There is something about “Beckett”, the recently released American film on Netflix, that sets it apart from most of the ‘man-on-the-run’ thrillers we have watched in recent times. I think it is the film’s trajectory, which suddenly turns from personal into political. Or the film’s style that mixes Hollywood’s storytelling with European naturalism and creates a fusion-like effect throughout.
An American couple—Beckett (John David Washington) and April (Alicia Vikander)—are vacationing in Greece. In one of their drives through a hilly countryside at night, the couple’s car crashes and lands on a supposedly deserted house. Still under shock, Beckett sees a woman and a child inside the house and calls them for help, but they run away. Then he finds April lying dead in a pool of blood and loses consciousness, only waking up at a hospital later.
When Beckett is taken into the local police station, the cops are pretty helpful and tell him how they would help him take his partner’s dead body to Athens. Before leaving for Athens, Beckett decides to pay a visit to the spot where April was killed. That’s when the film’s story takes a twisted turn. At the site, Beckett is shot at by a complete stranger, who then follows him to kill him. A shocked Beckett cannot find refuge in the local police station as well because he is also being shot at and chased by the previously friendly officer Xenakis Beckett (Panos Koronis) for no apparent reason.
The chase continues as Beckett runs from the countryside to Athens, discovering some secrets that land him in the middle of a political conspiracy. Beckett’s plight turns from dealing with bereavement to surviving at any cost. And as he runs to save his life, he also fights to save another person linked to his situation.
Director Ferdinando Cito Filomarino keeps the film more grounded than most Hollywood action thrillers. The eponymous lead character, Beckett, is no action hero. He’s not John Rambo from “First Blood” who sets on his attackers with masochistic flair and turns from prey to predator in a jiffy. Beckett is a common man who finds himself in an unexpected situation and takes the most desperate measures to get out of it. He is scared, has panic attacks and cannot plan on what to do next. Still, Beckett’s resilience makes him surprisingly strong and helps him win the various conflicts he is pushed into.
Beckett starts slow but picks up in the first quarter itself and maintains a steady rhythm till the end. The 1h 48mins screen time is mostly centered on Beckett, and actor John David Washington playing the role is convincing. Washington does not falter throughout the film even as his character metamorphoses from a bereaved lover to a vengeful victim. The background music comes to the actor’s aid as well. There’s a particular chase scene with jazz drums in the background whose dissonance is almost panic inducing.
Even with so many positives, there are also a few notable shortcomings. For one, the whole conspiracy that has caused so much chaos in Beckett’s life is not given enough space. It leaves many aspects unexplained, which really bothers an attentive audience. Also, the film fails to establish a strong antagonist as it focuses too much on developing and strengthening Becketts’s character. This leaves a huge vacuum in the space where a strong negative character could have brought more intensity to the film.
Who should watch it?
Beckett is a thriller about a man running for his life. We have seen plenty of those in our times but, still, this movie is worth watching for its variations. We are sure an action/thriller/mystery fan will definitely enjoy the film despite its inadequacies.
Rating: 3 stars
Genre: Thriller
Actors: John David Washington, Alicia Vikander
Director: Ferdinando Cito Filomarino
Run time: 1hr 48mins
