Customer Ratings: 
List Price: $39.99
Sale Price: $14.96
Today's Bonus: 63% Off
Wolverine, the most popular of the X-Men and one of the most popular comic book characters in comic book history is also one of the shortest. According to thirty plus years of continuous publication, Logan AKA wolverine is 5'2" tall and somewhere around 200 lbs, with metal infused skeleton and claws, and a back as hairy as a Kodiak bear. When X-Men director Bryan Singer cast a slim 6'3" song-and-dance man named Hugh Jackman to play the short stocky Wolverine, comic book geeks everywhere said "What the f***?"
Now anyone familiar with the Jack Reacher novels written by Lee Child knows that main character of the novels is a 6'5" 250 pound blond haired blue eye bruiser with the face of a professional rugby player. And likewise anyone who read the novels must have said "What the f***?" upon learning that the diminutive Tom Cruise was cast to play Jack Reacher. "He's too small. He's too Pretty." My wife, who's a huge fan of Lee Child's novels, was so irritated with the casting choice that she refused the see the movie.
For those of you not familiar with Lee Child's novels, the title character is military veteran who hobos around America with nothing but the clothes on his back and the money in his pocket. He avoids relationships, responsibilities and even posessions that might tie him down. He doesn't even own a suitcase. When his clothes get dirty he throws them away and buys new cloths. He rides from town to town on Greyhound busses. He generally minds his own business, but always seems to find himself at the center of a mystery or conspiracy that requires his investigative instinct and brutal hand-to-hand skills to solve.
The movie begins with a sniper shooting down four people in Pittsburg. The evidence quickly points to James Barr, a former Army sniper with a disturbing past. But maybe the evidence points at Barr too quickly. No sooner is Barr taken into custody when his is beaten nearly to death by other convicts and left in a coma. Now the mystery becomes one of whether Barr will even come out of his coma to be put on trial. Enter Jack Reacher, a former military policeman who despises Jack Barr from their shared military history. Reacher is only too willing believe that Barr did the crime he's accused of. But when Local criminals try to take out Reacher, he decides to give the case a 2nd look. Soon he's unraveling a much deeper conspiracy.
Well, having just seen Jack Reacher at my local theater, it seems that the miscast Tom Cruise somehow made it work just as a miscast Hugh Jackman made Wolverine work. Cruise is believable as a retired military policeman who really doesn't care and just wants to move on. Tom Cruise may not be my favorite actor (I would have preferred James Caviezal) but he is a superbly skilled actor who knew just how to play the character. The movie also benefitted from a tightly written script which solidly conveys Lee Child's vision of the hardened cynical soldier turned drifter. It also managed to give us just enough backs story without getting bogged down in exposition.
One last thing: Jack Reacher sports about the best fight choreography I've seen since Watchmen. I've had a few years of training in Wing Chun and a couple more in some other styles. I'm not easily impressed, but the moves Cruise used on the bad guys were a hell of a lot more realistic than most movie viewers will be used to.
As for the diminutive Cruise playing the man-giant Reacher...6'5"...5'6"...what's the difference?
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
The main complaint I heard and read before JACK REACHER ever even hit theatres was from fans of Lee Child's series of books about this film's titular character, and it was always the same complaint: "Tom Cruise is too short! Jack Reacher is 6'5" and is built like a brick outhouse!!" And my response to that was always: "Can you think of an actor who's really good, does action well, has a lot of charisma, and IS ACTUALLY built like that?"
Christopher McQuarrie, the Oscar-Winning screenwriter of Bryan Singer's unforgettable THE USUAL SUSPECTS, and the writer/director of the very forgettable THE WAY OF THE GUN, picked up his pen and got back behind the camera for this potential franchise first outing for the cinematic adventures of Jack Reacher (Cruise), former Army military police investigator. He's, as they say in the film, a ghost. He has no fixed address, no credit cards, no phone number. In fact, the only proof of his existence is a bank account, his military record, and his military pension. He buys his clothes from Goodwill as needed and donates the old ones, hops on a bus, and goes wherever the day takes him. But in a very disturbing and wordless opening sequence, a man with a military-grade sniper rifle shoots five people in front of PNC Park in Pittsburgh. All the clues lead back to Army sniper James Barr (Joseph Sikora, who spends most of the film in a coma) as a man who just snapped. The lead District Attorney (the great Richard Jenkins) is pushing for the death penalty, but the defense attorney for Barr, Helen Rodin (Rosamund Pike) is looking to stop that from happening. It also happens that Helen is the daughter of the DA. When told to confess, with all the convenient evidence stacked against him, Barr only has one thing to tell them: "Get Jack Reacher". Once Reacher comes on the scene, he is fully aware of what's been going on, but uncertain as to why Barr asked for him, because he fully believes that Barr is guilty. Nevertheless, Reacher ends up working as an investigator for Helen, and runs afoul of the real reason those people were killed, and uses all his skills and investigative talents to find the truth.
It's true that this film is a little thin on character development. We know just enough about each character to keep the momentum going forward, but no more than that. Character motivation gets even less time. For all intents and purposes, this film feels more like a throwback to 80's detective thrillers, but with a smarter and more modern sensibility. McQuarrie seems much more assured behind the camera here than I've seen before, and he creates a labrinythian mystery here that feels organic as Reacher follows up on each clue, and Cruise seems to be having a good time playing a character that is somewhat out of step with the outside world, but always seems to be able to see the angles played against him. It's also true that some quality actors seem a little wasted here, with the only real exceptions being Pike, a menacing Jai Courtney (SPARTACUS) as the villain's right-hand man and a great supporting role by Robert Duvall as a retired Marine and shooting range owner who ends up coming along for the ride. Actors like Michael Raymond James (TERRIERS, TRUE BLOOD), Jenkins, and David Oyelowo (RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES) are kind of shafted. Even famed director Werner Herzog, the real villain of the piece, is more of a cartoonishly creepy villain. Also true, apparently, to huge fans of this series, that the film in no real way resembles the book this film is based on, which is the ninth book in the series called ONE SHOT.
Why then do I give this film a 4 out of 5?
Because this was an incredibly fun film. I like protagonists that are on the outside looking in, and always seem to have that extra step ahead. Jack Reacher is very much kin to 24's Jack Bauer; they are both renegades, they're both very smart, they're both men of serious action, they follow justice and not the law, and if people would only listen to them, things would be over a lot quicker. Although, Reacher has a much more evident sense of humor than Jack Bauer ever did. He has some terrific zingers along the way here, particularly in a 5-on-1 fight scene. He also carries himself with an assuredness that is rare to see in a modern action hero. Most films at present have the heroes of the film constantly questioning themselves. Are they up to the task? Can they be the hero the people involved need? Can they win the day without compromising their values? JACK REACHER as a film and as a character throw those discussions to the wayside in favor of a more entertaining romp as opposed to a more navel-gazing reluctant hero that seem to dominate films of late. The pace of the film also seems nicely breezy as well, which has a bit of a mismatch of tone that the opening of the film would have us believe. While it's a long-ish film, it doesn't seem long at all.
I understand people's frustration with this film, but I don't subscribe to it because when it comes right down to it, I enjoyed the hell out of JACK REACHER, but if the box office indications are worth anything, it's unlikely I'll see more of his adventures on the big screen.
Best Deals for Jack Reacher (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy) (2012)
I'm the first to admit that going into this film I had low expectations. Cruise is a decent enough actor and well suited for the genre, but the plot seemed derivative and overly pedantic, just another flick I'd catch because...well...I'm a dude and the preview mentioned something about guns and explosives.
Surprisingly, the plot played out steadily, not needing to be propped up by a few well placed action sequences. While, if you've seen any movie ever in your life, you'll be able to predict what's going to ultimately happen, "Reacher" maintains a consistent level of intrigue and charm through the whole length of the film. I appreciated that the action scenes actually added to the plot. I was expecting some random "Look how awesome I am at fighting" scenes tossed into the mix, and was happy to see that while those scenes are absolutely in there, they also help move the plot forward. Good thinking, action-movie-maker-people (pretty sure that's the correct technical job title, but don't quote me on that...)
In sum, without telling you a thing about the film (because I hate summaries that are just spoilers in disguise), you can feel good about spending your money on this one. You'll enjoy it. Even if you hate Tom Cruise. That's right, I'm talking to you, Katie...
Honest reviews on Jack Reacher (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy) (2012)
I'm really not judging too hard on this movie. I enjoy action movies, cop movies, thrillers, etc. I also have not read the book.
However, one major complaint is that this movie should have been rated R. For such a tough character as Reacher is and the dark-ish plot, an R rating would have been much more interesing. The sniper in the beginning isn't as effectively portrayed without the "pink mist" which is even mentioned later on in the movie. No, I'm not obsessed with violence and gore, I just feel that it would have been more effective considering the movie is about a sniper. Just my opinion.
I think Tom Cruise, as crazy as he is in real life, plays a decent Jack Reacher. Again, I don't know the book but he's pretty good for what I do know. I just mean as a character, it was fun. Tom Cruise, like him or not, can definitely pull off a lot of his characters very well. (Mission Impossible, Valkyrie) Some people simply dislike him, but they're often considering his personal life.
Some things are stupid. Jack never uses a gun, really, unless he has to. I mean, he should get his ass beat eventually. I understand it's a character trait, but there is a stupid point where he has a gun pointed at an enemy much larger than him but tosses it aside to brawl.
There is a scene where two goons basically beat each other up instead of him by accident. Funny-ish, but dumb.
The story is intriguing. I never read the book, so it was all new to me. I don't know what's been changed, but Reacher's realizations about the conspiracy are interesting to me, and you say "Damn, I should have noticed." They're not too far-fetched, which is nice.
The best part about the movie is the audio. Some people may say this is the worst part. Very little music, some ambient bass. The movie feels real, not clouded by "epic" music. Everything takes place in a realistic setting and I feel like it's more "authentic" if you will.
For example, there is a car chase. My favorite scene in the entire movie. No music, just muscle cars racing through streets with cops. Some may say it's boring and generic. I find it real and authentic. No crazy jumps or maneuvers. Just speed and wit. It's almost worth watching for this scene. It's amazing. The classic cars in the movie help, too. Besides the newer Crown Vics the police drive, Reacher grabs a Chevelle SS and I saw some classic Mustangs and Camros (I believe, even if only for a second).
Unexpectedly, I found plenty of humor throughout this novel. Not bursting on the floor laughing humor, but clever, witty humor that fits perfectly into the story and makes the movie just that much better. Without it, it's close to a generic "badass" movie, but instead becomes clever.
All in all, decent movie. I'm going to read the book now because I enjoyed it. Maybe it'll be better, I don't know. But I'm interested. As for a sequel, I wouldn't count on it. I know the books are separate stories and this one takes place later in the timeline, so I don't think many of these characters would end up returning in a sequel. In Hollywood, it's tough to do such a thingexcept James Bond, but that still has some recurring charactersconsidering that only one character is important.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Jack Reacher (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy) (2012)
JACK REACHER
Tom Cruise, Rosamund Pike, Richard Jenkins, and others, including Werner Herzog and Robert Duvall
I saw Jack Reacher this weekend. I went mostly out of curiosity: I've read every Reacher novel written by Lee Child (some of them bought through Amazon) and loved them.
I knew Child's Reacher and Cruise's would be different animals. Child's Reacher is 6' 5", between 210 and 250 pounds in different books, and has a 50" chest. Cruise is 5' 7" and probably weighs, stripped down, between 140 and 150 pounds. Even as fighters (which is one of the things Jack Reacher has to do every so often), they'd fight differently -radically differently--because there's no way a 150 pound, 5' 7" tall man could do some of the things an oversized behemoth like the original Reacher does. And though neat, like an ex-military man would be, Lee Child's Reacher is always a little scruffy: he buys his clothes one set at a time, throwing away the old ones, because he doesn't like to travel encumbered, and until then, he washes them out in the sink of whatever motel room he's staying in. Tom Cruise's Reacher exhibits the same behavior as Child's Reacher in this regard, but Cruise's Reacher always looks neat, just as Tom Cruise does himself.
Enough carping on appearance. The critical question is how well does Cruise do as Reacher, and the answer is `okay.' Not great, not even near it, but okay, not a total embarrassment.
Nor is the movie a total embarrassment. There is a good fight near the beginning when five local thugs take on Reacher to teach him a lesson. It's kind of comical watching little Tom Cruise mouth some of Reacher's words about how this is their last chance to get off without damage and how five to one odds are really three to one odds, because the last two will run away when they see what Reacher does to the first three, but the fight itself is swift, brutal, and most essential in a Reacher story, efficient. There is no waste effort, and avoiding waste effort is essential to the Reacher persona: he doesn't indulge in histrionics, he always uses the most direct efficient and quickest way to success in combat, like a good soldier would.
What a shame then there's a second big fight because the movie butchers it. Reacher has come to the showdown against the bad guys. He's already warned one -a Russian sniperthat if he sees him again, he's going to hand him his lunch barehanded. So what happens? He gets the drop on the bad guy and is pointing an assault rifle right at his chest at close to zero range. So Reacher/Cruise throws away his gun and rakes on the baddie mano a mano, in one of those generic fights we've seen in hundreds of other movies. There's also a car chase -what action movie would be complete without one?--that is boringly generic. We've seen it all too many times for it to be exciting except in the most mechanical, evanescent way.
That's a problem with the whole movie. It's a generic action film. Some of Reacher's tics have been inserted -he doesn't talk a lot, he washes his clothes out in the sink and buys new ones and throws away the old ones when he's done with them, he has near eidetic memory, and most of the time you just know he's been in army for years by the way he acts--but behind it all, eliminate the tics and this could just as easily be Ethan Hawke, sans disguises and trickery, in any of the increasingly boring Mission Impossible movies that have kept Cruise a star.
What's best in the movie? Old pros Werner Herzog and Robert Duvall milk their roles for all they are worthy and succeed in making them believable and enjoyable to watch. Richard Jenkins does a good, not great job, as Good Lawyer Rosamund Pike's father (he's the D.A.).
The Lee Childs novel that this movie was taken from (One Shot) was crisply plotted and everything Reacher does in it is thought out and efficient. This movie is just messy. Not horrible but not good either. Thus okay, no better than that.
One other complaint: Cruise is starting to look old for this kind of movie. His body is still buff, but, as it was in the last Mission Impossible movie when he was on the outside of the Burj al Khalifa in Dubai with his shirt off, his muscles look like old muscles now, and his face is puffy in closeups. Cruise has shown in previous movies that he's a modestly competent actor. He needs to begin stretching himself before he winds up playing opposite Sly, Arnold, Bruce and Jean Claude in one of those retread Old Heroes movies.
Lee Child says he likes Cruise as Reacher, but then Lee Child sold Cruise's production company the character franchise for the movies and I doubt he did it purely out of a conviction that Cruise was the perfect Reacher. Besides, Child used to work in advertising and we all know ad men occasionally bend the truth.
