The first thing you need to do when you resign yourself to watch Tom Cruise in director Christopher McQuarrie‘s action thriller Jack Reacher is to straight up let go of Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher. Yup. Especially if you’ve read the book. It’s that simple. In Lee Child‘s 2005 thriller One Shot, Reacher’s a 6 foot 5 inch, 250 pound, barrel-chested behemoth. On the big screen, he’s, well, Tom Cruise, who, let’s be honest, ain’t exactly known for his um, behemothness-ness.
But let’s get this out of the way and say that sure, Cruise might not exactly look like Reacher, but he sure does feel like Reacher. This film adaptation is a well-made, very well-acted and directed nail-biter with great attention to detail, a compelling story, and another committed turn from Cruise, who gives this character room to spread out and prove he doesn’t need to scale tall buildings to impress. This time, he scales justice. It’s Jack Reacher.
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: In Pittsburgh, an unidentified man makes his way to the top of a parking garage across the river from the famous PNC major league baseball park. He then takes a out sniper rifle and kills five random people. Evidence at the scene, including a quarter in a parking meter, lead police to James Barr (Joseph Sikora), a former Army sharpshooter who can’t remember what he’s done but requests that District Attorney Alex Rodin (Richard Jenkins) and Detective Calvin Emerson (David Oyelowo) “Get Jack Reacher.” Who’s Jack Reacher? We soon find out. He’s an ex-Army cop now drifting about the states. And he’s no friend of Barr. What the hell is going on?
When Reacher arrives in Pittsburgh, he’s not exactly welcomed with open arms, and ends up working with Helen Rodin (Rosamund Pike), the D.A.’s daughter. It at first seems like Barr has no hope, but once Reacher starts digging around, things aren’t so cut and dry, and soon enough, he’s right smack in the middle of some very bad goings on, and a mystery about a killing spree that isn’t so random. Time to put the hurt on some bad guys.
REVIEW: I’m an unapologetic Tom Cruise fan. I couldn’t care less about whatever he is or does in his personal life, only that he’s ridiculously committed to entertaining those who watch his movies, going to insane lengths to deliver some of the most impressive action movies ever made. And that’s important because Cruise made a choice way back in the 1980s when he could have gone ‘legit’ and tried to be one of his generation’s leading dramatic actors. All you have to do is watch Oliver Stone’s award-winning Born on the Fourth of July to see just how impressive Cruise can be. He earned himself an Academy Award nomination for that, and yeah, sure, he’s returned a few times to that well, with Magnolia perhaps his most memorable non-stunty movie, but he created his place in cinematic lore instead by being a balls to the wall lunatic in throwing himself at action. And boy, are we the better for it.
With Jack Reacher, he doesn’t quite go to the extremes like he does with his Mission: Impossible franchise, but still manages to pack in a few excellent bits of punch and pows along the way. McQuarrie, who has worked with Cruise on several occasions, including two of the M:I movies, slow cooks an excellent thriller that builds its small world and then soaks everyone in it. Held together by Cruise, it also features standout performances from the likes of Jai Courtney and Werner Herzog of all people. But special attention goes to Pike, who is effortlessly good in this, playing a woman dragged into what seems an unwinnable situation while trying to establish her independence, even if she ends up the damsel in distress. This is a smart and exciting adaptation that is leagues better than its silly follow up.
THAT MOMENT IN: So, that all said, let’s break down a moment that doesn’t even feature Cruise. Yup, after gushing over all of his work, I’m gonna just go ahead and kick him out of the rest of this post and shine a light on what is without a doubt, the most pressing moment in the film, one dark and harrowing, sensationally stylish, and wholly absent of the story’s hero. But it does happen because of him so, let’s start there.
Reacher pokes his nose into the investigation and finds himself at a back street bar, where he almost immediately draws the attention of an attractive young woman (Alexia Fast) who Reacher brushes off, sensing she’s well, not the local librarian if you get my meaning. This sends a tangle of townies in to defend her honor, coaxing Reacher to step outside, five against one. Not good odds … for them.
When it’s over, three boys are laid out bleeding and two others have run off. Police arrive lickety-split and Reacher smells a set up. He’s not wrong. The boys were hired by a guy names Linsky (Michael Raymond-James) to rough him up and send a message, but that didn’t go too well, and now, Linsky’s got to deal not only with the boys, but the man he works for. And the man he works for is not the forgiving type (Are they ever?).
So here we are, at the start of what becomes the best moment in the movie. Linksy pulls into a dimly-lit alley of sorts where he’s meeting Charlie (Courtney), someone of great interest in this story. Charlie is standing outside his car already, waiting, and he’s not happy. Nor is he alone. Off in the shadows, a dark figure looms.
Linksy see that Charlie has company, and he seems to know who he is, refusing to look at him for fear that he’s right. Charlie speaks with Linksy about what went wrong, and grows further frustrated by the response his underling is offering, which means a lot more work for Charlie. And it’s here where the figure in the shadows emerges.
He’s The Zec, an older craggy-faced man with a looming darkness about him, steel, cold eyes and a thick hoarse accent. Linksy doesn’t want to look at him, obviously fearful that he might one day need to testify about his existence, but like The Zec knows – and we are sensing with sweat-inducing dread – that’s not really gonna be an issue.
Linksy admits he’s messed up and desperately asks what he has to do to make it right. The Zec approaches and explains how he was once in a Siberian prison (funny how “Siberian” makes it way worse), and then holds up a stumpy hand, gruesomely displaying how he – and take a breath here cuz this next part ain’t pretty – chewed off his fingers so the frostbite wouldn’t take his whole hand. (Hold that breath. There’s more coming). He then lifts up his other hand and sure enough, shows he did the same dang things with those fingers too, just so he could avoid working in the sulphur mines. Sulphur mines must be no fun.
And then comes the icky part (you thought that was the icky part). To prove his loyalty, The Zec demands of Linsky he do the same, that he, right there, right now, chew off the fingers of his left hand and show that he has what it takes to survive. The Zec is not a nice guy. Linsky sort of hesitates, as one rightly should, but he knows he’s done stepped in a bear trap and regrets just about every decision he’s made today. Or maybe all week. But… lackey he is, Linksy finds it in his gut to open up his mouth, stick in his hand and … ha! Yeah, right. I’m not spoilin’ that. No way. But what I can do is explain why it matters.
First, the setting. Filmed in an ice blue hollow of a location, pale light shining down from above on columns of ebony black pillars, the alley has an unearthly feel about it, like it was spawned from a cauldron rather than created as a set. At the center of it are the cars, lost in shadow aside from one pair of hazy yellow headlights piercing the dark. It’s eerie and reminiscent of some forgotten dark castle of lore where a legendary demon coils in the shadows waiting to strike. And indeed, one does.
Herzog is a famously colorful character, his films and documentaries made all the better for his very presence. Here, he looms into the moment with terrifying foreboding, a figure that needs no story to tell as it is written entirely on his face, and one almost too painful to read. That’s what Linsky is struck with as soon as he opens his eyes and realizes he’s staring into his own abyss. It’s haunting and surprisingly emotional, thanks to great work from Raymond-James, who does a lot with his limited screen time.
Then there’s Courtney, an actor who hasn’t exactly built himself a career of note, but is perfectly cast as a heartless killer, his weight and ferocity as Charlie undeniably effective. All he needs to do is tilt his head and he sends the right message. And with Herzog at his side, well, this is palpable stuff.
Lastly, everything about this moment makes everything that follows have meaning, the need for a character like Jack Reacher to have a monster in the dark waiting every reason for him to ever matter. While the film is great with the investigation and the smart relationship between Helen and Jack, it is this very moment that makes what Jack does after count, the sheer sense of evil he must face ramping up the consequence and impact to just the right heights. This may be a crowded genre, but this one keeps to the front.
HEADING FOR THE CREDITS: You know what you’re gonna get with Tom Cruise, his movies artful and practical, and of course, most importantly, entertainingly predictable. With Jack Reacher, he doesn’t disappoint, the film a fun, violent, clever, and satisfying watch. And this moment in the dark with mangled madman on the loose makes it all the more fun. It’s a great movie moment.