Review: Jack Reacher (Cinema)

In 1999 I bought my first Jack Reacher novel. Within a couple of weeks I was caught up with the series and I've been buying the books every year since. I have a picture of me and Lee Child at the launch of 2008's Bad Luck and Trouble, which is where I first heard Tom Cruise owned the film rights for the Reacher franchise. In 2011 it was announced Cruise would headline the first Reacher movie and ever since then height has been hotly debated. It turns height was only a small part of the problem.

Jack Reacher, aka One Shot works very closely to the core premise of the book, of an ex-military sniper framed for the murder of five people gunned down in broad daylight. When questioned his only statement is to ask for Jack Reacher - a hard as they come ex-military policeman known for his ability to solve the most puzzling crimes.

What we have here is a very competent thriller. Time is taken through the movie to tell the story with the violent action never getting in the way. We get a good balance with great acting and characterisation. I thought the only bum note in the story itself was the inclusion of Robert Duvall's character as an active participant in the conclusion. In understanding what didn't work for the movie overall, we have to look at Jack Reacher himself - a unique and enigmatic character. The books are focused on him alone. His personality is very faithfully represented on screen. A lot of his points of view are cleverly woven into the dialogue. He is a one man detective bureau, jury and judge. It's all there. The problem is the enigma of Tom Cruise. Come the end it didn't feel like I'd been to see a Jack Reacher movie, it was a Tom Cruise movie. For all the punchlines and cleverly figuring oblique truths the essence of Reacher was distilled by Cruise to the point of being non-existent. It was Cruise saying Reacher's lines but not making me believe he was Reacher. A simple matter of mis-casting and very little to do with height at the end of the day.

If you aren't already a fan of the Reacher books then you will probably thoroughly enjoy this well made thriller. For me as a Reacher creature of thirteen years there wasn't any moment that sent a chill up my spine or a sense of being thrilled at seeing Reacher on screen. It was Tom Cruise. He played the character without owning it, or losing himself to the role like he did in the excellent Collateral.

Disappointing. I hope this review was helpful. Click here to Like on Amazon.