Jack Reacher Review

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Jack Reacher Review
By Lorraine Hirakawa / December 22

Ingredients: If you liked the conspiracy of Chinatown, the campiness of True Lies, and the action of Last Man Standing, then you’ll like this movie. And it’s the first film adaptation of Lee Child’s novels, too.

When a former military sniper is arrested and charged with a horrible act of terror, he asks only for one man, Jack Reacher (as played by Tom Cruise). When Reacher arrives, not to defend the accused sniper, but to bury him, he finds himself in the middle of a mystery that goes beyond a cut and dry arrest and conviction. Reacher is quickly embroiled in an investigation that leads from one rabbit hole to another. As he works on solving the crime with the defense attorney, the district attorney’s daughter, Helen (Rosamond Pike), he finds he must also combat intrigue and corruption.

Tom Cruise reunites with director Christopher McQuarrie to make spark another action hero franchise. Despite the fact that Tom Cruise looks nothing like the hulkish hero of Lee Child’s novel, he manages to ease much doubt from the fans by having crafty intelligence and brilliant powers of observation and wit that seem perfectly in line with Lee’s novel hero. Cruise quips his way intelligently through the plot and ends up being a likable rogue with plenty of sexual tension. 

In light of recent events, starting with a sniper shooting five innocent people might be too soon for some.  However, the action goes from light to intense at just the right spots. The car chase highlights some of the worst stunt driving on the big screen, but the bad driving is intentional and comical. The villains are stock characters, especially the Russian gangster, The Zec, played by Warner Herzog. But it’s really Reacher himself that becomes the focus. Cruise is enjoyable to watch as the Rogue, and it is easy to forget that he’s not really as big and bad as he looks on the screen.

Perhaps the best part of this movie though lies with the reuniting of Robert Duvall, who plays Cash a crusty ex-marine and gun range owner, with Tom Cruise. The real chemistry in Days of Thunder was never between Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise; it was the friendship between Duvall and Cruise. The gunny marine sergeant and former army MP are a matched set. Clearly the best part of the film is when Reacher calls on Cash for help.

I would recommend this movie to anyone that's in a fan of the old 80's action flicks. If you're not a fan of Tom Cruise already, this movie won't win you over but it does a good job setting up Jack Reacher as a modern day hero. And might open up the possibilities for a new film franchise.