20140106: Movie Review--Jack Reacher

Jack Reacher

1. Fundamentals, reception.
1. American live action feature length film, 2012, rated R, 130 minutes, action, crime.
2. IMDB: 7.0/10.0 from 138,739 audience ratings.  Estimated budget, 60 million USD; aspect, 2.35
3. Rotten Tomatoes: 61% on the meter; 68% liked it from 107,857 audience ratings.
4. Netflix: 3.8/5.0 from 485,750 audience ratings.
5. Written and directed by: Christopher McQuarrie.
6. Starring: Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher, Rosamund Pike as Helen Rodin, Richard Jenkins as Rodin, David Oyelowo as Detective Emerson, Werner Herzog as The Zec, Alexia Fast as Sandy, Robert Duvall as Cash.


2. Setup and Plot
1. The film opens with a sniper killing five people at extreme long range.  From evidence at the scene, the police pick up James Barr, a psychopath sniper just discharged from the Army under suspicious circumstances.  He signs a confession, and makes a request in writing, 'Get Jack Reacher.'  He's put in the general population, and is soon beaten into a coma.


2. DA Rodin and Det Emerson decide to track Reacher down, but this proves moot.  Reacher meets them in the DA's office.  Barr's defense lawyer, Rodin's daughter Helen, manages to engage Reacher as her investigator.


3. Someone sets up Reacher at a bar, and he's arrested.  Helen, her father, Emerson, and Reacher discuss this with some heat.  Reacher gets more interested.


4. As Jack gets closer to the truth, the stakes get higher, and it becomes clear who the real culprits are.  Jack even finds evidence to prove Barr is innocent.  Jack enlists the aid of Cash, whose contributions prove essential.


5. Will Jack and Helen prevail, or will the mob forces behind all this triumph?


3. Conclusions
1. One line summary: Good tension and plot resolution, with lots of difficulties along the way.
2. Four stars of five.  I could live with a sequel to this one.


4. Scores
1. Cinematography: 10/10 Excellent.


2. Sound: 10/10 Just fine; no problems.


3. Acting: 8/10 Wonderful performances by Tom Cruise, Rosamund Pike, Richard Jenkins, Robert Duvall, and Werner Herzog.  Alexia Fast, Josh Helman, and Dylan Kussman were rather bad.


4. Screenplay: 8/10 Good tension and plot resolution, with lots of difficulties along the way.  Grinding up the ladder of levels of hoodlums took a bit longer than I had hoped.  Still, quite a good thriller.