The Reckoning (2020)

Directed by: Neil Marshall | 110 minutes | drama, horror | Actors: Charlotte Kirk, Sean Pertwee, Steven Waddington, Joe Anderson, Suzanne Magowan, Ian Whyte, Callum Goulden, Sarah Lambie, Leon Ockenden, Emma Campbell-Jones, Mark Ryan

British director Neil Marshall made his breakthrough with the low-budget horror film ‘Dog Soldiers’ in which he made werewolves scary again. The fact that the Englishman was strongly influenced by the eighties was clear from his practical effects and atmosphere. After this breakthrough in cult circles, the filmmaker decided to take a different tack. With success, because it made his fame even greater. In addition to being a slasher, ‘The Descent’ was also a drama film and thriller in one. What made this production so special was the cast. In this film there were hardly any men and women took off with the best roles. Marshall made that his trademark.

After ‘The Descent’ followed ‘Doomsday’ and ‘Centurion’ in which the ladies again played the most interesting roles. In ‘Doomsday’ Rhona Mitra got the lead role and she played the role of a female Snake Plissken. In “Centurion”, Olga Kurylenko stepped into the skin of the villain. Then Hollywood noticed that this Briton could make great movies on modest budgets. Marshall got a bag of money and was allowed to make a reboot of comic hero ‘Hellboy’. That didn’t go so well…

Due to studio interference, this film got bogged down in a messy whole in which unfinished special effects and an inimitable plot demanded attention. Disillusioned, Marshall decided to focus on smaller productions again, ‘The Reckoning’ is unfortunately not a return to form…

‘The Reckoning’ revolves around Grace (Charlotte Kirk). This woman is accused of witchcraft by her landlord. Is she a witch or is it a false allegation? In the Middle Ages, the legal system appears to be not very empathetic. In these uncertain times, people are also struggling with a plague outbreak.

The idea behind ‘The Reckoning’ is interesting. Witch hunts still appeal to the imagination. Unfortunately, the script is stuffed with all kinds of fringe things and the plot holes are numerous. Because the movie is so packed, the characters are the first to die. There is no character development. The characters are made of cardboard. Marshall has again provided a strong female role, but the weak script does not give Kirk the chance to make anything of her role. Sin!

The potential is there, but the flawed script and the unconvincing costumes and sets throw a spanner in the works. Hopefully Marshall will take more time for his script in a next movie and stay close to himself. Previous films with a simple (escape) story stuck. ‘The Reckoning’ isn’t really terribly bad, but it is boring. Making a film about the persecution of witches and the black death boring is an achievement in itself…