The Heretics

The Heretics

Year: 2017

Runtime: 87 mins

Language: English

Director: Chad Archibald

FantasyHorror

A young girl is abducted by a man who believes a cult is after her. He aims to protect her until sunrise, but she unexpectedly falls ill while in his care. As her friends and family desperately search for her, the cause of her sickness becomes increasingly clear. She isn't simply sick; she is undergoing a disturbing transformation.

The Heretics (2017) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

Get a spoiler-free look at The Heretics (2017) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.

In a remote, moon‑lit countryside the ordinary world cracks open to something ancient and unsettling. Gloria lives still haunted by a night she can barely remember, and the quiet of her small town is colored by the lingering whisper of a cult that once tore through the darkness. The film settles into a tension‑laden atmosphere where everyday life feels thin, and every shadow hints at a presence that refuses to be ignored.

When a scarred stranger appears, convinced that the cult continues to stalk her, he takes Gloria to an isolated cabin with only the promise of sunrise as a deadline. His frantic urgency creates a fragile alliance, a desperate attempt to hold her safe against forces that seem both unseen and inevitable. The cramped space, the cold night air, and the ever‑approaching dawn lend the story a claustrophobic rhythm that keeps the audience hovering between hope and dread.

Outside, Gloria’s loved ones—her mother, her partner—race against time, their search a stark contrast to the uneasy stillness within the cabin. Their growing anxiety mirrors the unsettling change beginning inside Gloria herself, an illness that feels less like a fever and more like a metamorphosis. The film leans heavily on mood, using muted colors, lingering sound design, and tight framing to amplify the sense that something is shifting beneath the surface.

The result is a slow‑burning horror that balances intimate character moments with a pervasive sense of the uncanny. As the night deepens, the audience is left with a lingering question: what will become of the girl caught between a protective captor, an unseen cult, and a transformation that may rewrite the very nature of who she is?

Last Updated: October 05, 2025 at 16:53

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Claustrophobic Transformation Horror Movies like The Heretics

Horror stories where physical and psychological change is a terrifying trap.If you liked the intense body horror and psychological siege of The Heretics, you'll find similar terror in these movies. This list features stories of disturbing physical change, often set in confined spaces, where characters battle internal and external threats for survival.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative often follows a single protagonist or a small group trapped in a confined space, facing a threat that causes a grotesque physical or psychological metamorphosis. The story is a race against time, escalating the horror as the transformation progresses and the outside world closes in.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their shared focus on the horror of involuntary transformation, a high-intensity tone, and an oppressive, claustrophobic mood. They explore themes of bodily autonomy, trauma, and survival through a relentless, physically horrifying lens.

Supernatural Siege Horror Movies with Ambiguous Endings like The Heretics

Stories where a single night of ritual horror leads to an uncertain fate.For viewers who enjoyed the ritualistic, night-long horror and ambiguous conclusion of The Heretics, this collection features similar films. Discover stories where characters face a supernatural threat during a single, desperate night, with endings that leave lasting questions.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative is tightly focused on a single, horrific night where characters are tested by a cult or supernatural force. The story builds steadily towards a dawn confrontation that fails to provide clear answers, emphasizing the enduring and incomprehensible nature of the evil faced.

Why These Movies?

These movies share a specific structure: a steady-paced, night-long siege with ritualistic or cult elements, a dark and heavy tone, and an ending that is deliberately ambiguous. The experience is defined by relentless dread and a conclusion that lingers unsettlingly.

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The Heretics Summary

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The Heretics Timeline

Characters, Settings & Themes in The Heretics

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Characters, Settings & Themes in The Heretics

More About The Heretics

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