Jack Reacher must uncover the truth behind a major government conspiracy in order to clear his name. On the run as a fugitive from the law, Reacher uncovers a potential secret from his past that could change his life forever.
Director: Edward Zwick
Starring: Tom Cruise, Cobie Smulders, Aldis Hodge
Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence and action, some bloody images, language and thematic elements
The 2012 “Jack Reacher” release was decent. Not great, mind you, but decent. It was an above-average action flick that benefited tremendously from Tom Cruise’s performance as the clever, tough-as-nails titular character. Adapted from the ninth book in Lee Child’s Jack Reacher series, “One Shot,” it allowed Cruise to showcase his talent in a new way. Having previously starred in the “Mission: Impossible” films, Tom Cruise is certainly no stranger to playing leads in action movies, but “Jack Reacher” feels different. The character came across as a mix between the emotionally distant Max from “Mad Max” and Bryan Mills from “Taken.”
The hardest aspect of producing an action film these days is connecting to audiences on an emotional level. With filmmakers like Michael Bay, who seem to churn out headache-inducing, explosion-laden extravaganzas, those like Zack Snyder, who directed “Man of Steel,” or Joe Carnahan, “The Grey,” have attempted to present thought-provoking stories while also attaining enough visual spectacle to satisfy the average moviegoer. However, directors like Snyder and Carnahan seem to have more respect for the audience’s intelligence, and refuse to resort to loud noises and flashing lights to keep viewers entertained. “Jack Reacher: Never Go Back” director Edward Zwick attempts to find some middle ground here.
While it’s difficult to walk the fine line between emotional resonance and visual splendor, it’s quite clear that “Jack Reacher: Never Go Back” is not only incapable of doing so, but it can’t even walk on solid ground. The first half-hour of the film feels exactly like the original “Jack Reacher.” Then, Reacher’s personal life becomes too much of the film’s focus, and instead of using this to push the story along, it becomes the story, and the film suddenly turns into an overly-sentimental mess. Adapted from the 18th book in Child’s book series, titled “Never Go Back,” it’s very confusing as to why, out of every other Reacher novel written, this one was singled out. Perhaps it was chosen because it was the first released following the film? It’s not entirely clear, but this Reacher story obviously reads better on paper, and perhaps that’s where it belongs.
Zwick directed “Glory,” “Blood Diamond,” and “Pawn Sacrifice,” all three of which received either generally positive reviews or substantial critical acclaim. All three films deserve their praise. “Jack Reacher: Never Go Back,” unfortunately, fell in the hands of Zwick, and now this title will haunt his filmography forever. Perhaps it’s not his fault alone. Cruise reprises Reacher in spectacular fashion. The writing is a little rough here and there, but it’s nothing unbearable. The story, on the other hand, is absurd at times, at least in this adaptation of Child’s generally well-received novel. It doesn’t’ come off as genuine on screen, and this could be due to the surprising lack of character development. The main secondary character of the film is introduced within the first five minutes of the film, and we are automatically thrust into her world and her problems without much to go on. Things are revealed throughout the next half-hour or so, but we are supposed to be rooting for Reacher, and it’s hard to do so when we have no idea what to think about what’s unfolding on the screen. Is it all a smokescreen? Is Jack Reacher correct in his incredibly bold assumptions and on-the-spot decision-making?
“Jack Reacher: Never Go Back” isn’t the worst film of the year, but it’s certainly a significant step down from its predecessor. Gone is the lone ranger of action. Instead, the film forces us to like characters because it’s what the story calls for, and since the film cannot justify their likability, things are up in the air for a large portion of the film, the character development nearly nonexistent. The character of Jack Reacher, already established by the previous film as a man who works alone, even comes off as a little uneven at times, but this is largely because the secondary characters relate to Reacher just a tad too well. Unfortunately, “Jack Reacher: Never Go Back” can’t live up to the first film, and hopefully Reacher will stay retired for good.