Beckman

To decide how to rate this movie, I was entertained to an average level. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great. Most of the acting was on the cringe side, so beware of that. Felt like it was based on another movie that starred Keanu Reeves. If you have nothing better to do and want to waste an hour and 30 minutes, knock yourself out.

Have you ever had a question about something that happened on screen and thought to yourself "you know what would answer that? Punching and shooting!" If so, this is the movie for you! There is no plot hole, poorly written dialogue, or weakly developed character that can't be solved with a silly hand-to-hand combat, or shoot-out. Having said that, this isn't a 1 star movie. One star movies make me mad at them. I compulsively have to finish a movie, once started, so truly terrible movies make me furious at them for wasting my time. This is a silly, brainless, fun little romp to watch with your friends for a larf. Don't misunderstand me, it is by no means a good movie. It sets up the story with short ~90 second clips in the very beginning of the movie, which is completely unnecessary. It also spends zero time with natural, or even passably good dialogue, and only volunteers sentence tidbits that advance the shaky plot. Every fight or shooting scene features people fumbling to find a trigger, or their fists to give the protagonist a chance to fight everyone one by one. This movie also features the all-too-familiar "hero gets shot, stabbed, breaks both legs, looses his sight, or gets set on fire" only to go about his business with a slight limp. I would be reminisced if I didn't mention that I would have picked up on exactly ZERO religious anything throughout this movie. Reading the other reviews, and looking at the protagonist's other IMDB credits, I see that he has apparently contributed a lot of Christian (pro Christian) content. This must have been a conscious deviation, because this movie has no proselytizing whatsoever. Really and truly, there is no more religious undertones in this film, than in Winnie The Pooh (that is to say, none at all.) Watch this with you buds (of any gender) and make a drinking game of it. It's silly, not terrible.

You like action? It has action, some right at the start so your attention span stays intact. Pretty good action too I might add. You like a good story arc? Well, it's alright, hitman turned preacher rescuing a girl from a spiritual guru with some underworld intertwinings. If Baldwin's cult was fleshed out more earlier on it would have been better. He's not really much of a menacing villain, he's a bit of a pacifist but could at least been more threatening psychologically. The padding out of the story between the action makes it just average, the potential was dropped.

Overview: Beckman (2020) is an action-packed film that delivers intense fight sequences and a revenge-driven storyline. The film revolves around Aaron Beckman, a former hitman who turns his life around and becomes a pastor, only to be pulled back into his violent past when his adopted daughter is kidnapped by a dangerous cult. While the premise is intriguing, the movie leans more towards action than thriller, with some moments lacking the suspense needed to elevate it to a standout genre film.

Strengths & Limitations: The action sequences are well-choreographed, and the film succeeds in portraying the emotional conflict of its protagonist. However, the thriller aspect feels underdeveloped, which may leave some viewers wanting more tension and depth in the narrative. For someone who enjoys action films, Beckman is a decent one-time watch, but it doesn't break new ground in its genre. The movie leaves room for a sequel, but it may not generate the anticipation needed for viewers to eagerly await the continuation.

Final Thoughts: Beckman is an average film that works as a straightforward revenge story but doesn't fully capitalize on its potential. For fans of action films, it's entertaining enough for a casual watch but might fall short for those seeking a gripping thriller. Overall, it earns a 5/10, primarily for its action and a solid central performance.

Well we just finished this movie after giggling at the trailer and imagining David A. R. White thinking himself a blockbuster action hero. Ooof.

The script was abysmal, the acting was sub-par, but the puffs of blood after every gunshot like they were done by the MS spray-paint effect was a nice touch.

Just get a different haircut already.