Dead Reckoning (2020)

Dead Reckoning earns its title the old-fashioned way: by tightening the screws scene by scene until you realize you’ve been holding your breath. Set against the deceptively serene beauty of Nantucket, it pairs sunlit coastal calm with a creeping sense that something is terribly, deliberately off, and that contrast gives the thriller its bite. The cast sells the emotional stakes with an easy, appealing chemistry that makes the danger feel personal rather than procedural, and when the story starts converging, it delivers the kind of payoff that makes late-night viewing feel like a good decision. If you like your thrillers more pulpy than prestige and you’re in the mood for a brisk, twisty ride, this one is an enjoyably sharp escape.

Dead Reckoning wants to be a sun-soaked island thriller about grief, betrayal, and a ticking-clock threat closing in on Nantucket, and you can see the shape of a solid B-movie in there. The problem is the execution: the plot lurches forward in ways that don’t always make sense, the dialogue often lands with a thud, and the suspense rarely builds into anything truly gripping. Performances and character motivations can feel thin and overwrought, which makes it hard to invest emotionally even when the story is aiming for high stakes. If you’re in the mood for a polished, clever thriller with real tension, this likely isn’t it—but if you can tolerate rough edges and just want a low-effort, mildly twisty watch with nice coastal scenery, you might get something out of it.