Tuesday, May 09, 2017

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back: Yeah, Never Go Back

Movie Review: Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016)
Version: Library Borrow

The last time I watched a Jack Reacher film, it was a pretty good film. I can't say the same for Jack Reacher: Never Go Back. There wasn't as much action, the plot wasn't as solid, and the acting wasn't as good.

Right from the get-go, this film seemed thin. It was like they brought along not even the B team and called in the C team to put this movie together, from writing, to filming, to editing, to the end. "We'll save a ton on spending and make a ton of money on the title!" they seemed to be betting. I think they lost the bet.

As usual, Hollywood big hitter Tom Cruise plays the title role, Jack Reacher. Cobie Smolders plays Major Susan Turner, his military liaison while he is in the field. Danika Yarosh plays 15 year old Samantha, named in a legal suit to be his father by a prostitute with whom Reacher had a short-term relationship. Reacher comes to Washington, D.C., to have dinner with Turner but when he gets there, Turner is in military jail, accused of espionage. Reacher takes on the mission to clear her (what else!) and runs into obstacles, both within the military and outside (what else!). Whoever is trying to stop him are also after Samantha, in an attempt to stop Reacher. Reacher breaks Turner out of jail (oh, sure!) and rescues Samantha from the bad guys (of course!) and the battle is on to learn the truth and clear everyone's name. In a ham-handed way. Oh! And it takes place in New Orleans, apparently during Mardi Gras, but there's no mention of or allusion made to it other than playing hide and seek with the bad guys through floats in a Mardis Gras parade!

I can't express deeply enough how disappointed I was in this film. There wasn't even any real gratuitous action, nor enough speeding cars nor any hang-by-your-fingernail stunts, to satisfy an action-film cult fan. There was no socially redeeming value, either.

OK, enough of the negative. The good news is, it was only one hour and 58 minutes long. And you got to visit New Orleans as a backdrop.

Honestly, if you're a Jack Reacher fan, I think you're better off watching an older film - Jack Reacher (2012) - and never go back to this one.

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