In the duo's native United States, the single peaked at number 88 on the Billboard Hot 100, in addition to topping the Dance Club Songs chart.

At the end of 2003, it was ranked the sixth-most successful Dance Club Songs chart entry of the year, and it has received critical praise in retrospect.

"The Wreckoning" has been classified as exemplifying "Americaniz(ed) trip-hop" and as being a "pop update" of the genre, similar to the work of English electronic band Morcheeba.

[9] On May 19, a digital, three-track release of the single included an eight-minute remix of the song, in addition to a B-side titled "Rockin' with the Best".

[1] Marshall Bowden, writing for PopMatters, noted Manning's exaggerated vocal performance on the song but argued that it "serves to distinguish her" from other pop singers like Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears.

[4] In 2008, critic Michael Slezak, writing for Entertainment Weekly, argued that in retrospect the song should have been "a huge hit".

[6] Speaking to Billboard, a Los Angeles radio station director credited the video with contributing to the song's popularity.