Heretic
Two young religious women are drawn into a game of cat-and-mouse in the house of a strange man.
Despite its tight budget of $10.0M, Heretic became a commercial success, earning $51.9M worldwide—a 419% return. The film's bold vision resonated with audiences, proving that strong storytelling can transcend budget limitations.
Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award4 wins & 38 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Heretic (2024) exhibits carefully calibrated narrative design, characteristic of Scott Beck's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 51 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.4, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton, two young Mormon missionaries, go door-to-door in their community spreading their faith, earnest and optimistic in their mission work.. The analysis reveals that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 14 minutes when Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton knock on the door of Mr. Reed's house. He greets them warmly, assures them his wife is home baking a blueberry pie, and invites them inside for what seems like a friendly theological discussion.. At 13% through the film, this Disruption is delayed, allowing extended setup of the story world. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 28 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This indicates the protagonist's commitment to The missionaries attempt to leave but discover the front door is locked. Mr. Reed reveals there is no wife, and they are trapped. He presents them with two doors labeled "Belief" and "Disbelief," forcing them to choose in order to progress through his house. They must play his game to survive., moving from reaction to action.
At 56 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Significantly, this crucial beat Reed reveals a horrifying secret: he has done this before. The missionaries discover evidence of previous victims—possibly women imprisoned in the basement or bodies hidden in the house. The true scope of Reed's depravity becomes clear, and what seemed like a philosophical exercise is revealed as a deadly trap. The stakes become life and death., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 84 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, One of the missionaries (likely Sister Barnes) is killed or grievously wounded by Mr. Reed. The death of her companion represents the darkest moment—not just the loss of life but the apparent triumph of Reed's nihilistic worldview over their faith. Hope seems extinguished., illustrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 89 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. The surviving missionary finds clarity: her faith isn't about proving Reed wrong through logic, but about choosing meaning and compassion despite the darkness. She synthesizes her belief with action, seeing through Reed's final manipulation and finding the courage to confront him directly. She chooses faith not as certainty, but as defiant hope., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Heretic's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping Heretic against these established plot points, we can identify how Scott Beck utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Heretic within the horror genre.
Scott Beck's Structural Approach
Among the 2 Scott Beck films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.1, reflecting strong command of classical structure. Heretic represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Scott Beck filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional horror films include Lake Placid, A Nightmare on Elm Street and Cat's Eye. For more Scott Beck analyses, see 65.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton, two young Mormon missionaries, go door-to-door in their community spreading their faith, earnest and optimistic in their mission work.
Theme
During their rounds, the missionaries discuss the nature of faith and doubt. A passerby or companion makes a comment about belief being a choice versus something that chooses you, foreshadowing the film's exploration of religious conviction under duress.
Worldbuilding
The film establishes the missionaries' innocent faith, their protocols (including the rule about needing a woman present in the home), their friendship dynamic, and their dedication to their mission. We see their routine, their conversations about faith, and their approach to spreading their message.
Disruption
Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton knock on the door of Mr. Reed's house. He greets them warmly, assures them his wife is home baking a blueberry pie, and invites them inside for what seems like a friendly theological discussion.
Resistance
The missionaries engage in conversation with Mr. Reed, who seems knowledgeable and charming. Subtle red flags emerge: the wife never appears, Reed's questions become more probing and challenging, and the missionaries begin to feel uncomfortable but hesitate to be rude or judgmental. They debate whether to leave.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
The missionaries attempt to leave but discover the front door is locked. Mr. Reed reveals there is no wife, and they are trapped. He presents them with two doors labeled "Belief" and "Disbelief," forcing them to choose in order to progress through his house. They must play his game to survive.
Mirror World
As Reed's theological game intensifies, the relationship between Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton deepens. Their differing levels of faith and doubt emerge—one more certain, one more questioning—creating a thematic mirror that will test both their beliefs and their bond.
Premise
Reed subjects the missionaries to elaborate psychological and theological tests. He presents philosophical arguments comparing religions to iterations of Monopoly, challenges their beliefs with historical and logical contradictions, and leads them deeper into his labyrinthine house. The missionaries try to outwit him while clinging to their faith and looking for escape routes.
Midpoint
Reed reveals a horrifying secret: he has done this before. The missionaries discover evidence of previous victims—possibly women imprisoned in the basement or bodies hidden in the house. The true scope of Reed's depravity becomes clear, and what seemed like a philosophical exercise is revealed as a deadly trap. The stakes become life and death.
Opposition
The missionaries are forced deeper into the basement and Reed's twisted game intensifies. He may stage false miracles or resurrections to break their faith. The women fight back using their wits, faith, and courage, but Reed anticipates their moves. Trust fractures, desperation grows, and escape seems increasingly impossible as Reed maintains psychological and physical control.
Collapse
One of the missionaries (likely Sister Barnes) is killed or grievously wounded by Mr. Reed. The death of her companion represents the darkest moment—not just the loss of life but the apparent triumph of Reed's nihilistic worldview over their faith. Hope seems extinguished.
Crisis
The surviving missionary (likely Sister Paxton) processes the trauma and loss. In her darkest moment, she must decide whether her faith has meaning in the face of such evil, or whether Reed is right and it's all simply control and iteration. She faces the crisis of belief that Reed has engineered.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
The surviving missionary finds clarity: her faith isn't about proving Reed wrong through logic, but about choosing meaning and compassion despite the darkness. She synthesizes her belief with action, seeing through Reed's final manipulation and finding the courage to confront him directly. She chooses faith not as certainty, but as defiant hope.
Synthesis
The final confrontation between the surviving missionary and Mr. Reed. She uses both her faith and her intelligence to overcome him—perhaps turning his own arguments against him or exploiting a weakness in his house/plan. The physical and philosophical battle concludes with Reed's defeat, whether through death, escape, or the missionary's moral victory.
Transformation
The surviving missionary emerges from the house, forever changed. The final image mirrors the opening but shows transformation—she may still have faith, or she may be questioning, but she has agency and depth she lacked before. A butterfly or symbolic image may suggest the soul of her lost companion, leaving the question of faith beautifully ambiguous.