Recently released movie “No Good Deed” is just another typical suspense thriller. Rotten Tomatoes would not disagree with this statement as a consensus of movie critics reviewed it at a measly 12 percent fresh. One would think that with strong actors such as Golden Globe Nominee Idris Elba and Academy Award Nominee Taraji P. Henson, the movie would be average at best. 

Elba plays Colin, a charming, witty, and narcissistic murderer. A character opposite of Henson’s who plays Terry, an attorney who gave up her career to be a full-time mom.  “No Good Deed” fails to explore character development, great directive narrative and innovative story telling as it just delves quickly into its predictable plot. 

Elba and Henson are both strong actors with respectable accolades known for great films such as “Mandela” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” respectively. Both Elba and Henson deserve better than this poorly written script and film narrative.  

This predictable thriller plot begins when Elba’s character was denied parole after spending 5 years in a penitentiary as judges deemed him to be dangerous to the public.  From there Elba escapes and kills the law enforcement officers in cold blood whom was escorting him back to jail. 

Eventually he hijacked a car to drive away from the crime scene but the car broke down on the side of the road. Elba is forced to go to Henson’s home to find help. At first, Henson was reluctant to help and let in a stranger as her house is zoned in the middle of nowhere.  But with her character’s kind nature, she eventually obliges to help the stranger due to the stranger’s charming and witty character.  

These skills help him get inside Henson’s home and mind as he manipulates her to help him.  From there on, the plot escalates as it various showing of domestic violence ensues as Elba’s character, described as a “malignant narcissist,” demonstrates that he has no remorse as he terrorized and physically abused Henson throughout the movie. Elba even goes to kidnap not only Henson, but her two children as well. Even with a wild plot twist, the movie fails to capture audience due to the poor execution.  

Movie Critics and avid moviegoers alike should expect more from Elba and Henson as they are not only great actors but they are also the executive producers for “No Good Deed”.  Maybe they should have read the script twice before signing on to the project, as it does not offer any internal logic. 

The final act of the movie was stale. This movie displayed domestic violence and strong showings of murder. Elba’s character showed him killing and hitting women with blunt objects throughout the film and gunning down law enforcement officials with no remorse.

Fans of good thrillers should stay away from this film as the plot is poorly written and badly directed.   It may remind viewers of Elba’s identical thriller titled “Obsessed” from 2009.  But that film was passable as suspense movies go.  His newest is definitely no good at all, and this deed irreparably earns one out of five stars.