I confess to not having read any of Lee Child’s “Jack Reacher” novels, but I am aware that as described in those books the main character is described as being quite tall and large.  Hardly Tom Cruise.  However, this being the movies, where star power is often deemed more important than any such character considerations, it is indeed Tom Cruise in the role.  Cruise’s production company made the movie, so it is also he who will profit most if the film is successful.  Knowing all this makes the film slightly less palatable to me — but now that I’ve seen the film, I understand what drew Cruise to the project, and I think he’s quite good in it.

The timing of this mass murdering-sniper story couldn’t be worse, opening soon after the terrible Newton, CT massacre.  Thankfully, that part of the story is handled as tastefully as possible (the movie is rated PG-13), and the murders are not dwelled upon.  After the incident, ex-military policeman Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise) invites himself into the case and gradually proves that things are not quite what they seem. Eventually the plot falls into very predictable patterns and rhythms, yet it sustains just enough freshness and originality to keep grouchy old critics like myself guessing.

Christopher McQuarrie’s movie is mostly effective because it really delves into the details of its story.  Instead of big action scenes Jack Reacher is mostly a thriller that challenges its protagonist (and the audience) to connect the seemingly insignificant dots of the story.  The dialogue is sharp and crisp, especially involving Reacher and sexy lawyer Helen Rodin (Rosamund Pike).  Sexual attraction is indicated but the movie refuses to provide a love story just because so many other movies do.  When Reacher goes up against the villains who are expecting him, he is realistically beset and outgunned, yet convincingly survives and triumphs.

Other than an assault scene played largely for laughs that seems out of place, and the inevitable path of the final act, the film does expressly what it sets out to do, and with a decent amount of style.  Although he refuses to call himself a hero, Jack Reacher is exactly that for our times: an egoless man of confidence, always in control, who minds his own business until injustice forces his conscience to defend the helpless victims who cross his path.  And then he doesn’t hesitate to dispense retribution so that injustice will not be repeated.  In a very elemental way, Reacher is the kind of guy many of wish we could be — if we wouldn’t end up in jail and were free enough to leave town to escape the unwanted consequences of our actions.

If this is indeed the cornerstone for another film franchise, I hope it moves forward; Tom Cruise has found a role that really works for him.  I actually think that Cruise’s smallish stature (he’s only 5′ 7″) also works in favor of the character, reinforcing his “everyman” quality and relative anonymity.  As long as Jack Reacher’s further film adventures are as smart and stylish as this one, I’m all for seeing him as a recurring franchise character, and for Tom Cruise portraying him.  ☆ ☆ ☆.  8 January 2013.