After a car crash, an American tourist finds himself inexplicably on the run from Greek authorities. He doesn't know the language or the terrain, and his only hope is to reach the US Embassy in Athens before his pursuers catch up with him.
John David Washington once again demonstrates his abilities as a leading man, this time in the chase-thriller; Beckett. The movie begins fairly sedately as we catch up with a couple enjoying their holiday in rural Greece, exploring ruins and such. But when tragedy strikes, our man - for reasons unknown - has to quite literally run for the hills, and Jason Bourne he is not. All throughout, the chase is very kinetic, frenzied even, as Washington's clueless protagonist relies on a lot of luck and his own two feet to stay alive. There is definitely an element of realism to this nightmare, rather than a bunch of big chase sequences this is more about a scared guy running for his life - making Beckett a scarily relatable character. Between that and Washington's compelling performance, the feeling of isolation is almost palpable.
The only problem is, the movie lacks any form of suspense. You can see threats coming a mile off. It's never a question of "Is Beckett in danger?" or "Is that person a threat?" You can tell pretty much instantly that he is, and they are. The only time that this really works in the movie's favour is towards the beginning, in which a car journey is overshadowed with an ominous sense of dread - and a subtle message about seatbelts. Even the circumstances surrounding Beckett's predicament, the very reasons for him going on the run, are pretty thin. The mystery is certainly there, the movie does at least keep you guessing in that respect. But the more things are revealed, the more you wish they weren't, because it irrevocably weakens what began as a mysterious and exciting cross-country chase.
John David Washington delivers a compelling performance as the titular runaway. But a thin plot and lack of suspense hinder an otherwise engaging chase-thriller.
5/10
Beckett is available to watch on Netflix
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