Directed by: Ferdinando Cito Filomarino
Starring: John David Washington, Alicia Vikander, Vicky Krieps, Boyd Holbrook
This movie is good enough to watch once, no more than that.
There is some action involved, it’s not perfectly executed but it is squeezing a lot of effort from the cast and crew.
The plot is strange. It is a bit of a combination of personal tragedy and a kind of political drama but without enough well cemented roots to make it compelling.
This Beckett guy is one unlucky fella. First, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and as a result of that he was chased by several corrupt cops and was suffering, suffering badly. He was in a car accident (at least twice), was stung by bees, bitten by humans, was hit by a car and a bike, was shot several times, was stabbed once or twice…. it’s just all too much. We understand the point, the director goes way too far in explaining that almost everybody in Greece wants to hurt this guy in some way.
What’s the story?
Beckett (John David Washington) and his girlfriend (Alicia Vikander) are on a tourist trip in Greece. Beckett falls asleep at the wheel and crashes his car, his girlfriend dies in the car accident. The car hit a house where Beckett sees a young boy who was apparently kidnapped by a far right political (or terror) group. Of course, he doesn’t know that fact in the moment of the accident. He went back to see the house and from that moment a long- and in some moments unnecessary- expendable chase began. Corrupt police are chasing Beckett and some locals try to help him but they also pay the price for that. Finally, he reaches the American embassy in Athens. And guess what, corrupt bureaucracy is present there too. Just at the end, Beckett realizes that the political face is just the face. The money, business, and mafia are in the dark background.
The cinematography in the movie is just average. The shots are poor- especially outdoors and mass scenes.
The excellent acting of Washington can not save the director’s limited skill set and lack of imaginative vision.
Camera and photography are not inventive at all.
By the way, while watching this movie, you can easily skip the first, about 13-14 minutes. They are just redundant. Some long and boring dialogue and some pictures like tourist postcards from some parts of Greece. You don’t need that!
