Generic thriller loses its way

The game of cat-and-mouse between Cale and Sean also builds well, starting pretty harmlessly before becoming a matter of life-ordeath.

Indeed, between the tempting storyline developments and Devlin showing a flair for fear – delivering a genuine jump scare and a terrifically tense moment where Cale approaches a parked car – with 45 minutes on the clock, Bad Samaritan is shaping up well.

Sadly, the longer the film goes on the worse, and more dumb, it gets; the initial lack of help offered by the authorities lacks realism and the previously meticulous Cale begins making schoolboy errors right, left and centre.

Tennant is a long way off his magnetic turn as the despicable Kilgrave in Jessica Jones; he’s perfected the death stare, which is better than his forced screaming and yelling, but ultimately feels pretty toothless.

Sheehan plays the victim well, and delivers the film’s best performance, but Olivero virtually disappears and Kerry Condon (Katie) and Jacqueline Byers (Riley) are given thankless tasks.

The opportunity to develop something very interesting is bungled as Bad Samartian degenerates into a generic thriller missing any real unique selling point.

This is no more apparent than during a lazy climax with exposition-heavy dialogue and the use of a misguided comedic line at a crucial moment.

It may be slightly better than Geostorm, but Devlin might want to consider returning to his previous role as a writer.