However, when Reacher crosses paths with Helen (Rosamund Pike), the defense attorney for the accused, the pair are pulled into a dangerous multi-layered conspiracy that threatens to claim their lives and bury the true killer's identity. After a sniper claims the lives of five victims on a sunny day in Pittsburgh, PA, Jack Reacher is brought in to investigate the District Attorney's primary suspect. The story, adapted from Child's 2005 novel, One Shot, serves as a smart (albeit often predictable) introduction to the character - and a promising start for a Cruise/ Reacher franchise. It's not always easy to see past Tom Cruise in the role, but the actor brings a quiet charm to Reacher that fans of the books will recognize - while offering plenty of enjoyable action beats for viewers who turn out just to see Cruise punch thugs in the groin and crash muscle cars. There's no doubt that some Jack Reacher die-hards will scoff at Cruise in the role and find the actor an unsuitable flesh-and-blood stand-in for their beloved fictional character regardless, despite the difference in physical appearance, Reacher is still enjoyably tough and stoic.
Movies like jack reacher series#
Does Cruise, along with writer/director Christopher McQuarrie ( Usual Suspects), deliver an enjoyable Jack Reacher adaptation - a film that will win over skeptical fans of the book series while also serving-up a fun crime drama for less familiar viewers?įortunately, the answer is yes. However, it wasn't long before the author endorsed Cruise in the role, claiming that despite their physical differences the actor would successfully bring Reacher's intensity to the screen. The Cruise casting set off a firestorm of fan backlash, as faithful readers of the Lee Child source novels dismissed the production as a Jack Reacher adaptation in name alone. Jack Reacher, a six foot five, two-hundred and fifty pound former United States Army Military Police Major with blonde hair, bares little physical similarity to actor Tom Cruise (they both have blue eyes) but that didn't stop the fan-favorite star from signing-on for the character's big screen debut.
Jack Reacher is primarily a frame for the fan-favorite actor to flex his (noticeably aging) action muscles - but that doesn't mean the film fails to satisfy with plenty of excitement.