Review of Jack Reacher (2012) by Crazyspaceman — 22 Dec 2012

Whether the critics are Cruise-hating, or comparing this to giants in the cop/robber genre, they are not giving this film the credit it deserves. Its a 2 hour, thinking man's procedural. Well written, well directed, and extremely well-paced. Its entertaining, with the requisite one-liners, fights (which unlike Nolan's Batman, are extremely easy to follow and enjoy), and great characters.

Of course McQuarrie delivers a few twists, as much as the source material will allow, but that's not really the point. You know who the bad guy is, you know who the good guy is, and you enjoy seeing them converge in a hail of bullets and fist fights is entertaining.

Where the film really stands out, is that this type of character hasn't really existed in this genre. He's not a cowboy, thrill-seeker, or invincible hero. He's a guy who likes anonymity, quiet, and ultimately justice - by any means necessary. He doesn't answer to a police captain or superior (thank god), he's funded by his pention and lives meagerly by preference (refreshing) so he can't be bought. He's simply a war vet who is fed up with the stench of bureaucracy.

I truly hope audiences give this a look, because I can say without question that Reacher is going to get better with each adventure, as his character is complex and timely where we all wish someone could just punch the loudmouth at the bar, skip the jurisdictions, and shoot the bad guys to avoid lawyers letting them go free.