The Reckoning 2004

Connie Ogle, Miami Herald: The filmmakers expertly capture the 14th century in wrenching detail, all its bleakness and misery, down to the dirt-caked fingernails of peasants and priests alike. Read more

Robert K. Elder, Chicago Tribune: The central conceit of 'let's save lives by putting on a play' seems not only artificial, but also hollow. Read more

Misha Berson, Seattle Times: Once the actors set up shop, and Nicholas gets obsessively involved in proving Martha's innocence, melodrama and ponderousness encroach. Read more

Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper: The Reckoning is uneven sometimes, it's implausible, but I admire the chances it takes and I liked its bold heart. Read more

Wesley Morris, Boston Globe: A listless avenger drama. Read more

Manohla Dargis, Los Angeles Times: For its first hour or so, the story moves at a steady clip, generating enough mystery to keep you guessing and enough atmosphere to keep you interested. Read more

Houston Chronicle: Read more

Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: Dafoe makes Martin's role as head of the company as naturalistic as that of any contemporary SoHo creative director. Read more

Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail: Overstuffed and, in its own way, preachy. Read more

Philip Wuntch, Dallas Morning News: An intriguing misfire, with heavy-handed direction threatening to obscure the efforts of a gifted cast. Read more

Scott Foundas, L.A. Weekly: Proceeds with such leaden literal-mindedness that it never seems more than a stodgy (and, at times, blatantly silly) paperback affair. Read more

Gene Seymour, Newsday: Fine cast delivers the goods, but the murkiness is thick and finally overpowering. Read more

Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger: A serial-killer movie without a car chase, a wise older cop, a pounding electronic score or even Ashley Judd. Apparently, miracles do happen. Read more

Jack Mathews, New York Daily News: Has so many ideas working in it that they all but suffocate its thin plot. Read more

Rex Reed, New York Observer: Director McGuigan doesn't show much interest in tempo or character development, and the pace is numbing. Read more

A.O. Scott, New York Times: A talky, sententious affair. Read more

Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: It's not Shakespeare in Love, and it really has no third act, but there's wonder in the scenes of theatrical invention, of theater being made up on the spot, a play in the making. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: 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. Read more

Carla Meyer, San Francisco Chronicle: Celebrates the craft of acting both in its story and in fine performances by Paul Bettany, Willem Dafoe and Brian Cox. Read more

Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune: A suspenseless amateur-sleuth movie. Read more

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Read more

Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star: The fascinating issue of the secularization of theatre is reduced to mere whodunnit pretext. Read more

Time Out: Read more

Mike Clark, USA Today: A comparably lively wrap-up comes maybe 100 minutes in, which is mighty late for an already near-quaint drama to be getting its jump-start. Read more

Lael Loewenstein, Variety: 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. Read more

Ed Park, Village Voice: Emphatically acted, ponderous, and ultimately a little silly. Read more