Jack Reacher: Never Go Back

[StarLord]

Yeah. The opening to the first was brilliant and quite harrowing.

I can't even remember what happened in this one, aside from shots of a hitch-hiking Cruise.

 

[Octoberist]

The problem with this movie is sorta complicated for me.

The first movie was refreshing because it was bonkers. It had a one eyed Werner Herzog as the villain, and Cruise playing the power fantasy of the ultimate human being - Jack was always the smartest and toughest man in the room. Men and women wanted him and wanted to be him.

It was also a new mix of new and a throwback to the 70's AND 80's.

Never Go Back isn't a horrible movie but it does feel like a mid 90's action film. Which isn't bad on paper because 90's action is often well paced and fun. But unlike the first movie, this one doesn't offer anything unique to the experience. Gone is the crazy and slightly gritty tone of the first film. Gone is the male fantasy, and pulpy over-the-top nature. In fact, it plays almost like a CBS show adapted into a movie.

It was all replaced by 'Dad Cinema' where the direction is a little too bland, a little too middle of the road. Like what Starboard just said, the opening of the first movie was disturbing and well shot. And here we get a bland bunch of villains of the week.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

I actually liked the sequel, but I see what you guys are saying. I said this when I saw it, and I think a few others did too. It needed at least one or two outstanding action set pieces. As I thought the overall story was pretty good, but there were no sifting moments like the car chase and finale in the first movie.

 

[Octoberist]

It's a good watch, but I wouldn't pay money to see it in theaters. It's a good rental, or a 'watch it with your dad' type of movie. It has that vibe where, while mature, feels water downed.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Just watched the movie again on BD and yeah I know what you mean about watered down. I still think if the movie had a couple of stand out action sequences like the first, it would have been more accepted.

I still like the movie as is, it's inferior to the first, but there was nothing in it to make it stand out. I don't actually think the story was any worse than the first movie, but Zwickau just get the most out of the material and the budget like McQuarrie did. I still hope we get a 3rd movie though.

 

[Lencho01]

'Too short' Tom Cruise to be replaced for Jack Reacher reboot

 

[TheVileOne]

Ahh a TV series.

I still think the first movie was great. It was the sequel that erred way too much.

 

[Filmfan93]

It's not the height of the character that bothers me.

It's the fact that in the films he is lowered to a generic action hero. In the books( which i love), Reacher has a really sharp mind and Sherlock-esque way of thinking of every situation before it even happens. He always outsmarts his enemies that way.

In the films, this is almost non-existent. Lots of his detective skills are also missing.

 

[Spider-Fan]

The 2nd movie was pretty terrible, so I won't miss the movies. Show hopefully will be good. Curious to see who plays Reacher.

 

[Aximili86]

I'd say...Reacher pretty much outsmarts everyone in the movies. That's totally there in the depiction.

 

[TheVileOne]

I thought the first movie got across his smarts quite well. He uncovered the whole assassination/shooting plot and figured out why the detective was in on it and even told him why when he confronted him.

I just think the second movie suffered from poor direction and writing. Now, I get that hardcore fans were upset with a bigger actor not playing Reacher, but is that really important? Child makes it sounds like that's the main reason the franchise underwhelmed. The first movie was damn good, and Cruise was in his element IMO.

Did anyone want to see a plot about Jack having a would-be daughter and a teen sidekick? Those plots are almost always lame.

 

[Lencho01]

And if you think about it, Cruise not being so huge kinda helped those action scenes. Like imagine that bar fight with someone huge like The Rock. It changes dynamics of it.

 

[TheVileOne]

And if you think about it, Cruise not being so huge kinda helped those action scenes. Like imagine that bar fight with someone huge like The Rock. It changes dynamics of it.

I agree. If it was The Rock, it would've been less believable.

Now granted, I get that fans of the books have this view of the character that he should be a big dude. Reacher is both a physical like juggernaut while also incredibly smart and sharp. It's an interesting dichotomy.

I can understand that. Witcher fans are going through this a lot right now. But I think when adapting a character, some elements like this are always going to get sacrificed.

Also, I mean McQuarrie's direction man. I wish more people would look at Jack Reacher (first movie) because I feel like McQuarrie does so much cool and interesting stuff in it.

 

[Mysteryman]

Sorry that there wont be a third Reacher film.
But, we shall see who they get for the role in the TV series.

 

[Aximili86]

Yeah, the second one was such a weird experience. I didn't hate it to the same degree a lot of people seem to, it's still a pretty serviceable action movie, but...

It's directed by Zwick! I like Zwick as a director almost as much as McQuarrie honestly, dude's done some great (& pretty gritty) stuff. If Chris isn't coming back for a second one, Ed's pretty much the exact type of director I'd be happy taking over.

I just don't get how it was that forgettable. It's not "bad", it just kinda came and went and you forgot about it right away. Can't really wrap my head around that it's from the Glory & Blood Diamond guy of all people. Hell, even The Last Samurai's got a real substantial emotional core to it, despite the obvious "Tom Cruise is the last samurai?!" complaints (I always took 'samurai' as plural for the title anyway, never bugged me). But Blood Diamond, that's a hell of a flick. Not sure what happened with Reacher being such a step down, especially since from memory McQuarrie still produced it (even co-wrote? can't remember).

 

[jolldan]

'Too short' Tom Cruise to be replaced for Jack Reacher reboot

Glad to hear mostly for my Grandma who is a huge fan of the books who hated Cruise as Reacher because he is meant to be like 6,5 and 230lbs.

Cruise is about 5ft 7 and a 150lbs soaking wet.

 

[Aximili86]

They're actually rebooting it? Wow.

What actual actors are out there that are about book-Reacher's size anyway? Hemsworth, Hammer, older guys like D'Onofrio (who's wrong or it anyway) & Lundgren, that's about it. I'd take Cruise any day of the week over some big dull physically-on-point guy.

The second one wasn't up to par, but that's no damn reason not to do a third, I could totally go for another Cruise outing a couple years after Top Gun 2. Just wait for McQuarrie to have a gap in his schedule.

 

[jolldan]

They're actually rebooting it? Wow.

What actual actors are out there that are about book-Reacher's size anyway? Hemsworth, Hammer, older guys like D'Onofrio (who's wrong or it anyway) & Lundgren, that's about it. I'd take Cruise any day of the week over some big dull physically-on-point guy.

The second one wasn't up to par, but that's no damn reason not to do a third, I could totally go for another Cruise outing a couple years after Top Gun 2. Just wait for McQuarrie to have a gap in his schedule.

Im not sure if Hammer's stock has ever been lower as well after that dumb post he made he after Stan Lee died.

Maganiello or Skarsgard would probably be my two top picks.

Joe has that gruff ruff and ready look and I would buy him as a former military man. Plus he looks like he's in pretty phenomenal shape so he could easily pull of the physicality of Reacher.

Alexander has more of the mental edge. Could see him being a great fit for more of the detective work plus he did Tarzan so we know he can get in great shape.

 

[Aximili86]

Manganiello's not exactly an "actor" though, dude's pretty much always the heavy. Skarsgard, ehh, too much of a prettyboy.

Sure, perfect world you'd want some 6'4"/6'5" dude for Reacher, taller than Hemsworth. It's hardly necessary though, not in a world where we have a barely 6'0" Captain America of all characters.

 

[Lencho01]

I agree. If it was The Rock, it would've been less believable.

Now granted, I get that fans of the books have this view of the character that he should be a big dude. Reacher is both a physical like juggernaut while also incredibly smart and sharp. It's an interesting dichotomy.

I can understand that. Witcher fans are going through this a lot right now. But I think when adapting a character, some elements like this are always going to get sacrificed.

Also, I mean McQuarrie's direction man. I wish more people would look at Jack Reacher (first movie) because I feel like McQuarrie does so much cool and interesting stuff in it.

I don't know about less believable. But, I was thinking in terms of how with The Rock, it's more of your standard "Group of guys foolishly attempt to take down this clearly huge guy" while with Cruise, you can see why those guys would think they could take him even in the face of Reacher warning them and giving them a chance to just move on. In both versions, yeah our action star will win. That's the trope, but the dynamics of such a scene are different with someone so big versus someone average or less than average.

I never read the books, so I can't say how important it is. But, I assume it's just as silly as how fans always bring up height for Superman or Batman.

To say that any film or show with any of these characters failed because the actor wasn't the exact thing from the books sounds on incredibly stupid, I would legit ask the person who said it "Are you stupid? What the **** are you even talking about?" while my impression of them would greatly decrease.

 

[MilkmanDan]

And if you think about it, Cruise not being so huge kinda helped those action scenes. Like imagine that bar fight with someone huge like The Rock. It changes dynamics of it.

Maybe, but there's also the scene where the cops ask a motel worker if she has a guest who looks like he could kill someone with a single punch. Crazy badass though he may be, that's just not Tom. There might be other moments like that, where Reacher being, if not huge, at least reasonably big and scary is a plot point.

They're actually rebooting it? Wow.

What actual actors are out there that are about book-Reacher's size anyway? Hemsworth, Hammer, older guys like D'Onofrio (who's wrong or it anyway) & Lundgren, that's about it. I'd take Cruise any day of the week over some big dull physically-on-point guy.

When I heard they were making a Jack Reacher movie, I imagined Lief Schreiber in the role. I can't imagine him playing the part in a tv-show, though. Isn't he still busy with Ray Donovan?

 

[Aximili86]

I guess Schreiber would have been fine. Certainly has the chops - pretty sure the character's blonde, but that's an obvious fix as over in the Scarlett Johansson thread.

*Shrugs* As a fan of the books, I've always been fine with Cruise. Gotta allow for the "Hollywoodisms" with a thing like this. Yeah, the obvious move would be "go get Lundgren, get him to do a ****ty American accent", but what we've got is so much more interesting. I'd laugh at anyone who likes the books trying to make the argument McQuarrie (& even Zwick) didn't get the spirit of the character on film.

And again, if you're b*tching about the height thing, you sure as hell better hate Chris Evans as Cap. Consistency's a thing.

 

[moviedoors]

I had no problem with Cruise in the role and the first movie is absolutely terrific.

But if I can fan cast, then it's a no-brainer: Dave Bautista. He's not just big, but he's rough and instantly intimidating, and there's also has an innate goodness about him. I can picture him hitchhiking. He would crush the **** talking.

I also like Amy Nichols choice of Michael Shannon. I'd love to see him play more good guys, and one that plays into his intense, steely intelligence would be even better.

 

[Aximili86]

Heh, I only realized recently with Waco that Shannon's a pretty huge dude. Never registered before now, weird.