Two young missionaries are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse.
For in-depth thoughts on Heretic, please see my colleague Will Bjarnar’s review from its original festival debut here.
Video Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Heretic offers this deceptively cozy feature a fantastic presentation that is not to be missed. While the lack of an accompanying Blu-Ray makes it impossible to judge the degree of upgrade from the Blu-Ray (also available exclusively on the A24 website), there is no doubt that anyone who is 4K UHD capable will be thrilled by the results. The transfer unlocks so much texture in the costumes and the impressive production design. Skin tones appear to be expertly detailed and natural with subtle elements apparent on faces such as age lines, perspiration, and pores.
The implementation of Dolby Vision/HDR is a huge benefit to this viewing experience. So much of this film takes place in low light situations, and black levels are perfect, staying deep and inky with impeccable detail. The highlights in the film are firmly defined with whites stable and balanced with no instances of blooming found. The carefully considered cinematography really comes alive on this disc. The screen is saturated with bold colors and deep hues that are pinpoint accurate to their intended shade. The expanded range of the color spectrum is a huge benefit on all fronts. A24 has offered up a reference 4K UHD Blu-Ray release.
Audio Quality
This 4K UHD Blu-Ray comes with a stellar Dolby Atmos track that brings a notable amount of complexity to this sound mix. Dialogue comes through crisp and clear without being overpowered by any competing sounds. The movie is replete with unique textural qualities that make the house feel alive. Ambient sounds are faithfully deployed in the rear channels to capture the distinct qualities of the space. The Atmos experience stands out with the utilization of height channels to make the environment feel more immersive, especially with the falling rain. The score from Chris Bacon flows out of the speakers with the utmost fidelity. Bustling sequences emerge occasionally, but this is definitely not a standout element of the experience. The audio track is a major winner. Optional English SDH and Spanish subtitles are provided.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Writer-directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods provide a great commentary track which begins with them discussing their favorite commentary tracks before delving into the themes, the process of developing the script, shooting on location, the production design and costumes, the work of the performers, the music in the film, the challenges faced during shooting, technical elements, and much more.
- Seeing Is Believing – Behind The Scenes of Heretic A nearly 16-minute featurette in which the cast and creative team discuss the surprising developments of the story, the vision of Back and Woods, influences on the picture, the tricky balance of the tone, what the performers bring to the characters, and more.
- Postcards: There are six collectible postcards featuring set photography by Kimberly French.
Final Thoughts
Heretic is first and foremost an acting showcase that finds one of our most underutilized veterans revealing new layers opposite a pair of shining newcomers who are destined to light up our screens for years. The thrilling ping pong match of wits and passionate points of view evolves into something darkly amusing and quite unsettling, although the film gets a bit unwieldy as it reaches its conclusion. It is far from the most disturbing film from A24, but it is still a hell of a lot of fun. A24 has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a terrific A/V presentation and some strong special features. Even if you are not traditionally a horror fan, this is well worth a watch. Recommended
Heretic is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD and Blu-Ray exclusively at the A24 Shop.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: A24 has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.

Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.