After watching both cinematic sequels to Jack Reacher, I felt compelled to finally start reading the originals. Unfortunately, the first novel in the series was also too sick to make me continue immediately with the rest. Now I’m reading Jack Reacher 18 (Jack Reacher Never Go Back), the one this movie is based on. It is much better even if it seems to be something else than the movie.
Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher
[source for all pics: imdb.com]
Plot
Jack Reacher Never Go Back starts perhaps with something which happened in a previous novel, related to human trafficking. Reacher, the former CO of a special MP unit in Washington DC, turns back to his headquarters to meet with the present CO, a certain Susan Turner, a Major with a pleasant voice. He just wanted to take her out to dinner. Now, Reacher is a heterosexual in his fifties with a tremendous sex drive.
In her office, instead of finding Major Turner, he found a certain Colonel Morgan, who told him that the CO has been detained. He speaks after that with her attorney, another colonel, Bob Moorcroft. From Moorcroft, Reacher finds that he himself has a paternity suit against him, filed by one Candice Dutton. He allegedly is the father of a 15 years old girl, Samantha.
Tom Cruise and Cobie Smulders in Jack Reacher 2
Susan Turner has been accused of espionage, but Reacher is sure she was framed. Not many details are given, except that some action took place in Afghanistan, where two MP’s who served under major Turner, were both killed. Reacher is also framed with something you want to see for yourself, so he is arrested and transported to the same place where Turner was detained. Reacher kidnaps Turner from that military prison and both went to find his “daughter”. In the meantime, a lot of dirty things happens. A certain Sergeant Leach, serving under Turner’s command as well, helps them both, all the way. Here I’m going to stop revealing what happens next, because the movie is very watchable on its own, no matter the novel seems to be more complex. I’m going to review it soon, I hope.
Many movie critics say that if the first Jack Reacher was dumb, this one is dumber, filled with Tom Cruises’ ego and badly acted scenes. One has to really hate Tom Cruise to pretend he is a bad actor. I’m not impressed by his praised roles like the one in the Last Samurai, but I declare with all my heart that Tom Cruise is a very talented actor who makes his roles credible. More than that, Cruise is a great star with his own production house, and his movies make a lot of revenue. So, I think the envy is what drives those critics.
Cobie Smulders and Patrick Heusinger in Jack Reacher 2
I’ll write separately about Tom Cruise in a future post in my Personalities’ category.
Jack Reacher Never Go Back – Cast
Tom Cruise is Jack Reacher. Cobie Smulders is Major Susan Turner. Aldis Hodge is Captain Anthony Espin, a guy following Reacher and Turner after they escaped arrest. Danika Yarosh is Samantha Dutton, the alleged daughter. Patrick Heusinger is the Hunter. Holt McCallany is Colonel Sam Morgan, Turner’s replacement. Robert Catrini is Colonel Bob Moorcroft, Turner’s attorney. Robert Knepper is General James Harkness. You’ll find out for yourself what exactly is his role here. Same with “the Hunter”. Madalyn Horcher is Sergeant Leach, a friend. Lee Child appears here himself, as a TSA Agent, my oh my. Directed by Edward Zwick.
Trailer
A 2016 release, unfortunately with just 6.1 imdb rating out or ten, this high tensed movie runs for 118′.
Jack Reacher Never Go Back, with all its lame title, is a very entertaining action movie. Even Codie Smulders is good here, despite that, like Tom Cruise, she is different than how Lee Child imagined Susan Turner’s character. There are kilometers of stupid Robert De Niro movies on the market. Please try to show me one single movie starring Tom Cruise, which is as bad as The Intern, or Dirty Grandpa. Nobody bad mouths De Niro, instead everybody ridicules Tom Cruise because he is a Scientologist. He is not perfect, he is human.
Jack Reacher Never Go Back – poster
Tom Cruise has a lot of ambition on playing Jack Reacher, who is a huge, feral character, and who rarely smiles, and talks very little. He succeeds admirably.
Jack Reacher Never Go Back – The Novel
I have eventually read the famous novel, one of the best in the whole series, say the marketeers. Believe me, Tom Cruise’s movie is a masterpiece. He looks human, he acts human, and he can take a beating from time to time. The novel’s character, at his over 6 feet height, with biceps like basketballs, is more like He-Man than a talented drifter who used to work in the military police. He beats everybody, with his hands, or just using his feet; his hair stays untouched. Also, at over 50, he’s a god in bed…
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Hmm. I’ve read several Reacher novels, and plan to read more. Also saw both the movies. This second one I thought was very good, and am eager to read the book. However, since I’m reading them in order, it will probably be year 2200 before I get to it! ≧◔◡◔≦
As you say, the first novel — Killing Floor — was in some respects “sick”. I cringed at some of the graphic violence. But the burning-warehouse scenes at the end were amazing!
Great review.
Wow, Gary, how nice to see your handsome face here :). As far as I’m concerned, I’m done with the Jack Reacher novels, I guess. There are tons of better things to do instead. Thanks for the good words.