Investigator Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise) springs into action after the arrest of Susan Turner (Cobie Smulders), an Army major accused of treason. Suspecting foul play, Jack embarks on a mission to prove that the head of his old unit is innocent. After crossing paths with the law, Reacher must now go on the lam to uncover the truth behind a major government conspiracy that involves the death of U.S. soldiers
Sooo, I had the pleasure of seeing this Movie at a advance screening. I choose this over "Boo! A Madea Halloween" (do I have to explain myself?). But watching the first Jack Reacher movie. I was kinda excited to see where they would go after the first one. I realized after the first movie, that there's a book series by an author named Jim Grant (pseudonym Lee Child) that has, give or take 17 books about Jack Reacher. None with the name of Jack Reacher. But any who, this Kick behind, no nonsense drifter carries out justice in a way that takes you along the lines of most vigilante series or movies. But as we all know, Tom Cruise is a little bit weird and has taken on roles like this in the past (night and day,). This movie opens up with the infamous scene that is on the trailer that gets your mouth watered up for so much more. Jack in a dinner with guys sprawled inside and out the diner unconscious while he sits at the counter drinking coffee. Watching the trailer tells you what occurs after that. There he reaches out to someone he has built a relationship with and plans out meeting up with her.
With that, the movie goes to Reacher reaching out to the female Army Major that is involved with some military intelligence and other dealings, but some how she gets caught up with a conspiracy that puts her in jail for treason. Since the new world criminals are government contractors, you find out quickly that Reacher and the woman he is now involved with are in for a very high level down fall. Cobie Smulders who plays Major Turner, is kick ass and holds her own throughout the movie and is smart and assertive as well. Quick note, many male viewers didn't see this movie as good as the first one and I've noticed that female leads in action or drama movies ( Gone girl, New Ghostbusters, The girl on the train) aren't being perceived favorably. Even in this movie the male hero perception is challenged when Turner states you don't think I can handle whats going on? This trend will continue and looking at the quality of the writing and direction, Movies should be the rated based on that and the quality of the actor or actress. Just saying. Sorry for the soap box. Back to our show.
The investigation and man hunt for Turner and Reacher runs to how do they skip to security, how do they get money and what will it take to stay undercover until they can clear their names. This sequence runs pretty good. Here is where they lose me. There is a young girl in the equation that may or may not be Reachers daughter. She gets played as a pawn to get Reacher to back down but it seems very very unnecessary and something that doesn't work with the story line and the previous Reacher movie. It plays itself out but this slowed down the action and the cat and mouse play of finding out who is the cause of all of this. It goes to different cities and that was pretty cool too. Another highlight is how and why the contractors were involved and is there an underline reason for the high level cover up. It answers these questions like typical bad guy plot lines but very anti climatic.
I put this under the category of Jason Bourne, John Wick and The Equalizer. Could be a good series going forward, but this movie was worth the trip to the theater and a good seat for an exciting ride.