Beckett review - John David Washington shines in an inconsistent thriller

3/5

Story:

Beckett (John David Washington) is on the run from unknown assailants after he goes to investigate the crash site where his girlfriend (Alicia Vikander) had died earlier while they were on holiday in Greece. The story revolves around his desperate attempt to get to the US embassy in Athens.

Review:

Director Ferdinando Cito Filomarino makes his debut in Hollywood with a commendable thriller that uses visuals, sound, and setting to invoke paranoia to help feel the helplessness and struggles of Beckett, the lead character. He is forced to endure personal loss and pain due to circumstances he cannot control or comprehend. The entire narrative is built around mystery and intrigue. Not much character development is given for the characters, but it seems likely to be a plot device to match the overarching theme of mystery. Beckett’s journey from northern Greece to Athens provides bits and pieces of information about the man himself. The political subplot in the background is also shrouded with unknown variables.

n an episode of Trevor Noah’s standup, Trevor Noah: Afraid of the Dark, on Netflix, he jokes about how changing the race of James Bond to a black man would be problematic for a spy who primarily operates in predominantly white regions in Europe, as it would be difficult for the spy on the run to blend in with the local white populace. Beckett is faced with a similar predicament as he finds it difficult to blend in. Beckett’s tension and a sense of desperation are conveyed to the audience through his eyes. Similarly, the choice of not providing subtitles for the Greek dialogues is also designed to create chaos and confusion among the audience, similar to what the titular character is enduring.

While the film does shine in several areas, the pacing of the narrative is inconsistent at times which affects the immersion of the story. The lack of character development for Beckett and his girlfriend, April, may have added mystery to the narrative but it ultimately proved to be counterproductive. This makes it difficult to root for either of them, even April’s death is unable to provoke a sense of tragedy or sorrow. At times, it becomes a tedious task to follow the narrative, especially when even Beckett’s full name is not revealed. While this should not ideally be detrimental to a film’s quality, but for Beckett, the vague or even lack of a backstory for the primary characters may have crippled it to a certain extent.

Verdict:

John David Washington is forced to carry the film on his own at times, while the performances by some of the supporting cast were underwhelming. The twist and turns towards the end were a cliche and killed any momentum the second act managed to build, despite the slow first act. However, the film does offer enough to keep the audience curious until the end, and the cinematography beautifully captures some of the movie’s stunning visuals.