn’t belief in miracles and was similar to Mr Reed in wanting to manifest the one true faith; 4) Paxton knew all along that the integrity of what she said didn’t matter all that much if it would potentially serve her purpose, whether that was saying she didn’t believe to leave the house, rambling on the first lesson script to potentially convert Mr Reed, playing devil’s advocate to her companion who said she converted 9 people already; 5) Paxton talking much more about sex and condoms than her companion Barnes. I could list more examples, but I’d rather not. You really need to understand LDS theology to understand a lot of the plot lines.
Sorry, listed #3 twice. And I forgot to mention how Sister Paxton admitted at the end that praying didn’t actually work, but that it was pretty and helped provide comfort to those who did it.
I personally dont like ur religion but this movie didnt really attack ur religion… it didnt portray ur religion ugly……only insiders like urself would know ur arguments. I get why u are offended but how would the thriller movie about faith be made unless it mirrors the reality like this one?
This movie was so trash, i dont get the hype. He explains the common sense of iteration. Idk how his arguments impressed anyone. Then the dumb reveal in the janky basement threw everything he argued for out the window. Hes just a psychopath lol. Movie was ass. 👎 Edit: The first third of the film was interesting. It leads you to think you're in a film where the protagonists will be genuinely challenged. Mr. Reeves is building up good challenges and arguments. How far will he challenge and push these girls to test their faith? He doesnt. It leads to nothing. He's just simply a psychopath who lured them in using their religion to kidnap them to become one of his slaves or "prophets." Control, the one true religion. This is dumb, its like saying the one true race is the human race. What??? That's it??? You can go into the dumb... he still believes in God because before he was dying he wanted a prayer (similar to the porn star being embarrassed, the protagonist with the hidden birth control, etc.). How you can interpret the ending in different ways. These concepts and ideas are not really that interesting, and the core of the movie again was just pointless. It goes out the window, he's literally just psychopath. If this is amazing to you, then to each their own. It was a snoozefest for me.
I feel like you might not have understood the premise of the movie based on your interpretation which seems very simplistic. Like i told another commenter, the movie may not be for everyone especially in 2024 where people refuse to think outside the box or try to entertain any deep meaningful thought about philosophy or existential dilemmas. Some people are simple and like games like Call of Duty others enjoy chess. To each their own, there's plenty of movies that don't require that level of thinking. Complexity is often presented in layers. It seems to me you only got to the first layer and wasn't able to peel the onion further, and that's ok. If that's the case, this movie wasn't made for you. Remember often times when someone thinks something complex is dumb, is because they aren't intellectually capable of understanding the premise. Just like simple minded men back in the days laughed and thought the idea of the world being round was absolutely idiotic :P
@SurgingInsight lol you're so full of yourself, trying to call me dumb without trying to say it. There's nothing that deep and complex about the film. They tried to make it deep, but it wasn't. It's so deep you can't even say what's deep about it lol.
I thought the movie was great albeit very dark. It exposed many truths about religion and how they're all basically the same across the world and how these religions prey on vulnerable people by brainwashing them into believing falsehoods about their faith. The movie is very accurate in that respect.
i liked the movie but i was expecting the ending to be something different. like he reveals he did discover the oldest of old religions and it’s based off some dark lovecraftian like religion and he is a follower of said religion and the “god” of this religion requires virgin sacrifices. this is why he kills the one girl he saw the scar of her contraceptive and knew she wasn’t a virgin and the other he test further and these test send her deeper and deeper into the bottom of what’s under his house until she passes all the test and reaches the bottom where he introduces her to the “god” of his religion a Cthulhu looking monster that kills and devours her. we end the movie where we time jump a month or more and we see 2 new girls come up to his door and knock. not showing them from the front so we don’t know if this is 2 more mormons or two girls from another faith. i think this would have made for a far better story than what we got but over all i give the movie a 8/10
@@thecheatsheet2473 I do not like or dislike a movie based on what an intellectual is supposed to like or dislike. I am beyond all that but you are free to speculate and trying to figure me out. I found Heretic to be quite disjointed, incoherent, muddled and frankly pretentious. Just a bunch of religious idea (some thought-provoking, some junk) thrown together and pretending it to be way more intelligent than it actually is. Exact same reason I hate Ari Aster movies. First 20 mins or so is okay-ish but once they go down the door, it all went downhill for me. Acting was passable. A24 was once a darling for me and I would watch anything with their name on it but lately I am getting disappointed.
It just requires thought and critical thinking. I agree it may not be for everyone especially in 2024 where people refuse to think outside the box or try to entertain any deep meaningful thought about philosophy or existential dilemmas. Some people are simple and like games like Call of Duty others enjoy chess. To each their own, there's plenty of movies that don't require that level of thinking.
@@SurgingInsightman nothing against this movie. But this isn’t really “critical thinking” it’s surface level thinking disguised as deep. This is like basic world religion 101
This movie made me feel bored and stupid lol. I guess I was expecting a Terrifier 3 or The Substance type of movie. Idk, I thought that Mr. Reed was trying to play God and that's what I got from it.
Keeping it simple.. I feel like this film just tells the story that a part of the population believe we are all being controlled whilst the other part of the population are just simply happy to believe even if they don’t know how deep it goes and that’s ok.
What did you think of the ending of HERETIC and what themes and deeper meanings did you take away from this film?
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Did they bring you blueberry pie in the theater?
@ Yes they did and at first I wasn’t going to eat it because I’m not a blueberry person but I couldn’t resist eating it eventually 😂
Well said and you basically described a lot of the concepts I was thinking about as well. Thank you for that. Very good, psychological thriller. These are the types of horror films that I enjoy.
I just wanted to also add a fun little thing I noticed about the music at the end credits and the concepts of iterations.
The ending titles song was by Sophie Thatcher "Knockin on Heaven's Door" which also has a very similar in tone and musical style as Mazzy Star's "Fade into You." I'm unsure whether or not that was intentional from the filmmakers but just something I noticed.
A very clever film. A superb script. And Hugh Grant - the best performance of his career
One thing everyone is missing. The doors lead to the same thing. Indicating that whether you believe or don’t it leads to the same outcome
Right. Because he was in control of their decisions.
@@Sirlance87 very interesting!!!!!!!
That’s interesting, I took it as the doors might look that way. But I believe that if they went to the unbelief door they would’ve been slaves like the other woman following whatever he wanted. But they had to choose that. He told the girl that the women that were their choose to be there. But because they choose to believe he died and they weren’t slaves to him
@ interesting
Yes, they led to the same place. I believe he knew they would never choose the disbelief door. He purposely got missionaries for a reason. Everything was calculated for him and controlled. He knew mostly what they were going to do next.
Finally someone who sees the ending how I did. I feel a lot of people missed the setup and what the movie was trying to say. If you "believe" Barnes somehow survived what she did, you are taking a leap of faith based on everything that was established.
Woah brillianttt
Definitely my thoughts on the ending. I personally believe she didn’t make it out, it really felt like such a lighthearted ending given that it was pretty much impossible to get out.
From someone on quora: I survived forty minutes with a cut throat and I've read of people surviving hours.
It varies based on a variety of factors; were major arteries cut? How deep was the cut? How was the neck and head positioned after?
If no major vessels are cut, a person can survive for much longer.
My mother cut my throat when I was a toddler. Fortunately, she pushed my head back, meaning the knife missed the most important arteries. I required life saving surgery once ambulance staff found me, and a tube in my throat for 11 years.
@@anyagetman8596 That's why I suspended disbelief for that scene, I knew not all throat cuts are immediately lethal, I've heard stories of people getting dismembered or disemboweled, only for them to put their guts back in place and seek aid and survive. I didn't take a leap of faith, I went of real actual events that occurred to people. But I can see how the narrative is pointing towards the conclusion that she died.
I just left the theater, this made me feel more uneasy than Longlegs. Amazing monologues and overall conversation. I can’t wait to watch this again
Same here. This movie was more of a mind fk, i loved it!
Dante's Inferno describes the lowest circle of hell as freezing, explaining the final cellar.
@@leftofyou see why the movie was trash? People find stuff like that "deep and complex" ???
@@konghere it's sad, but yeah. People really see this garbage as smart. Then again, these same people just voted in the dumbest person on the planet and think he's going to "save" them. lmao!
@konghere I think it says a lot about the character of the guy intentionally designing his house that way.
@@kongherei thimk the whole point of the movie is to be deep and complex…..
Dante’s sinners are frozen in ice, I wonder if the surviving girl dies in the snow. Or if the sight of the Monarch has enlightened her.
He was essentially manipulating them based on his obsessively extensive knowledge of multiple religions. His intelligence was intimidating and believable. I could tell immediately he went through a period of extreme religious studies, which made him scared. Which he points out. The writing was incredible, and I hope for more movies like this. The truly scary thing is what atrocities humanity is capable of.
Control was his religion.. manipulation
I think the movie did a great job expanding on the question of religion itself. Was the man a psychopath, ofc… but his show and tell for his thought process was valid. Monopoly is a game essentially of control , religion holds power and control as well. Different boards , same game. Different books/same control. It does get thrown off after the basement because he’s staging a miracle, but it’s also to point out that it’s not real. He wanted them to know miracles(religion) are not real only a way of control, he proves this by revealing the “magic trick” he’s a psycho.. no different than our world leaders that use monopoly, religion, political views to control us. It’s testing your beliefs of reality over faith.
The staging of the miracle very much reminded me of how people who believe in Judaism do not believe in the resurrection.
@@rissilient85Very interesting
@@nlmbkeyze1951 he only mentioned claims proving his point, while purposefully leaving out the glaring claims that disprove his points. The girl made it obvious when she told him about the differences between Jesus and horas being that he had a bird head. He was trying to make them not believe by any means, that included lying. He lied the whole entire time, and he also gaslit them, and tried making them feel stupid. Because what would’ve eventually happened once he was completed with them was they would’ve been like the other women that were down there as basically slaves. You can see what he really believes in a brief moment as see some writings that at the end of it had lucifer almost like a tribute to him. His god was control and he wanted to strip them of faith to be their god. But they chose the door of belief, and he ends up crawling on his belly with his mouth open almost looking like he’s trying to eat her, then getting hit with a wooden plank that has nails in it, on his head. Jesus feet had nails in them, almost symbolic to the Bible verse that his heal shall bruise your head.
The movie made it rather clear. She died, and she is having that near death moment. Its especially clear when the butterfly disappears and the shock on her face.
I said that in the video.
Yes! I don’t think people noticed the white light behind her when she was walking through the snow. It clicked right when I noticed the light, that she did die.
I interpreted it more as she escaped, but it’s the viewers choice to “believe” or not to believe that the butterfly was real. Is there an afterlife? Was it Barnes visiting her to tell her she’s okay? It was a hallucination? Meaning the whole point of the movie and religion is that it is a choice we have
@@xotennisxgirloxWell said!
Mr reed was wrong about every opinion he said. And deceptive. Just how he was wrong about the true religion is control. God saved the girl at the end and she lived.
I initially thought that sister paxton did die in the basement and in her last moments she thought she escaped, that butterfly I thought was her signaling to herself that she's dying or dead since she said she wanted to follow the ones she loves and it was a belief of self love
My boyfriend thought that she did escape and the butterfly was sister barnes visiting since she liked sister paxton's butterfly sentiment
I like both versions
The theory that she escaped vanishes as quick as the butterfly on her hand though. Most likely didn't make it :/
Keeping it simple.. I feel like this film just tells the story that a part of the population believe we are all being controlled whilst the other part of the population are just simply happy to believe even if they don’t know how deep it goes and that’s ok.
Movie up until the basement scenes was really a psychological thriller and was challenging and interesting. But right after that it went sideways and was playing dumb. Kinda disappointed by the 3 acts and the ending. But the scene with doors and Monopoly Alegy was great and I was agreeing with him on a lot of staff. As an atheist it was intresting to listen cause I had this convos with myself untill decided where I stand. But the girls had all the advantage over him while in the doors room should have cornered him and attack him. They tried this in basement but it was too late at the time. Even opening the door was a mistake
The ending reminded me of ‘The Descent’. I think it all depends on whether or not the viewer believes that Sister survived the slash on her throat and managed to conjured the strength to hit and kill Reed. If you believe THAT, everything else afterwards is plausible.
The descent ending is exactly what I thought of right away, and what made me think she didn’t make it out
Heretic is a movie that you will either click with you or won't. Personally, I really liked the movie, but I admit I don't think it's for everyone.
Agree. Big hit for me too
SPOILERS.
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The basement isn't just a reference to the seven circles of hell, it's the 5th of seven levels.
Paxton did die in the end. But one critical piece of information you didn't mention was Barnes' conversation about her near death experience. What Paxton is experiencing in the end isn't necessarily entering the afterlife, it's a visual representation of her thinking about her butterfly during the final moments before her brain shuts down. They all died in the basement.
Ooh.. one way to interpret! I like it but I think Barnes did “resurrect” because the topic “miracle” was brought up frequently and they didnt really need to zoom in the broken wooden piece with three nails if it was all her imagination
I think that that's what she's experienced via hallucination, but I don't believe it's to ge taken literal. I need to rewatch it, though. Maybe I'll feel difficult afterwards.
I agree with you. The end was an illusion when really they all died in the basement. But even from a logical standpoint (which convinced me) Paxton couldn’t have escaped the basement after being stabbed in the gut, magically found the key, and crawled out the window. Logically she would have died in the basement anyways
Paxton didn’t die. She was caged like the other women. She became barely alive, malnourished, tortured, brainwashed, mentally unstable like the other victims. She was cold down in Dante’s lowest level of hell (as cold as walking in the snow without winter gear) and wanting so badly to have had the courage to stab her captor and escape, her mind created a realistic scenario/dream/hallucination. Watch for the glitches in her minds matrix. Three obvious clues being no cell reception, the malnourished knobbed fingers, and the butterfly. Not to mention, had elder B survived, it’s more reasonable to conclude she wouldn’t have the strength to stand let alone deliver such an impactful death blow with her excessive blood loss.
Mr Reed designed the labrynth house and acquired several victims with whom he easily disposed at will because he was ever confident he could replenish his stock. He does not lose, he is in control no matter which door is chosen or whichever other illusion of choice is presented, every ‘choice’ leads to his predetermined outcome.
This movie is a psychological cat and mouse game without the possibility of escape. There’s only one way in and no way out because Mr. Reed literally controls the door.
SPOILER FOR THE DESCENT (2005)
I interpreted the ending of this movie the same way I interpreted the ending of The Descent (or at least one of the endings since there’s more than one ending- I’m referring to the one where she drives away and sees Juno in the car with her before she gets “hit”) in that Sister Paxton dies at the end and what you’re seeing is what she’s seeing as she’s entering the afterlife. The main character of The Descent never made it out of the cave, as Sister Paxton didn’t make it out of her “cave” either. However, I didn’t feel that the ending was totally bleak, and even with all the death, there was still a glimmer of hope in my opinion. I saw this movie a few days ago and I’m still thinking about it even now! Definitely one of the best movies I’ve seen this year. Great video!
I do think he makes a good point in the idea that the nature of faith from powerful leaders is control in the context of the long history of violence committed in the name of religion as well as the ideas of what is and is not moral that is entirely dependent on the person interpreting and sharing their interpretation of religious scripture.
But faith in and of itself and belief in something beyond life is powerful comfort that helps a lot of people lead fulfilling lives. Both sides of faith and logic are exemplified in a compelling way. What a film.
The one true religion is choice, not control, and that's what he didn't see. Choice at every point is the engine of life. Choices we make interacting with choices of others, constantly and to infinity. Creating the rules (predefined choices) that govern the options that others have creates power, but they have the choice to reject your premise at every turn. Even if it is the cost of their own demise.
I took the end as her choosing to still believe in her religion and the butterfly delusion was her seeing a sign from her friend.
I watched this movie yesterday in Yuma, and it stuck with me afterward while I went shopping for household goods. Then, in the parking lot, it suddenly struck me that Mr. Reed is a polygamist, which ties in to things he'd said to the two Sisters about their church's history.
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Huh? Could you elaborate on this?
He has a basement full of caged female followers@@propogandalf
Yeah, I think there's something related there. We don't know what he did with the women in the basement but there are some possible parallels there. Projecting onto Joseph Smith his own tendencies. Create a religion (with the miracle and prophets), subjugate women for own devices.
The Hubby cups
This is why i came HERE. I needed some guidance on what i saw and some help with the meanings. The thing about the trap door is tho, it made a lot of noise when it was opened so we're asked to believe that no one heard that. Thats almost a bridge too for for me. Overall, i liked the thinking aspects of this film. A24 keeping us on our toes.
the loud door opening and closing AND the thud of the body falling
I interpreted the end as she escaped, but it’s up to the viewer to “believe” if the butterfly was real or not. You can choose to believe there’s an afterlife and maybe Barnes was telling her she’s okay by landing on her hand or was it a hallucination and you think it’s a load of 💩? Basically the entire point of the movie.
Interesting, I liked your take in the other comment but not so much this one. Why would Barnes come back as a butterfly when it was Paxton who had that wish? What would be the meaning of the butterfly disappearing in this context?
@@propogandalf well she discussed it with her friend so who’s say we can’t choose what we do in the afterlife? Aren’t there always going to be people looking for signs from a loved one after they pass? It doesn’t necessarily have to be Barnes, but I just believe they left the end ambiguous for the shear reason of leaving it up the viewer to make the choice of what they think happened or not.
@@propogandalf I thought the main argument at the end was supposed to be like “was the butterfly real or not? Did it mean something or not? Like was it in her head or is there an afterlife and this is a sign?” type of thing. But I have also considered that she may have died at the end and is now in some kind of afterlife.
I thoroughly enjoyed this movie! 9/10!
So for me, I found initially thinking and truly thinking about religion as a whole. In the end, we are faced with belief and trust. Is there an afterlife? Only those who have died or those who believe there is life after death. The ending showed me faith. When she began to pray, I want to believe that our creator intervened. The movie signs with Mel Gibson and night Shyamalan movie said it best. Either person who wants to believe that we are not the only ones here alone. There is someone else fighting for us. Or, you’re here believing that we are all alone. Personally, I’ll take the first. I always wanna believe that we are not alone. To sit and think that mankind as a hole is not crooked and greed, I could think of many adjectives, but we include myself. We all can be dark in our own reckoning. Every single one of us. What will you take on your daily walk? Whether that walk is to feed the light in you or is that walk to feed the dark in you this movie definitely many many emotional thoughts. In the end? I am left to my belief. And I believe, there is a creator. Not religion, not mankind, that there is definitely a creator of all things….. Godspeed 🙏
The ending in the trees was very reminiscent of the sacred grove scene that all Mormons are familiar with. Joseph on his knees praying for knowledge. But sister Paxton is left with no signal and has to go and get help on her own.
I feel like the house paralleled with the Mormon temple.
I like a movie that challenges our faith in a higher god. Good Movie. Good ahead and watch Venom if you want . But this movie gets your brain involved.
Ikr. Movie had me thinking the whole time
That sh*t was crazy. @ first, i assumed the sisters just went into Mr. Reed's house because he invited them, not because it began to 🌧. Mr. Reed pointing out that the MAJOR religions have similarities is something i did see coming. i took Intro to Theology in undergrad and it gives you a perspective on how civilizations cycle through different belief systems/traditions. While inside the basement, Sister Barnes started putting pieces together from the puzzle, i was a little stunned. Her theory made sense, but to see that far out is not something i saw coming. i figured Sister Paxton would make it out because she was more "final girl" like with her innocence.
Marketing this as a horror film was a misstep IMO. Its totally a psychological thriller.Everyone in this movie is fantastic. And being a movie thats all dialog, I was on the edge of my seat the whole way through.
I saw this movie yesterday and Im anxious to rewatch it cause I know I missed a lot ...like the Daunte's Inferno reference lol. When it was done, 100% left believing she had died. The butterfly being there one moment and gone the next made me think ,in that brief moment, thats when she passed and was now the butterfly.
Maybe she is /maybe not lol..but it was a great ride.
A lot of new "horror" films lean more on psycho thriller and I wonder if they just stick the horror tag onto everything for marketing purposes?
@@akirashope6198 Yeah... Im thinking that might be true. Several movies this year were labeled horror but leaned more thriller.
I just thought the butterfly was the other sister in the afterlife letting her know she is there in the afterlife.
It was, and it also wasn't.
@@CartographerOfChaosSchrödinger’s butterfly 🦋
then wouldn't it have been real and not an illusion
If you are expecting jump scares you will be disappointed.
Good ….im tired of lame movies like that …this movie was amazing
I was hoping for no jump scares at all they usually make horror movies rely on them
This did have multiple jumpsacres though. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed the movie but it definitely had more of a basic hollywood horror feel to it compared to a24s horror movies like midsommar, the witch, men etc. I still enjoyed it though and definitely worth a watch
@ no jump scares for me tbh maybe cause i dont get scared easily 😂
I think the descent down the stairs regardless of the door are a symbolic construct from Reed with how the thoughts of going to hell often controls religious beliefs, “You have to pray every day or you’ll go to hell” type of thing.
Just saw this and loved it! Perhaps it says something about me but I definitely saw the ending as the dark interpretation and didn’t even consider that it could be seen a different way. Your explanation was very good. I missed the Dante’s inferno reference!
Glad you enjoyed it and appreciate you checking out my breakdown.
I thought the main meaning of the film is to think for yourselves. Religions do not give us real ways to live.
I just watched that movie. When he said step in and see one true religion. There is a pentagram and rad lock on the door same in movie "sinister" where devil lives behind a red door. I think in his mind one true religion was satanism but he didn't say in out loud cause that would be too obvious.
my other thought was that later religions are sort of based on earlier religions (paganism). most of those signs were related to paganism, which wasn't satanism but construed as such by later religions (judaism, christianity, etc.)
@@BreckL I grow up in satanic illuminati cult, when I tell you about red lock/red door I know what I'm talking about. Also the woman who was suppose to be a prophet was demonically possessed. I saw people's eyes go completely black in a real life. It happens after ritual. There's many other things I noticed too.
That's what I thought when he said it the first time.
Thanks man loved this movie and really appreciated the thoughtful video to sum it up. Helps the core themes resonate.
movie is so good. Brings up good points. Should have my pastor uncle and his kids watch this. LOL
I definitely need to watch this again keep me leaving so uneasy especially with sister Barnes dying I really liked her so much so it hurt seeing her die but she got to save sister Paxton so she went out as a hero I loved that
i've been hearing about this movie for a long time and i''m gonna watch it when comes out.
an intriguing movie.
btw elliott, you should do a commentary about apple+ show 'before', with billy crystal and rosie perez.
it's a very interesting one. it's right up to your ally. 👍
In the opening scene, Paxton describes the couple making the porno film who get interrupted by banging on the wall and someone yelling “we can hear you”.
Paxton said she felt it was a poignant moment when the porn actress made a defiant reply and that she could almost see their souls leaving their bodies from the shame.
Fast forward to when Paxton descends the chute to find the body of the “prophet” because she needs to know “the truth”. Reed gazes down on her as she defiantly says “I knew it”.
I felt there was a parallel drawn because I think at that moment Paxton knew with 100% certainty what her destiny was. Any hope evaporated for her similarly to how the porn actress resigned herself to her reality.
Iterations still.
From someone on quora: I survived forty minutes with a cut throat and I've read of people surviving hours.
It varies based on a variety of factors; were major arteries cut? How deep was the cut? How was the neck and head positioned after?
If no major vessels are cut, a person can survive for much longer.
My mother cut my throat when I was a toddler. Fortunately, she pushed my head back, meaning the knife missed the most important arteries. I required life saving surgery once ambulance staff found me, and a tube in my throat for 11 years.
Has anyone else caught that his name, "Mister Reed," is evocative of "Mysteried." When I was growing up Catholic, every time I asked my very pious grandmother a difficult question about religion, her response was: "It's just a beautiful Mystery."
I loved the film and your analysis. I do wonder about the key though. Since the final red door was locked with the bike lock, how did Mr Reid know to put the key into the ‘wrong’ pocket of sister Paxton’ coat?
Just left the theater 5min ago and i liked it. it’s definitely one i have to rewatch and analyze to love. thankyou for this video 🎉
haha everyone’s interpretation of the ending is making me feel stupid. I just assumed the butterfly fly was sister Barnes . Yes, it was sister Paxton’s idea of coming back as one but remember when he mixed them up at the beginning. There has to be a meaning for that right.
I thought that too
It could be. Or it could be all in her head.
Open to interpretation to the viewer.
It was an illusion created through her faith.
Id like to know the significance of the hubby mug AND the hubby tumbler! Both blue with white writing. It has to mean something
Liked your take on this film
I'm interested to see how Reed got his first few victims without the "prophet" facade
It was a good movie but it tried a little too hard to be cerebral just like the guy doing his explanation.
Loved this film
Did no one else see both the statue in the hallway and the one underneath the veil move? Why would the movie focus on both statues to begin with?
I just left the theater and my husband thought Sister Paxton made it, I felt she didn’t so I’m glad I’m not alone in that interpretation. Aaaaannndd I know I never want to hear that song “all I need is the air that I breathe” ever again.😂
I really appreciate your analysis!
Thank you for watching and I’m glad you enjoyed it!
I hope they’re not setting expectations too high
I LOVED this movie. Best horror movie and really movie period ive seen in a long time. The tension build up was so intense it was almost unbearable 😅 the pacing and everything was perfect 💯🥧😘
I just saw this movie and my experience was one for the books
My man proposed to me right before the movie during the trailers and gave me top right there we ain't shy to be ourselves
Someone racist ( elderly white couple) complained and we got caught by a ticket collector with one of them flashlights. He shined it right at my mans as he got his mouth full. I be mad embarrassed.
When word got out, I got demoted from our south chicago BLM charter to 13th rank bc everyone mad that I'm dating a man who once dated my mom and helped raise me. He be the one who helped me realize I'm a woman stuck in a man's body.
My pointbbe this. Don't let white Supremecy force you to hide yo self
I saw that butterfly disappear, so my immediate thought was “oh shit, the simulation.” Like what if that was his giant attempt at telling her the truth of reality at the table but she just wrote it off. Idk just a thought
I’m also seeing no one bringing up how the resurrection trick was a play on the resurrection of Jesus and this was a aha moment for the heretic once sister Paxton explained it to him.
The movie was good for about 3/4 of it.The ending while not boring is a mess.It didn't have to be a horror movie.
Wait, wasn't sister Barnes resurrected, allowing her to help her friend out at the end?
haven't seen the film yet...but I often watch spoilers then see the film.... As for this one, I wish I saw the film first. All he narrator's talk of existentialism? philosophy etc. I need to go back to university and get a second degree cause all the big talk lost me... or maybe I shouldn't have picked this one at 4am. yeah, that's it...I'm going to bed.
Haha, maybe watch it before you see the ending!
@@MovieFiles this☝🏾
8:55 !!! That’s her real hand??? That’s some freaky bony hand then!
i LOVED THIS FUKN GRAT PERFORMACEOUTSTANDING BUT HE WASNUTS ABD THE SECOND GIRL HAVING LIVED AND FIRST GIRL TURNING INTO ABUTTERFLY AS A MORACLE
I think his theory of the one true religion of 'control' was actually just worshipping himself as a god. That's why he has all of the satanic stuff in the last basement level of 'hell'. Do as thou wilt is a tenet of satanism, which also brings God back into the equation. I think the more logical conclusion, if all of the religions are so very similar, is that there's something to it; an original iteration, rather than 'it's all BS, and I don't believe in anything'.
Really enjoyed this movie. I have always been critical of religion, so this hit for me!
I met a few nut-jobs like this character in Heretic, on my mission, who had zero interest in learning what we were teaching and only wanted to bash and debate us, completely wasting our time.
I want to see the movie! Not the explanation! Where is the movie shown? Is it only in the theater? Probably.😢
4:33 Three; the symbolism of the holy trinity.
Symbolism is littered throughout the film.
oh i also noticed a another movie easter egg on the wall. unless i missed took it. it looks like a mask but looked like Pooh bear to me 😂
This is an intelliegent film.
Such a good movie reminds me of shatter island
Loved the movie but the end was a bit sloppy. Leaving it up to the audience to decide is lazy and lacks creativity.
When I saw this I noticed her getting more signal bars on her phone as soon as she got outside..........weird.
u weren’t paying attention , the house has metal in the walls and ceiling like he said , which is why she couldn’t get service
@@erisrice9193In his review he says the phone had no service outside
I liked most of the film but didn't care much for the ending. Too deus ex machina for me. Not a manifestation of human agency but a divine intervention, defeating the purpose of the whole film.
Same.
It wasnt a divine intervention. It was Paxton’s experience or “hallucination “,while she was dying
Transformation doesn’t necessarily come from the Devine.
@@ohitsyou..1348So, was she dying?
@@marionmarino1616 yes, earlier in the film Barnes was talking about how your mind hallucinates when you’re having a near death experience. That’s what was happening to Paxton when she imagined Barnes resurrecting and killing Mr. Reeds. Paxton was slowly drifting off and dying, that’s why she imaging all of that, then she imagined that she finally escaped.
It was good
I loved this movie 🎬
I thought the movie was really good
wow, what a surprise.
@@CynicalMisanthrope-b3p right? the absolute biggest!
This movie was way too onesided and doesn’t really challenge itself and was a bit too “preachy.”
Could really do without that wide frame around the screen.
Are you referring to when I put the video clips in?
@@MovieFilesAt the start when scenes were shown. Reduced the size of the screen too much.
@ I do that and and other techniques to avoid unnecessary copyright claims for using footage, altering the size or adding filters help.
@ Maybe make that frame less obtrusive.
Good movie, but the whole Christ myth theory was typical Hollywood.
interesting just before we get to the cage women we go through several rooms full of witchcraft , then he says the religon is control .. women
I hate movies like this this one reminds me of the turning and also Total Recall which neither one of them made any sense
The true ending is when the movie hits blockbuster and we get a part 2 and she lives or the movie sucks and the movie ends.
There is still womens alive in the cage in the end of the movie.
All that atheist talk to just be a weird ass serial killer/abductor lol
Whoever wrote this movie thought they were cooking with all the hate for religion 😂.
I want to know what his job is bcs he has a big house and much time for hobby)) and of couse he has a lot of women ))
Awful movie confusing faith and religion. Motives are left undiscovered and there is no heresy. Pop philosophy peppered with a disrespect for the intelligence of the audience…
The whole movie was an attack on the LDS faith and culture. Very upsetting that there isn’t outcry to cancel the movie. Likely because LDS members don’t make waves to cancel media. The filmmakers needed serious insider knowledge and insight into LDS culture to attack LDS members so personally, but even then they got a lot wrong and misrepresented a lot of the beliefs. Heck, to understand the nuances of the movie, like the character development, plot, and final message you need prerequisite and background knowledge on the religion.
With all that being said, the ending had 2 major messages: 1) an attack against “Utah Mormons” insinuating that they are all fake and insincere; and 2) a message that all Mormons can overcome their belief system when they challenge them. Let me explain further:
There is a stereotype within the LDS religion that members who specifically grow up in Utah are more socially awkward, more judgmental and more fake. The “fake” aspect is of particular importance in this film as we realize at the end of the film that the Sister Paxton (from UT) was acting “fake” in every single situation up to that point, including wanting to exit through the disbelief door just to get home (despite already realizing that her ending looked bleak). The balance between how the two sisters acted throughout the first half hour of the movie was meant to portray both how the sister from Utah (Paxton) was less socially adept than the sister whose dad died (Barnes) and how the sister from Utah was fake. The dichotomy between Utah Mormon and non-Utah Mormon is best depicted by how Sister Barnes quickly corrected Sister Paxton when Paxton falsely told Mr. Reed that Barnes was from Salt Lake City, UT. The climax of the film occurred when we saw the Paxton’s companion, Barnes, died and she began to reiterate to herself how she needed to “challenge” the maniac.
Subliminally, it felt to me like the writer wanted the ending to say that all Mormons are smart and that they can overcome the facade of their religion when they “challenge” their belief system, which was portrayed as Mr Reed. All of this raises the ultimate question though of whether Paxton was freed from the LDS religion (sometimes referred to as “a cult” by those who have left the faith) because she finally challenged her the foundation of her weak, Utah-formed beliefs or because she was just faking it all along and decided to come clean. This all becomes evident when Paxton said she saw Mr Reed’s hair wet and knew he must’ve been out in the storm. In my opinion, the movie makes several suggestions that it’s due to the latter as well. Here are several more examples from the film that exemplify this: 1) Paxton never converted anyone on her mission because she didn’t have enough faith in the religion herself; 2) Paxton was unwilling to go through the belief door, despite the likely and inevitable scenario of death; 3) Mr. Reed’s observations that he noticed something different in the two sisters and Barnes comment that Mr. Reed wouldn’t stop watching her (likely because she had a strong conviction of her belief); 3) despite Barnes urging her to focus to help her light the match, Paxton kept focusing on the prophet as she herself didn’t belief in miracles and was similar to Mr Reed in wanting to manifest the one true faith; 4) Paxton knew all along that the integrity of what she said didn’t matter all that much if it would potentially serve her purpose, whether that was saying she didn’t believe to leave the house, rambling on the first lesson script to potentially convert Mr Reed, playing devil’s advocate to her companion who said she converted 9 people already; 5) Paxton talking much more about sex and condoms than her companion Barnes. I could list more examples, but I’d rather not. You really need to understand LDS theology to understand a lot of the plot lines.
Sorry, listed #3 twice. And I forgot to mention how Sister Paxton admitted at the end that praying didn’t actually work, but that it was pretty and helped provide comfort to those who did it.
Are you mad, Mr. Elder? Lol 😅
LDS is a cult.
A little insecure there?
I personally dont like ur religion but this movie didnt really attack ur religion… it didnt portray ur religion ugly……only insiders like urself would know ur arguments.
I get why u are offended but how would the thriller movie about faith be made unless it mirrors the reality like this one?
sky cloud genie not real. Me so smart.
This movie was so trash, i dont get the hype. He explains the common sense of iteration. Idk how his arguments impressed anyone. Then the dumb reveal in the janky basement threw everything he argued for out the window. Hes just a psychopath lol. Movie was ass. 👎
Edit: The first third of the film was interesting. It leads you to think you're in a film where the protagonists will be genuinely challenged. Mr. Reeves is building up good challenges and arguments. How far will he challenge and push these girls to test their faith? He doesnt. It leads to nothing. He's just simply a psychopath who lured them in using their religion to kidnap them to become one of his slaves or "prophets." Control, the one true religion. This is dumb, its like saying the one true race is the human race. What??? That's it???
You can go into the dumb... he still believes in God because before he was dying he wanted a prayer (similar to the porn star being embarrassed, the protagonist with the hidden birth control, etc.). How you can interpret the ending in different ways. These concepts and ideas are not really that interesting, and the core of the movie again was just pointless. It goes out the window, he's literally just psychopath.
If this is amazing to you, then to each their own. It was a snoozefest for me.
I feel like you might not have understood the premise of the movie based on your interpretation which seems very simplistic. Like i told another commenter, the movie may not be for everyone especially in 2024 where people refuse to think outside the box or try to entertain any deep meaningful thought about philosophy or existential dilemmas. Some people are simple and like games like Call of Duty others enjoy chess. To each their own, there's plenty of movies that don't require that level of thinking. Complexity is often presented in layers. It seems to me you only got to the first layer and wasn't able to peel the onion further, and that's ok. If that's the case, this movie wasn't made for you. Remember often times when someone thinks something complex is dumb, is because they aren't intellectually capable of understanding the premise. Just like simple minded men back in the days laughed and thought the idea of the world being round was absolutely idiotic :P
@SurgingInsight lol you're so full of yourself, trying to call me dumb without trying to say it. There's nothing that deep and complex about the film. They tried to make it deep, but it wasn't. It's so deep you can't even say what's deep about it lol.
@@konghere FULLY agree! It was so bad. Terrible movie
This “@@SurgingInsight “ person loves to think anyone who didn’t enjoy the movie is simple minded and dumber than him.
I thought the movie was great albeit very dark. It exposed many truths about religion and how they're all basically the same across the world and how these religions prey on vulnerable people by brainwashing them into believing falsehoods about their faith. The movie is very accurate in that respect.
i liked the movie but i was expecting the ending to be something different. like he reveals he did discover the oldest of old religions and it’s based off some dark lovecraftian like religion and he is a follower of said religion and the “god” of this religion requires virgin sacrifices. this is why he kills the one girl he saw the scar of her contraceptive and knew she wasn’t a virgin and the other he test further and these test send her deeper and deeper into the bottom of what’s under his house until she passes all the test and reaches the bottom where he introduces her to the “god” of his religion a Cthulhu looking monster that kills and devours her.
we end the movie where we time jump a month or more and we see 2 new girls come up to his door and knock. not showing them from the front so we don’t know if this is 2 more mormons or two girls from another faith.
i think this would have made for a far better story than what we got but over all i give the movie a 8/10
*Hollywoods one true religion? Satanism. 😂lol I thought they were trying to convert the audience …
This movie was so bad that even video of explaining it is unbearable to me.
You can just simply say you didnt get the movie.
Bro was not ready for a slow burner
@@thecheatsheet2473 I hated it even more after “getting” it.
@@mihirtrivedi2429 I guess you just have a taste more keen for Avengers style movies with more *ExPloSiOnS*
@@thecheatsheet2473 I do not like or dislike a movie based on what an intellectual is supposed to like or dislike. I am beyond all that but you are free to speculate and trying to figure me out.
I found Heretic to be quite disjointed, incoherent, muddled and frankly pretentious. Just a bunch of religious idea (some thought-provoking, some junk) thrown together and pretending it to be way more intelligent than it actually is. Exact same reason I hate Ari Aster movies. First 20 mins or so is okay-ish but once they go down the door, it all went downhill for me. Acting was passable. A24 was once a darling for me and I would watch anything with their name on it but lately I am getting disappointed.
The movie sucked
Sorry you didn’t enjoy it
pussy
Tell it like it is. Haha
It just requires thought and critical thinking. I agree it may not be for everyone especially in 2024 where people refuse to think outside the box or try to entertain any deep meaningful thought about philosophy or existential dilemmas. Some people are simple and like games like Call of Duty others enjoy chess. To each their own, there's plenty of movies that don't require that level of thinking.
@@SurgingInsightman nothing against this movie. But this isn’t really “critical thinking” it’s surface level thinking disguised as deep. This is like basic world religion 101
This movie made me feel bored and stupid lol. I guess I was expecting a Terrifier 3 or The Substance type of movie. Idk, I thought that Mr. Reed was trying to play God and that's what I got from it.
Did you watch the trailer first? The movies you mentioned didn’t look remotely close to heretic from the marketing lol sorry you didn’t like it.
God? Hmmm, interestingng .....ppl make decisions based off how God could view them, sort of controlled? Interesting
The terrifier? LMFAOOOO
There's still time to delete this smooth brained comment.
@@ArtGuy-yo4wl why are you being rude to someone for stating their opinion
I just saw the .ovie, if they here your explanation they'll b more confused.
Keeping it simple.. I feel like this film just tells the story that a part of the population believe we are all being controlled whilst the other part of the population are just simply happy to believe even if they don’t know how deep it goes and that’s ok.
Well said. Paxton felt good to believe and pray about something