THE RECKONING: COERCION AS PROOF

 

 

There have been plenty of movies made about witches over the years, everything from comedies like HOCUS POCUS to THE CRAFT to SUSPIRIA and more. But few of these films have dealt with the historical aspects of the witch finders, those men placed in charge of seeking out witches among the population during the plague years. THE WITCHFINDER GENERAL with Vincent Price in 1968 was the last movie I can recall on the topic. That all changes with Neil Marshall’s THE RECKONING.

The year is 1655 and the black plague has left a vast number of dead in its wake across the land. As bodies are loaded onto carts and houses tagged as plague infested take place simply people do their best to survive. Among those is Joseph (Joe Anderson) and his wife Grace (Charlotte Kirk). Along with their newborn child they do their best. Then Joseph comes down with the plague and in an attempt to spare his wife and child he hangs himself. Grace buries him and attempts to continue on.

But landlord squire Pendleton (Steven Warrington) shows at Grace’s door one day demanding that the rent be paid. Grace offers him the wedding bands she and Joseph had in return for 6 month’s rent. He counters with an offer of another way, having sex with him. The two fight and Grace burns him with a hot poker chasing him from the house.

Rather than admit he was turned away Pendleton scours to the nearby tavern and begins rousing the patrons with the idea that Grace and her child only survived because she is a witch. The group gather together and capture Grace and child, burning down her house in the process of arresting her. Pendleton tries to force her to admit being a witch but she refuses. So he proceeds to taker a stronger approach.

Pendleton has summoned Judge Moorcroft (Sean Pertwee), the cruelest and notorious witch finder in the land. He is accompanied by his assistant Ursula (Suzanne Magowan), a woman he once burned as a witch who was saved only when the rains put out the fire that left her terribly scarred. The pair bring with them the tools of his trade, a series of torture devices each one more horrible than the next.

Not only will they use these devices to force Grace into confessing they employ methods like sleep deprivation as well. This leads to Grace having hallucinations of her husband talking to her as well as the Devil himself appearing to attempt to gain her soul. But Grace remains steadfast in her determination not to admit to something she is not. It’s not just that she is innocent but she also saw her own mother burned at the stake by the same Moorcroft in spite of her innocence.

A battle of wills and physical harm follows as the pair battle to see who will win. Townspeople take sides and argue. Grace’s best friend is one of the few taking her side and pays the price when her husband beats her. Pendleton is not looking for condemnation of Grace but a confession as a way of removing any stain from his name. Not everyone will be happy with what happens to them by the end of the film.

While watching the film I was caught up in the drama that was taking place. Marshall is a skilled director and knows how to create suspense and guide the viewer to where he wants them to go. His previous films prove that. But this one seemed a tad long and could have used a bit of trimming. It doesn’t make it a bad movie but less 10-15 minutes and it would have been better.

There is little doubt that the scenes of torture while muted somewhat will be most disturbing to viewers. Explanations of what select devices do will leave the squeamish looking for the remote. But Marshall is simply displaying history and holds back unlike movies of the past that felt gore was needed.

Beneath the movie on the surface is a tale reminiscent of the days we are living in now. The plague can be viewed as the pandemic, although the movie was written before it took place. The witch hunt of the roused crowds is comparable to the Twitter/Facebook crowds that attempt to destroy those who disagree with them. And the birth of a woman capable of holding her own in a world of men is on display which will no doubt draw comparisons to loutish men who continue to abuse women.

The movie is one that will hold your interest for the most part and make you think at the same time. That’s a good thing to find in a film these days, especially when it’s done with a subtle touch rather than the sledge hammer method many film makers feel is necessary. It would be nice if more film makers followed Marshall’s lead and showed a little more restraint when it comes to including topical ideas.

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