Jack Reacher, an army veteran, referred to as ‘the legend’ in the movie reprises his role as a investigator to help the in-charge of his old unit, Susan Turner, who is accused of espionage, involving the killing of two soldiers. Jack Reacher helps Susan in solving an arms deal conspiracy, fighting against accusations of murder and military resources. Interestingly enough, he has also to protect Samantha Dayton, who may or may not be his daughter.
Buzz:
The movie is based on the novel, Never Go back, by Lee Child. Lee Child is the pen name of British novelist, Jim Grant. It is in continuation of the 2012 action thriller, Jack Reacher, based on his novel, One Shot. Grant has written a total of 21 novels in the series with the Jack Reacher character. Grant has characterised the books as revenge stories – “Somebody does a very bad thing, and Reacher takes revenge.”
What To Anticipate:
With Tom Cruise as the most dependable action hero of Hollywood, famous for his Top Gun and Mission Impossible series, the bar was raised high for his second appearance as Jack Reacher. But, somehow, the movie fails to make an impact.
Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher is introduced as a legend and a guy decorated with so many gallantry medals that they ran out of it. Here lies the problem, as the persona built through dialogues never fits in the character portrayed on-screen. The action scenes are slow and untidy and Tom Cruise never seems to fit in them.
Cobie Smulders acts well along the lines of a military officer, denying to take orders, but the same time, failing to handle situations on her own.
The element of little girl (Samantha Dayton) adding a bit of humour to the screen is appreciated, but not to the extent that she forgets the fact that they are on a run and reveals her location to assassins. Also, the fact that the final fist fight between Reacher and Hunter takes place, while the two girls (Turner and Dayton) take their full time to reach down from a two-floor building while carrying guns, and reaching at the exact time, when Reacher has killed the assassin. One move that Dayton learns in the movie and uses it perfectly in the last scene. That’s no less than Bollywood Drama.
The main assassin, symbolised by his ‘everything black attire’ paired with leather gloves, Omega watch, ‘sophisticated’ style looks nothing more than a cheap knock-off of Daniel Craig as James Bond.
The movie seems to have been lost in its translation from a novel to a screenplay. The chase and run sequences lose their lustre in their on-screen adaptation and so does the strength of the character of Jack Reacher. At least Jack Reacher, in his early movie, was smart enough not to leave his fingerprints. Duh!
Trailer