FILM REVIEW: Jack Reacher (2012)

Jack Reacher (2012)
Written by Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Rosamund Pike, Richard Jenkins, Werner Herzog, David Oyelowo, Robert Duvall

Jack Reacher is an adaptation of Lee Child’s 2005 novel One Shot, the ninth book in Child’s Jack Reacher series. Starring Tom Cruise as the titular Reacher, the plot revolves around Reacher investigating a military sniper suspected of carrying out a mass shooting in Pittsburgh.

Reacher is a drifter and ex-Military Police Corps investigator, and Cruise is perfectly suited for the role. He plays Reacher with a sense of confidence and even smugness that encapsulates the hero’s personality. This isn’t Ethan Hunt from Mission: Impossible. This is Max from Mad Max meets Bryan Mills from Taken.

Jack Reacher isn’t the most sophisticated film, but it is a well-made, engaging picture that doesn’t give in to convention too often despite its “tough-guy action hero” formula. In fact, Jack Reacher is actually surprising from time to time, as the story never exactly goes where one expects it to. The story, while simple, feels grounded in reality and, by extension, so does Reacher, which helps the film tremendously.

Apart from Cruise, there is some great talent on display here. The highlights are Richard Jenkins, Werner Herzog and Robert Duvall. As a matter of fact, Duvall tends to steal the spotlight from Cruise when the two are on screen together.

The action sequences are expertly carried out and when Reacher is involved, a sense of humor also enters the picture. This isn’t The Bourne Identity or Casino Royale as far as pulse-pounding action is concerned, but Jack Reacher is, frankly, in its own type of category. It’s a film more concerned with bluntness and Reacher’s attitude and less concerned with nail-biting action or visual flair.

Jack Reacher isn’t without its flaws though, and they are notable. What stops Jack Reacher from truly soaring is that the screenplay is pretty bland. Reacher’s antics can only take the film so far, and none of the characters are particularly interesting enough to raise the stakes. That doesn’t make the film “boring” by any means, but had things felt more elevated, perhaps Reacher would be more notable.

Another problem with Jack Reacher is the pace. This is a major issue once Reacher’s aforementioned antics reach their zenith. The film is initially well-paced, but the narrative hits a sort of brick wall about halfway through, and this arguably stops Jack Reacher from being better than it could be, as Cruise being a clever jerk with a gun starts to become the movie and the plot doesn’t progress as smoothly. Things pick back up in the last act (mostly), but it’s a little disheartening to see the film encounter such a visible roadblock, especially since Cruise’s performance is so fun.

Regardless of its flaws, Jack Reacher is a worthwhile film that, while never quite on par with the most recognizable action flicks of the past decade, manages to largely succeed thanks to an interesting story and Cruise’s charisma.

★★★