Beckett, a thriller starring John David Washington, Boyd Holbrook, Alicia Vikander, Yannis Kokiasmenos, Maria Votti and Vicky Krieps, is out on Netflix. Directed by Ferdinando Cito Filomarino, Kevin A. Rice has penned the screenplay, Ryuichi Sakamoto has composed the music, and Sayombhu Mukdeeprom has worked as the film’s cinematographer. The 1 hour 50 minutes film has is majorly in English, and some dialogues are in Greek. The makers have given English subtitles, but there’s no translation for Greek dialogues.
The synopsis reads – An American tourist goes on the run in Greece after a tragic accident plunges him into a political conspiracy that makes him a target for assassination.
– Netflix’s Beckett review contains mild spoilers –
Beckett (John David Washington) and April (Alicia Vikander) are an American couple on a romantic vacation in Greece. Unfortunately, the couple meets with an accident at night, and April dies. Beckett’s world has been shattered, and he has every reason to return to his country. However, his one wrong decision lands him in trouble as he becomes the main target of some political unrest in Greece.
In the first 25 minutes, director Ferdinando Cito Filomarino shows us some romantic and fun moments between Beckett and April. I thought it would have some prominence ahead in the narrative somewhere. But it didn’t make a significant difference. As a result, it was a slow start, and 10 minutes of the couple’s scenes would have sufficed. After 40 minutes at least, the story picks up the pace as John David Washington’s Beckett gets chased by cops and hunters till the end.
Beckett must keep running to save himself and reach the US Embassy. John’s character is shot, stabbed, and beaten up multiple times in the run to save himself. He has no idea why these people are chasing and harming him, just like us. The story’s twist at the US Embassy seems too good to be true; hence it was predictable. Like the character in the film, you become exhausted with all the running. It’s a letdown because you’re invested in some aspect of the chase. However, when the mystery unfolds, it does not appear to be intriguing enough.
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The music by Ryuichi Sakamoto and the cinematography by Sayombhu Mukdeeprom are my favourite elements of Netflix’s Beckett film. Sayombhu provides us with a scenic treat of Greece, yet there is a definite sense of despair in the air. John David Washington has done a good job, but he could have done even better if the premise had been more interesting and solid.
Beckett Review: Final Thoughts
Overall, the latest Netflix thriller lacks a sense of suspense. It’s a tiring chase that yields nothing worthwhile at the end.
Beckett is now streaming on Netflix.
If you’ve watched the film, let me know your thoughts about the latest John David Washington starter in the comments section below.
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