When a police officer learns of Joan's violent behaviour, he suspects that she was involved in Gloria's kidnapping, which leads her to kill both him and the inconvenient witness Ruth.
He feigned suicide, and states that he kidnapped her to protect her from the remaining cultists, who intend to finish the ritual under the coming locust moon.
Gloria, whose appearance becomes increasingly inhuman as the metamorphosis progresses, starts to lose herself mentally and speaks in the voice of Abaddon, saying that she will kill Thomas first and take his soul to hell.
Gwendolyn goes to the cabin (which belonged to their parents), knocks out Thomas, taunts a chained Gloria over her physical degeneration, and begins to perform an occult ritual.
[8] In a review, critic Ricky Church praised the acting and felt that the direction and special effects made the best use of the film's modest budget.
[9] The website CultureCrypt in a review stated: "Overall, The Heretics is a satisfying, if ultimately adequate, horror movie featuring cults, crazies, and a cabin in the woods.
"[7] In a review, critic Josh Hancock called The Heretics a "stylish, well-made horror film" that told a "captivating story" with good performances from the cast.
When you consider the confines that Chad Archibald and team had to work within to make this happen, and the final product that they delivered, it's hard to fathom how the hell it's even possible.
"[13] A review on the website Let the Movies Move Us stated: "The Heretics justifies the genre of horror, as some scenes, musical score and even the make-up do their job perfectly.
It just happened that I was not the right one..."[14] A review on the website Anatomy Of A Scream stated: "Where The Heretics lacks in character development, it makes up for in motivation.
The slimy black gunk of hell oozing out of Gloria is unsettling and disturbing while the mental gymnastics of what's really happening to her leaves you disoriented and creeped out.