Jack Reacher (2012)

The film opens up with five innocent people being shot by a sniper in a public area, kudos to the use of point of view shots that allowed us as a viewer to feel like we were the ones preying on the victims and pulling the trigger. The shooting process are sure to stir up feeling of vulnerability as each person was easily killed off and although the characters killed were not at all developed, you cannot help but sympathise and feel that they got cheated out of their lives. With the apparent criminal who shot them being arrested more or less straight after by the police, it is easy enough to think 'it's too good be true' and you would be right in thinking it. They got the wrong guy. The man writes on a piece of paper "Get Jack Reacher" and this is when the story starts to develop with what I found to be an unlikeable character Jack Reacher. I could not seem to connect to this soon to be supposed hero of the piece, I don't know whether this was due to Tom Cruise as the actor (who did not suit this role) or the general writing and dialogue of the character. Either way a mistake was made somewhere because surely the main character should be shown as charismatic enough to be at least the little bit appealing.

After seeing the story on the news, Reacher turns up himself without the police having to look for him. Reacher is sure of the man's guiltiness but with plots unfolding he finds out stuff that he didn't expect and becomes finding evidence in defence of the so called criminal. And while these developments are happening so is a borderline romance between Reacher and the defendants lawyer called Helen Rodin played by Rosamund Pike. The redeeming qualities of the film come from the script writing that provided smooth dialogue that also would make me cringe with one liners, the action sequences were thick and fast throughout so lived up to the films action, crime, thriller genre however many were unrealistic and the lack of realism caused me to roll my eyes. I think the film could have been perceived better if more tension was built with a darker atmosphere created especially since the plot is a dark one. Reacher eventually finds those who are really responsible for the crime but the film ends on a deadpan note that left me unsatisfied.

Verdict: A slightly entertaining film but I found my attention straying at points.