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The Reckoning

Name: The Reckoning
Director: Neil Marshall
Released: 2021
Duration: 111 min

Representation Score

7.3/10

Good

2021

Not Rated

Director

Neil Marshall

Runtime

111 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

The Reckoning succeeds as a historical horror by centering a resilient female protagonist against a backdrop of systemic patriarchal and religious oppression. It effectively deconstructs the idea of the 'stable male leader' by presenting the Inquisition as a source of irrational cruelty. While the film excels in critiquing gender and cultural norms, it remains limited in its representation of LGBTQ+ identities and disability. Its medieval setting is used to challenge historical Western hegemony, making it a progressive entry in the genre despite its narrow focus on specific identity categories.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Reckoning have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not explicitly depict non-straight identities or same-sex relationships. Instead, it focuses on the protagonist's struggle against a religious system that enforces heteronormativity.

How does The Reckoning portray gender?

Excellent

The film challenges traditional gender roles by centering a woman as a strong agent against patriarchal control. It portrays masculine authority as a source of systemic terror rather than stability.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Reckoning?

Fair

The ensemble cast includes a range of ethnicities that break the expectation of a purely homogeneous medieval setting. However, the film does not specifically explore the intersection of race and other identities.

How does The Reckoning represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The story critiques Western religious institutions, portraying the Inquisition as a corrupt and oppressive force. It contrasts state-mandated truth against the lived reality of those persecuted.

Does The Reckoning include disability representation?

Limited

The film does not prominently feature characters with disabilities driving their actions. It focuses on general trauma rather than meaningful representation of specific disabilities.

Present on Screen

Challenges traditional gender roles through a strong female protagonist.
Critiques religious institutions as tools of systemic violence.
Offers a nuanced ethnic variety within the ensemble cast.

Limited or Absent

Lacks explicit representation of LGBTQ+ identities or queer-coded characters.
Minimal focus on characters with visible or invisible disabilities.
Limited exploration of racial intersectionality.

Official Synopsis

In the aftermath of the Great Plague and amidst the subsequent witch-hunts against women, a young widow grapples with the tragic death of her husband in a society completely consumed by fear and death. Because she rejects the advances of her landlord, she is falsely accused of being a witch and thrown in jail for a crime she didn’t commit. She must endure physical persecution at the hands of England’s most ruthless witch-hunter and face her own inner demons as the devil himself starts to work his way into her mind.

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