Review of Jack Reacher (2012) by Alex Bonafide A — 04 Sep 2013

While filled with suspense and gut-punching action, Jack Reacher fails at becoming all that it sets out to be. Tom Cruise is largely the center of all the attention, protagonist role aside: it's his smooth, unmatched comebacks; it's the confident yet nonchalant way he walks; it's his cutting resolve and over-the-top intensity.

Unfortunately, Jack embodies the best of the rest in his category (i.e. Jason Bourne, 007, etc.), the flaw being that he has no flaws. Tom Cruise's character was overpowered and fated to succeed from the very beginning as a super-man who has "seen it all" and has no cause to worry.

With all the spotlight on Jack's archetype, the lack of struggle, character development, or sense of relatable humanity ruins the excitement and intrigue of a pretty good plot.