The Reckoning (2003/I)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Paul McGuigan

Writers:

Barry Unsworth (novel)
Mark Mills (screenplay)

Release Date:

26 February 2004 (Hungary)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The truth shall come to light

Plot:

A priest on the lam takes up with a traveling band of actors, who then discover a murder has occurred and try to solve it by recreating the crime in a play.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Priest | Actor | Play | Town

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Paul Bettany	...	Nicholas
Marián Aguilera	...	Nicholas' Lover
Trevor Steedman	...	Jealous Husband
Simon McBurney	...	Stephen
Tom Hardy	...	Straw
Brian Cox	...	Tobias
Willem Dafoe	...	Martin
Gina McKee	...	Sarah
Stuart Wells	...	Springer (as George Wells)
Vincent Cassel	...	Lord De Guise
Elvira Mínguez	...	Martha
Richard Durden	...	Town Justice
Ewen Bremner	...	Simon Damian
Mark Benton	...	Sheriff
Hamish McColl	...	Innkeeper

Also Known As:

El misterio de Wells (Spain)
Morality Play

MPAA:

Rated R for some sexuality and violent images.

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

UK | Spain

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Germany:12 | South Korea:15 | Finland:K-15 | UK:15 | USA:R | Australia:M | Canada:14A

Filming Locations:

Almería, Andalucía, Spain

Company:

Kanzaman

Trivia:

.

Goofs:

Continuity: Brother Simon Damien is shown holding a pen in his left hand, but the position of the quill in the scenes where it is writing indicate a right-handed grip.

Quotes:

Lord De Guise: Do you really believe that your God has the power to protect you?
Nicholas: No. Nor the inclination.
Lord De Guise: Ah. Then what kind of God is that?
Nicholas: The kind who allows innocent children to be murdered.

Mystery and impressive sets in the Middle Age

The yarn talks upon a priest(Paul Bettany) who is joined to comedian actors troupe(Willem Dafoe,Gina McKee,Brian Cox,among others). They will arrive a village with a castle ruled by a tyrant(Vincent Cassel).There happen one murder and is framed a deaf mute woman(Elvira Minguez).

The film deals Dark Ages ,it's a time of destruction,hunger,deceases and rampage. It's developed in 14 th century ,England,during King Richard's time, the Normans vanquished at Saxons. The war and pest originated millions dead. The picture mingles medieval set,drama,suspense,sex,love and is enough entertaining. The motion picture was in great majority directed in Spain (Andalucia) and has a breathtaking scenarios. The movie obtained a limited success ,in United States has got a flop and achieved a lukewarm reception by the public, in Europe attained most box office because is an European film more than American. The picture gets a certain resemblance to ¨the name of the rose¨ thus the Middle time, the suspense,intrigue and the killing enigmas. The principal actors are very well, Paul Bettany and Willem Dafoe interpretation is top notch likeness to the support cast,Brian Cox,Ewen Bremmer,James Cosmo,Matthew Mac Fadden are outstanding and extraordinaries. Cinematography by Peter Soba is magnificent and Mark Mancina music is atmospheric. The movie is correctly directed by Paul McGuigan.

Rating : Good.Well worth watching.