Jack Reacher Review

     Jack Reacher is an action/thriller based on the popular novel series by Lee Child, which follow a loner ex-military officer who now spends his time exacting his own brand of justice on evil-doers he discovers in his travels. I would like to start off this review with a disclaimer, I have not read the novels myself, and can't comment on how they compare to the books. Many fans questioned Cruise's capability to pull off a character described in the book as 6' 5'' and 250 pounds, and it's a reasonable worry. Can the fun-size Cruise take on the role of Reacher convincingly? I answer this question plaguing many after the jump.
     The premise of the film has Reacher investigating a series of innocent killings committed by an ex-military sniper. I'd like to address the fact that the scene is realistic, sometimes disturbingly so because of recent events, so any viewers who may have trouble dealing with such portrayals should be forewarned, these scenes are rather vivid. Despite it's poor timing, the film's plot is it's strong suit. Jack Reacher benefits much from the backbone of a fantastic and engaging story-line likely transferred from the popular novel. As the story unfolds, it is extremely engaging and tense to follow. The film plays out much more like a crime thriller/mystery than the all out action-fest it is marketed as, which actually benefits the film extremely. 

     Acting is surprisingly above par, and everyone gives a great performance, especially Rosamund Pike, the lawyer defending the shooter of these killings. Tom Cruise pulls off the role of Jack Reacher surprisingly well, despite the many criticisms by fans. What he doesn't have in stature he makes up for in calm, cool collected-ness, which is extremely fun to watch, as everything comes together in the investigation. Fans of the Mission Impossible Series will likely enjoy him in the role, although Cruise plays it rather differently than Ethan Hunt, this isn't just Mission Impossible 4.5. Cruise is a powerful protagonist, but his star role doesn't drown out the other fantastic performances. 

     While the film was enjoyable, it wasn't without it's shortcomings. I felt as if the main villain left something to be desired, and the ending of the film didn't feel quite as satisfying as it could have, although it was still great. One more issue the film had trouble grappling with was humor. While it was mostly well executed, making good uses of 'duress humor' (how we all try and lighten the mood in tough situations) there are a few instances where the humor is either too ill-timed or too slapstick. While it usually does well with banter and wit, there are a few times in which it pulls you out of the tense spectacle. All in all though it isn't enough to take away from an enjoyable premise with a satisfying execution. 

     While the film may not be adored by the fans of the book series, it delivers with a fast paced yet tense plot. Tom Cruise also delivers a solid performance and does surprisingly well with a character in his element in the background rather than the foreground. Jack Reacher may not reach the lofty heights it could have, but it boasted far more depth than expected, proving to be more than another senseless action spectacle.