Review of Jack Reacher (2012) by Leigh H — 26 Dec 2014

There are some films out there that when they are playing you get so hooked into what is happening on the screen you don't move even though you agonise in absolute pain as your bladder threatens to flood the cinema you sit within and wait through gritted teeth as the credits begin to roll, then sometimes there are movies where no matter how many times you get up to urinate, buy a coffee, order some hot chips you can come back and know exactly what has happened without missing a beat.

Jack Reacher is the later in the urinary events for my liking. I was so bored with the same formula being used once again, I was told it was an action packed who dun it! What I got instead was a pretty mediocre who gives a shit!

I'll be honest, I'm not a fan of Tom Cruise, never have been, something about the guy just irks me to no end. Jack Reacher just enforced that even more for me, Mr Cruise was totally wrong for the role, using his batman voice did nothing to save the character at all. Now whether that's bad direction or bad acting I can't be sure, one thing I am sure of though, they wanted him to be a cross over character between the thinking detective and the ass kicking assassin Jason Bourne, neither have been pulled off very well, I'm sure Tom would leave this one off his CV anyway.

The film started off quite well, one day a lone gunman stands in a parking garage and fires 6 shots over 800meters away. 5 people are dead but why? This is what the plot of the story is. The case is pretty much solved the police have footage, evidence and even a time stamped parking permit to charge the accused and best of all the accused an ex-military sniper shooter has done it in the past. When given an ultimatum about signing a guilty plea the accused writes one thing. Find Jack Reacher.... Lickity split the next thing you know Jack Reacher played by Tom Cruise is on the scene and following the case himself, Jack of course is an old time war veteran superman star who saved one of the wars on his own and now has ensured he no longer exists to the rest of the world so he can live his life in peace. (Sound familiar?) So Jack teams up with Helen played by Rosamund Pike a solicitor who is trying to save the accused from a death sentence even though the case is pretty solid against him. What they find out turns everything they know of the case completely on its head, and so the real bad guys are hunted down with a few racked knees and car chases to keep the bogans amused.

You know the worst thing about this film, there was no motive, and nothing that was ever clearly defined anyway, no real reason as to why five innocent people were killed. Not sure what the director wanted for this movie but he really hasn't delivered anything other than a piece of dribble to satisfy the brainless of us out there who don't care for anything other than a bit of bang bang dead bad guys.

Christopher McQuarrie both wrote and directed this film, so I'm guessing Tom didn't get much of a say in the going ons in this one like he has in other roles.

Jack Reacher gets a 1 out 5 BanShee Screams.

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#jackreacher.