 | MOVIE DETAILS • Name: The Heretics • Year: 2017 • Country: Canada • Director: Chad Archibald • Main cast: Nina Kiri, Jorja Cadence, Ry Barrett • Runtime: 87 minutes • Production company: Black Fawn Films, Breakthrough Entertainment • TRAILER |
The Heretic is this kind of movies that drinks more from the waters of showing creepy stuff than the story itself. Basically because here is presented a story that any horror goes has probably seen a million times, especially in the last years with this revival of demonical supernatural flicks. The story has really nothing special, and at some points, the conversations are so cheesy and hollow that I even had temptations to stand up and leave the theatre. But it was early in the morning, so I still had some tolerance.
The Heretic is about Gloria, a girl who was kidnapped by a mysterious cult a few years before and nowadays is trying to make up her life. Still with nightmares and not ready to deal with the real world, she goes periodically to a counseling church group where she meets Joan. They two soon start a sentimental relationship that helps us getting stronger within themselves and cope with their inner demons. But one day Gloria is kidnapped again by a mysterious character in a truck, and Joan starts her own quest to recover her friend back. Obviously, in these cases, things are not what they seem and hell breaks loose. Literally.
The movie is directed by Chad Archibald and written by his frequent collaborator Jayme Laforest. The two filmmakers are the creators of Bite (2015), which won some awards in small independent horror films worldwide. Acting is supported basically by the starring trio formed by Nina Kiri, Jorja Cadence and Ry Barrett, three unknown faces that deliver an acceptable performance, although far from outstanding.
The best feature of the movie is, by far, the makeup effect. The transformation of the demon creature, that takes more than half of the running time, is very very well done, well acted and credible enough. All the credible a demon can be, obviously. The cinematography is also acceptable enough, although not that impressive.
I don’t think The Heretics is a movie that should transcend or being remembered for longer than a couple of weeks. But if it has to outstand for anything, that is for their visual effects. So you are warned, this is unoriginal, just one more of the pack. Only recommended for devote fans of demonical themed movies or if you really really don’t have anything better to watch.
RATE: 5/10
IMDB URL: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt6318848
