Beckett Movie Review

Beckett (2021)

Watch Beckett on Netflix
Written by:     Kevin A. Rice (screenplay by), Ferdinando Cito Filomarino (story by)
Directed by: Ferdinando Cito Filomarino
Starring: John David Washington, Boyd Holbrook, Vicky Krieps, Alicia Vikander, Michael Stuhlbarg
Rated: TV-MA
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Plot
Following a tragic car accident in Greece, an American tourist finds himself at the center of a dangerous political conspiracy and on the run for his life.

Verdict
Beckett is a man on the run. Unfortunately that run is long and laborious for the viewer. This taps the usual tropes of the genre, and with the inciting incident being disconnected from the main character, this doesn't provide a solid foundation for the plot. Any many other movies Beckett would be a nameless character. In this movie he's the protagonist.
Skip it.

Review
Ten minutes into this I wish it would get into the plot quicker. The relationship between Beckett (John David Washington) and April (Alicia Vikander) isn't believable,  and the dialog feels written and forced. I know this becomes a man on the run story and this introduction just pads the run time as it aims to manipulate emotionally. The actors look like this was filmed a few years ago, and the quality of the story seems like something that would get shelved. That isn't the case.

John David Washington plays Beckett.

Beckett unwittingly discovers a conspiracy though he doesn't quite realize it. If he was left alone, the plot would probably fizzle out. Instead he's on the run through Greece. It's a foreign country and he doesn't speak the language, instead relying on the kindness of strangers. It's mundane. If Beckett had skills to evade his pursuers, like in the Bourne franchise, that could provide some excitement.

This reminds me of The Fugitive (1993), but the difference is that Beckett doesn't have a connection to this conspiracy. Other than his natural inclination to save a life, this occurs because the movie needs a plot. Beckett is just a small piece of the conspiracy. In The Fugitive, we know the main character is innocent and want him to win. He must prove his innocence and evade law enforcement. With Beckett, he's a side character. The larger story of kidnapping and conspiracy seems more interesting. He lacks a connection, and thus I lack a connection. Really, you should just watch The Fugitive.