The characters were okay, but not fully realized people. They got the job done, but there wasn't much memorable about their characters, other than the odd moments when Willem Dafoe would get into Cirque du Soleil poses, although those scenes took me out of the movie momentarily. The characters' motivations were in service of the plot rather than of themselves. I was caught up enough in the story that I didn't mind what little characterization there was. It's too bad there wasn't more for the actors to do, especially Willem Dafoe and Brian Cox.

This story was familiar but had interesting twists and turns. Not to imply that the identity of the killer was a surprise, but there was an interesting route of discovery as events unfolded and the resolution was satisfying. It is very reminiscent of Hamlet's use of the players to learn the truth about his father's murder. The Reckoning is an appealing tale that shows art being used to illustrate the truth. I enjoyed the film and so will mystery fans.