Release date: December 21, 2012 

The law has limits. He does not. He’s only limited by acting talent.

“Jack Reacher, a soldier-turned-homicide investigator, works to unravel the truth behind murder allegations brought against a military sniper.” – Synopsis from Cineplex.ca

This synopsis couldn’t be more 90’s. And it couldn’t be any worse for the film. Jack Reacher is not the film you believe it is or could be. I, along with my friends in the theater all went into this film with expectations about as low as your class nerd on prom night. We were ready for a poop-storm of bad cinema. What we got was something amazing. What we got was A GOOD FILM!

 

The real synopsis: When a sniper takes out what seems to be five random people from a parking garage and is then apprehended; he gives the police one name: Jack Reacher. Reacher then comes to town out of hiding to get to the truth at all costs, even going above the law. All whlle spitting one liners and near-blank stares.

Jack Reacher, written and directed by Christopher McQuarrie. Based off the book by Lee Child, this little action flick stars Tom Cruise as the man the myth: Jack Reacher, following his tiny foot steps are Rosamund Pike, Bobby Duvall, Werner Herzog, Richard Jenkins, David Oyelowo and Michael Raymond-James.

WHAT WORKED:

– The Plot. It’s a simple murder mystery that is almost worthy of being an episode of Murder She Wrote! But in all truth, the plot is beautifully unraveled that even if you do get one step ahead of the film you sit back and enjoy its twists and turns. Something most action-dramas can no longer do. I’m looking at you: The Raven.

– The action. I guess it’s safe to assume when you have such a small guy like Tom Cruise in a film he is going to make sure he looks as big and as good as possible. The fight scenes in Jack Reacher are beyond realistic. None of this Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon or Never Back Down stuff. These guys hit hard and crisp. The scenes were short and just right. The final fight might leave some people wanting a bit more, but taken in context and pace of the film it fits just right. It’s just two guys who knock each other around.

– The dialogue. This is a controversial point for me. The acting in Jack Reacher is borderline abhorrent. I mean does anyone believe Tom Cruise can pull off another A-grade performance like Jerry Maguire again? Hell no. And his costars aren’t too far ahead of him either. BUT that doesn’t mean what they are saying isn’t pure gold. It’s almost the opposite of great actors with a bad script.

WHAT DIDN’T WORK:

– The acting. I just had to mention it again. I’m talking Ghost Rider bad.

– The Score. I couldn’t put my finger on it until about the third act, but the music in this flick just doesn’t fit. It feels as though they pulled the score from some B-film drama involving teens who talk about drugs but never do any one camera.

THE LOWDOWN:

Jack Reacher is not a great film. In fact, I fear it may have failed to get the kind of reaction the creators intended. It’s a film that takes itself overly serious but ends up being quite funny. It’s packed with action, get lines, Tom Cruise’s tiny nipples, Rosamund Pike’s great (never naked) boobs and (probably) unintentional comedy. The marketing for this film has simply been crap. Leading people to believe this is a film that wishes it was like The Bone Collector when it isn’t, and never intended itself to be. Ignore the marketing and hit this film up on a Cheapy-Tuesday because Jack Reacher is 80% Prime Awesome!