Movie review: Jack Reacher - Tom’s tall order

The short statured Tom Cruise may have realised, at some point, that playing the role of the dark and hulky Jack Reacher was a rather tall order. In order to pass off as an intimidating former US Army major, Tom Cruise loses his signature movie star smile; instead, he arms himself with a menacing look, coupled with an overly self-satisfied demeanor. 

On cruise control throughout Jack Reacher, the actor crushes bad guys by the dozen, cracking their bones as they cower in his shadow. When he stops for a pause, it is for the attractive women who are taken in by his irresistible looks and cheesy rapid-fire one-liners.

Unfortunately for the smirking Cruise, try as he might, he simply isn’t able to sell himself as the huge muscular grunt. This is exemplified in the opening sequences of Jack Reacher, where the film’s casting choices do little to help the actor’s seemingly impossible mission to appear significantly taller.

The film begins as Reacher, a wanderer, is called upon for help by a former military sniper, James Barr (Joseph Sikora) who is accused of mass murder.

Reacher meets Detective Emerson (David Oyelowo) and District Attorney Alex Rodin (Richard Jenkins), who are investigating the matter. At this point, Reacher also encounters the daughter of Alex Rodin and an idealistic defence attorney, Helen Rodin (Rosamund Pike). Immediately noticeable at the opening stage is that Jack Reacher, a man who supposedly dwarfs others, is only as tall as the rest of the principal cast, and actually shorter than his leading lady! It makes the role a tough sell for Tom Cruise, especially when he is beating up thugs and his opponents are all larger than him.

Regrettably, Jack Reacher lacks a solid script as well. Aside from the many eye-roll inducing action-film clichés, this film adaptation of the entertainingly sadistic Jim Grant novel also suffers from one-dimensional characterisation. This adds to the film’s generic feel. Worse still is the laughable dialogue, which provides entertainment for all the wrong reasons.

Tom Cruise has convincingly played the role of the action hero before, but in roles that required intelligence and skill, rather than undemanding brawn. This mindless role may have required the physical presence of a larger man, but in terms of acting talent, it was beneath him.

Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, January 13^th, 2013.

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