Beckett

Like his title character in Beckett, John David Washington is hopelessly stranded amid some lovely exotic scenery.

While his character in this cat-and-mouse thriller is stuck dealing with the aftermath of a tragic accident, the actor is constrained by a film that settles for familiar stranger-in-a-strange-land scenario.

The story is set in Greece, where Beckett is vacationing with his girlfriend, April (Alicia Vikander), before a late-night drive leads to him falling asleep at the wheel. Their car crashes into a small house that Beckett is told by the investigating officer (Panos Koronis) is unoccupied, even as Beckett insists there was a young boy inside.

After waking at the hospital, he still hasn’t gotten confirmation about the fate of April, who was thrown from the wreckage. So Beckett revisits the scene in part to confirm the identity of the young witness, only to draw gunfire from strangers. What has Beckett stumbled upon?

At first, he stumbles around almost in a disoriented, disheveled daze as he searches for clues about what happened and answers about why he’s suddenly become a target. He reluctantly accepts help from an activist (Vicky Krieps) who can at least point him in the direction of the U.S. Embassy in Athens.

During his ensuing odyssey, it seems each stroke of good fortune is followed by a setback. Beckett begins to suspect he’s a pawn in a wide-ranging political conspiracy unless he’s just paranoid.

Washington (Tenet) is starting to showcase the same sort of leading-man versatility as his Oscar-winning father, Denzel. In this case, his athletic background gives him the dexterity to withstand the physical rigors of the role as a foreigner who needs someone to trust yet has nowhere to turn.

Unfortunately, Beckett is compelling not because of who he is, but because of what happens to him. That diminishes the rooting interest, even with the potential life-or-death circumstances. The narrative momentum lags during rookie screenwriter Kevin Rice’s repetitive second act, only occasionally sparking to life or generating consistent tension.

The technically proficient English-language debut of Italian director Ferdinando Cito Filomarino (Antonia) hints at influences from gritty 1970s chase thrillers. However, beneath the stylish surface, the film lacks the meaningful sociocultural depth to supplement its straightforward twists.

Rated R, 110 minutes.