Netflix’s Beckett – A Grounded Action Thriller (Early Review)

After bursting onto the scene in 2018’s Blackkklansman, John David Washington’s career has continued to take off but he arguably hasn’t had another true chance to show off his acting chops since then (Tenet was more about its premise than him even though he was also great in that one). Beckett is arguably his next big shot where he can truly break through outside of a blockbuster production full of scale and production value. This stripped-down and grounded action thriller is a showcase for the actor as he carries the film and all that came with it with his charisma and screen presence alone. That being said, the film is also incredibly tense and is sure to leave viewers on the edge of their seats all the way until the end as it takes them on a journey across the beautiful Greek countryside. Meanwhile, Washington also takes viewers on an emotional journey with an equally satisfying character arc to ground the thriller as a seemingly every-man is put through the ringer both physically and emotionally.

Beckett of course follows a man named Beckett, an American tourist in Greece whom after a tragic car accident, found himself embroiled in a dangerous political conspiracy that left him on the run from his life a the hand of a mysterious group. Injured both physically and emotionally and left to essentially fend for himself in the middle of the Greek countryside, it was Beckett against the world. This made for an engaging watch on multiple levels beyond the obvious as the trauma aspect of it all made for some interesting motivation but that issue had to be set aside for the greater good. As the story went on, the odds against Beckett became seemingly more insurmountable as the power and reach of the group looking to eliminate him was revealed, keeping up with him at almost every turn and mowing down anyone and anything in their way (or Beckett is just the unluckiest person in the world). Though he was merely a normal man and not one with a “special set of skills” by any means, that survival instinct was a powerful one not to mention relatable because of his motivation for staying alive.

In the midst of that cat and mouse game and all the twists and turns that came with it, Beckett learned that he was merely a small part in the grand scheme of things and he wasn’t necessarily alone when it came to the conspiracy he stumbled into. He was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time but it didn’t matter to whoever wanted him dead. Regardless, he now had a real purpose to survive for which was perhaps the reason why he was spared in the car accident that almost took his life. Giving him that purpose gave the story a direction and an end point which made things a lot more interesting to watch as little did he know, he was part of that conspiracy before he even realized he was. Just trying to survive for the longest time, focusing that energy towards those who looked to eliminate him was exciting to watch though there would still be more to that story as the film continues to keep viewers guessing. However, Beckett proved that he was a force to be reckoned with in spite of his trauma which still lingered as he had still not come to terms with what had happened.

In the end as mentioned, the best part of Beckett was the stellar performance from John David Washington as the titular character who commits to the film both physically and emotionally, adding some much needed depth and taking the film to another level. The action in the film was strong and compelling to watch as Beckett was again a normal man who received nearly as much damage as he dished out while performing some impressive stunts in the process of trying to survive. Meanwhile, what propelled this was the fact that he had a real reason to keep going and the emotional side of it all raised the film to something more than just empty action. Despite the film being mostly him, it still featured some decent supporting performances as Holbrook, Krieps, and Alicia Vikander as Agent Tynan, Lena, and Beckett’s girlfriend April respectively.

Overall with Beckett, it should no longer be a question whether or not John David Washington is a star. Take all the flashiness and explosions out of the equation and he can still carry a film.

still courtesy of Netflix

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.