I must confess, I had never heard of the books about ‘Jack Reacher’ by Lee Childs before this movie. So I really had no expectations going in. Apparently, according to what I’ve researched, Dolph Lundgren would’ve made a better choice for the main character, according to the author’s description. So if you’re unfamiliar with the 17 novels that feature our hero, you’ll be fine with this, the first big screen adaptation, which is based on book number 9 ‘One Shot’.
The story revolves around Reacher (Tom Cruise) investigating a random shooting in Pittsburgh. All of the evidence points out to an ex-military trained sniper with a lurid past, but despite the compelling proof, his defence attorney (Rosamund Pike) sets out to make sure the right man is apprehended. The pursuit of the truth reveals that the obvious and random acts might be more than just a tragic accident.
A mesh of a 90's John Grisham-esque thriller procedurals with flashes of a 70's/80's vigilante movie, ‘Jack Reacher’ does deliver the goods, and maintains the suspense throughout, giving it that ‘Bourne Identity’ feel to it, which makes it worth checking out.
Director Christopher McQuarrie excels in creating an attractive set of characters in the film (much like his under-rated ‘Valkyrie’, which also starred Cruise), aside from Reacher’s persona; everyone around him is a fascinating character, criminal or otherwise. The dialogue is smart and detailed oriented with a blend of humour and sarcasm that produce a well-balanced and developed narrative. Add to that the most fascinating car-chasing sequence in film, to date, and the result is a non-stop action thriller that will keep audiences at the edge of their seat, with the most unlikely hero in fiction.
‘Jack Reacher’ starring Tom Cruise is out on DVD/Blu-ray now.