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Movies / On DVD / The Reckoning
The Reckoning

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The Reckoning (2004)

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Reviews Counted:27

Fresh:11

Rotten:16

Average Rating:5.4/10

Consensus: A talky, ponderous movie.

Rated: R [See Full Rating] for some sexuality and violent images

Runtime: 1 hr 50 mins

Genre: Dramas

Theatrical Release:Mar 5, 2004 Limited

Synopsis: Set in England during the late 1300s, Paul McGuigan's THE RECKONING follows Nicholas (Paul Bettany), a young priest literally running from his past. After encountering a band of wandering actors,... Set in England during the late 1300s, Paul McGuigan's THE RECKONING follows Nicholas (Paul Bettany), a young priest literally running from his past. After encountering a band of wandering actors, Nicholas is grudgingly allowed into the fold by the good-natured Martin (Willem Dafoe). When the troupe reaches an impoverished village, they get word of a strange murder and look into the story as the basis for a new play. However, Nicholas and Martin uncover more than they'd expected, and soon a deeper mystery emerges. Meanwhile, as Nicholas attempts to find justice, he also struggles to come to terms with his own troubled history. A medieval murder mystery in the vein of THE NAME OF THE ROSE, THE RECKONING is based on the Barry Unsworth novel MORALITY PLAY. Under the artfully somber direction of previous collaborator McGuigan, Bettany turns in an excellent performance as a guilt-ridden priest struggling to atone for his sins. In addition to Dafoe, the film also features fine supporting actors such as Brian Cox and Gina McKee. Utilizing its historical backdrop to the fullest extent, THE RECKONING immerses the audience in its medieval setting, revealing the period's many hardships and enhancing the drama of this intriguing, unfolding mystery. [More]

Starring: Willem Dafoe, Paul Bettany, Brian Cox, Gina McKee

Starring: Willem Dafoe, Paul Bettany, Brian Cox, Gina McKee, Ewen Bremner, Vincent Cassel, Simon McBurney

Director: Paul McGuigan

Director: Paul McGuigan
Screenwriter: Mark Mills
Producer: Caroline Wood
Composer: Adrian Lee, Mark Mancina
Studio: Paramount Classics

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Release:

Aug 3, 2004

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Reviews for The Reckoning

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Full Review Source: Houston Chronicle | comment Comment
07/21/05
Houston Chronicle
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After a first hour slowed by exposition and a good deal of extraneous subplot development, the story catches fire in the second hour and keeps you engrossed.

Full Review Source: Arizona Republic | comment Comment
04/01/04
Richard Nilsen
Richard Nilsen
Arizona Republic
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A thoughtful, clever and well-acted diversion.

Full Review Source: Detroit Free Press | comment Comment
03/26/04
Terry Lawson
Terry Lawson
Detroit Free Press
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An ambitious, energetic and wholly satisfying movie about the dawn of dramatic and personal freedom and much more.

Full Review Source: Detroit News | comment Comment
03/25/04
Tom Long
Tom Long
Detroit News
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Celebrates the craft of acting both in its story and in fine performances by Paul Bettany, Willem Dafoe and Brian Cox.

Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle | comment Comment
03/19/04
Carla Meyer
Carla Meyer
San Francisco Chronicle
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An ambitious but ineptly plotted British import that attempts to fuse The Seventh Seal with a period whodunit like The Name of the Rose.

Full Review Source: San Jose Mercury News | comment Comment
03/18/04
Glenn Lovell
Glenn Lovell
San Jose Mercury News
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Has its flaws, among them a certain self-righteousness and a complicated storyline, but it is never less than gripping thanks to its gifted international cast.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
03/18/04
Lael Loewenstein
Lael Loewenstein
Variety
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A suspenseless amateur-sleuth movie.

Full Review Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune | comment Comment
03/18/04
Jeff Strickler
Jeff Strickler
Minneapolis Star Tribune
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Carries too heavy a burden to succeed as the trifle it really is.

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
03/12/04
Mark Jenkins
Mark Jenkins
Washington Post
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The Name of the Rose this ain't.

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
03/12/04
Desson Thomson
Desson Thomson
Washington Post
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Overstuffed and, in its own way, preachy.

Full Review Source: Globe and Mail | comment Comment
03/12/04
Liam Lacey
Liam Lacey
Globe and Mail
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The Reckoning has just a little too much of the whodunit and the thriller and not enough of the temper of its clash between cultures, but it works, maybe because the simplicity of the underlying plot is masked by the oddness of the characters.

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
03/12/04
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
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A listless avenger drama.

Full Review Source: Boston Globe | comment Comment
03/12/04
Wesley Morris
Wesley Morris
Boston Globe
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The fascinating issue of the secularization of theatre is reduced to mere whodunnit pretext.

Full Review Source: Toronto Star | comment Comment
03/11/04
Geoff Pevere
Geoff Pevere
Toronto Star
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Director McGuigan doesn’t show much interest in tempo or character development, and the pace is numbing.

Full Review Source: New York Observer | comment Comment
03/11/04
Rex Reed
Rex Reed
New York Observer
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An intriguing misfire, with heavy-handed direction threatening to obscure the efforts of a gifted cast.

Full Review Source: Dallas Morning News | comment Comment
03/11/04
Philip Wuntch
Philip Wuntch
Dallas Morning News
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The central conceit of 'let's save lives by putting on a play' seems not only artificial, but also hollow.

Full Review Source: Chicago Tribune | comment Comment
03/11/04
Robert K. Elder
Robert K. Elder
Chicago Tribune
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The Reckoning is uneven sometimes, it's implausible, but I admire the chances it takes and I liked its bold heart.

Full Review Source: Ebert & Roeper | comment Comment
03/08/04
Richard Roeper
Richard Roeper
Ebert & Roeper
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Beneath the ill-fitting title lies an intriguing if flawed medieval murder mystery.

Full Review Source: Hollywood Reporter | comment Comment
03/06/04
Michael Rechtshaffen
Michael Rechtshaffen
Hollywood Reporter
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Top-notch cinematography and set design that perfectly capture a hardscrabble medieval milieu, along with artful but sluggish direction by Paul McGuigan, make this a superficially faultless production that somehow lacks juice.

Full Review Source: New York Post | comment Comment
03/05/04
Megan Lehmann
Megan Lehmann
New York Post
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Latest News for The Reckoning

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