Jack Reacher: Blu Ray Review

Jack Reacher: Blu Ray Review

Rating: M
Released by Universal Home Pictures

In downtown Pittsburgh, a sniper kills five people, seemingly randomly. A series of clues lead the police easily to the criminal, named Barr, believed to be behind this attack. When questioned, the suspect writes only one thing to the police - "Get Jack Reacher"....Ex-military cop Reacher (Tom Cruise) sees the case and joins the attorney Helen (Rosamund Pike) who's defending Barr.

But as Reacher begins to investigate further, a wider conspiracy opens up...

Based on the novel One Shot (the 9th of some 16 Reacher books), it's clear that Jack Reacher isn't going to satisfy the vocal masses who are unhappy with the casting of Cruise as the titular hero. I've not read the books, but I am acutely aware of the fact that Reacher's supposed to be 6'5", brawny and with blond hair. And yes, based on Cruise on screen, he's clearly not all that. But with a casting that's been approved by the author of the books himself, saying that "Cruise brings 100% to the character with only 90% of the height," I'm pretty sure that should be enough for the fans.

So, as a non-Reacher fan, I have to say Cruise brings a focussed, much pared down performance, with nary a sighting of his trademark megawatt smile and manic energy in the Jack Reacher movie. In fact, if anything, this is a darker and more opaque Cruise than we've come to expect - an outsider, a character (a drifter natch) who inhabits a morally grey area and is not above using a bit of violence and intimidation to get what he needs to. Reacher is an interesting character on screen and verges on anti hero as the action plays out. In some ways, a sinewy rough looking Cruise plays him as a traditional drifter and loner type, a guy who you want on your side for vengeance but wouldn't want to cross at other times. But then there are the other moments in this film which border on the pantomime - Reacher curls up his hand into a fist when he's angry,Rosamund Pike spends an inordinate amount of time overacting, demonstrating with wide eyed horror the reality of what's going on as it hits her and there's some pretty borderline comical dialogue in places too - Barr describes Reacher as a man "who doesn't care about proof, doesn't care about the law, he only cares about the truth." (The kind of writing which works well on the page, but doesn't cut it on the big screen.) And also, the plot is a little muddled in terms of resolution / motivation of those involved - I wasn't quite 100% sure what the wider conspiracy was fully about - which is a bit of a surprise from the film.

Director Chris McQuarrie's also brought some impressive touches to the directing of the action sequences. In some ways, they're very traditional - a bar brawl and a car chase - but they're exceptionally realistic, shot in duration rather than a gratuitous number of cuts and really impress in their lack of showiness and restraint. And a final showdown in a quarry, with rain dampening down the action is the least Hollywood fight sequence I've seen in a long time.

Be advised though, this Jack Reacher movie is not a Hollywood blockbuster by its usual standards - there's not gratuitous explosions and trite bon mots; it's a film of intensity and surprises - though if you're a Reacher fan, it may take a heck of a lot to get you in the cinema in the first place. My advice though, is to give it a (one) shot - you may well be pleasantly surprised.

Extras: Combat and weapons,commentary with Cruise and more.

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