The popular Jack Reacher series of novels had its film
rights snapped up soon after the release of the initial novel in 1997. Fifteen
years and seventeen books later, the first film has finally made it to the
screen. The ninth book in the series Long
Shot forms the basis of the film Jack
Reacher. A lone sniper sets up shop in a parking garage before training his
sights on people across the river. In quick succession he fires six shots,
killing five random people. A trail of clues left at the scene leads to his
arrest and after failing to confess he asks the police to get him Jack Reacher
(Tom Cruise), an ex Military Policeman and drifter. By the time Reacher gets to
the scene of the crime the accused has been beaten into a coma. Believing the culprit
is guilty based on a previous encounter; Reacher is nonetheless hired by
Defence Lawyer (Rosamund Pike) and begins to uncover a deeper plot.
I’ve read just one
Jack Reacher novel and enjoyed it but not enough to rush out and continue with
the series. Even though I’m not a die hard fan I raised my eyebrow at the
casting of Tom Cruise as what has become a distinctive and well loved
character. Having seen the film, to me the casting now fits perfectly. Cruise
may lack the height and physical presence of Reacher but he more than makes up
for it in screen presence and overall there are very few areas in which I can
fault the film.
