Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- brooding
- somber
- thoughtful
- historical drama night
- literary adaptation viewing
What critics said
Critics found the film gripping and character-driven despite a complicated, overly sententious mystery plot.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The traveling troupe abandons its standard morality play and dramatizes the murdered boy's case to reveal what the town knows.
Nicholas flees after violating his vows, then confronts his crime while risking himself to pursue justice for the condemned girl.
A deaf-mute girl is imprisoned and sentenced for murder and witchcraft while townspeople know she is not responsible.
The actors travel between villages with morality plays, turning communal theatre into a forum for truth and judgment.
Films like The Reckoning, and why
The Name of the Rose
medieval setting, moral inquiry, murder mystery, and theatrical investigation
The Advocate
historical crime mystery driven by religious authority, suppressed truth, and an accused outsider
The Dresser
period drama about performers using art to expose injustice and recover moral truth
An Instance of the Fingerpost
dark historical mystery centered on guilt, justice, and institutional power
Movie Details
- Director
- Paul McGuigan
- Release Date
- 2004-02-26
- Runtime
- 112 min
- Rating
- 6.4 / 10 (127)
Cast
- Paul Bettany
- Willem Dafoe
- Tom Hardy
- Brian Cox
- Simon McBurney
- Luke de Woolfson
- Gina McKee
- Vincent Cassel
- Ewen Bremner
- Mark Benton
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Reckoning about?
- A fugitive medieval priest joins a traveling acting troupe and turns a condemned girl's case into a dangerous theatrical search for truth.
- What is The Reckoning like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Reckoning as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Reckoning violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Reckoning as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Reckoning?
- Critics found the film gripping and character-driven despite a complicated, overly sententious mystery plot.
- Which films are like The Reckoning?
- Films with a similar feel include The Name of the Rose, The Advocate, The Dresser, and An Instance of the Fingerpost.
- How long is The Reckoning?
- The Reckoning runs 112 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Reckoning?
- In United States, The Reckoning is available to rent or buy from JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
