Preview: ‘Jack Reacher’

It is safe to assume that Jack Reacher will not be a typical thriller. Christopher McQuarrie’s rendition of the ninth book in Lee Child’s highly charged series of thriller novels, One Shot, introduces us to a complex character that (in the classic Tom Cruise tradition) seems to attract trouble at every turn. The fan-base that this movie will aim to please has been spoilt over the past decade with the revival of Bond and the birth of Bourne, but the storyline should promise to cover new-ground as Tom Cruise reprises a similar role to the one he made his own in Mission Impossible.

Cruise seems to be the perfect fit for the role of Reacher, a gritty and on edge ex-military cop and ‘professional ghost’. The movie pits Reacher (a character both good and bad in equal measure) against a number of suspicious adversaries (who are just out-right bad). As with most action-packed thrillers the movie starts with an adrenaline rush as five people are shot dead by an unknown sniper. Seemingly a nailed-on case, the initial sniper suspect soon confesses his innocence and suggests he’s a dead man walking as it becomes apparent Reacher is after him. Inevitably Reacher comes calling and he’s extremely pissed off (when is Cruise not?). However our initial impression of Reacher as an all guns blazing, ex-military psycho is short-lived as he decides not to pursue his apparent lust for killing stuff in an attempt to prove the man’s guilt.

The Reacher novels aren’t all about blowing stuff up or chasing bad guys and the movie shows this in abundance. The crime-thriller side of the movie really comes to the fore as Reacher’s new lawyer friend turns out to be a woman and is kidnapped by the real bad guys. Werner Herzog (best known for his directorial skills) plays the role of the criminal mastermind behind the kidnapping and alongside Robert Duvall and Rosamund Pike the movie offers an impressive line-up of seasoned actors.

As well as all the guns, cars and explosions Jack Reacher should offer some clever plot twists and a lead character with more to him than a good aim. If this movie can achieve that, then it looks as though we could be seeing more of Reacher in the coming years. Be sure to give it a watch.