Jack Reacher Never Go Back (2016)  

Review written August 2024

Lesser sequel thrills in moderation

Reacher (Cruise) has been doing some occasional investigating for Major Turner, (Cobie Smulders) who now sits at Reacher’s old desk as Major in Military Police. When he arrives to meet her for the first time in the flesh, she has been arrested, and Reacher is sure it’s a set up – especially when heavies are sent his way to discourage him.

This Tom Cruise vehicle lacks the clockwork precision of the first Jack Reacher outing, and except for an early jail escape scene lacks the kind of ‘cant take your eyes away’ set pieces Christoper McQuarrie put together. That said, it does up the emotional ante with the “is she or isn’t she his daughter” sub plot, with a 15 year old Danila Yarosh getting mixed up in the shenanigans, when she is targeted as a means to draw Reacher away. Additionally, Cobie Smulders as Major Turner is a much more effective female foil to Reacher, being more an equal, and not the damsel needing rescued Pike played in the original.

At the time there was much criticism made of the casting of Tom Cruise, given how unsuitable he is from a physical point of view (Reacher being a tall hulk of a man in the books). The reality though is that size notwithstanding, he does bring a muscular intelligent latent energy to the role that works – he does have a look in his eyes that reminds you his character looks at the world a little differently. He is, in fact, one of the best things in the movie. However, on this occasion, workmanlike action, capable co stars and effective lead performance are let down by a by-the-numbers plot and staid direction. There isn’t a huge amount that couldn’t be predicted, and while the action still feels muscular, I felt the 2 hour running time more here than I did in the first one. After the early jail break scene, the remaining action scenes are by the numbers – Zwick as director has chops when it comes to directing movies with big action scenes (Glory, Defiance, The Last Samurai) – but on this evidence he lacks the ability to inject adrenaline into a thriller of this nature, with only a few exceptions.

Decent thriller, then – but not up with Cruise’s best.