jack reacher 2 movie review

'Jack Reacher: Never Go Back' Review: Tom Cruise's Franchise Needs to Go Back to Basics

Edward Zwick’s sequel doesn’t understand what made the first ‘Jack Reacher’ a success.

Christopher McQuarrie ’s Jack Reacher is one of the better action films of the last five years. It adapts a character that Tom Cruise is completely unsuited for physically (in the books, Reacher is built more like Dwayne Johnson) and taps into a stone-cold resolve many of us didn’t think Cruise was capable of. We knew he could be an action star because of the Mission: Impossible movies, but it’s one thing to be a gadget-wielding super-spy, and it’s another to be a cold, steely-eyed drifter who’s tough as nails. McQuarrie adapted Lee Child ’s One Shot into a terrific action vehicle for Cruise that ran on bravado and lo-fi thrills. It was a tonic for the modern, CGI-packed blockbuster.

Four years later and Jack Reacher has returned with Jack Reacher: Never Go Back , but new director Edward Zwick doesn’t understand what makes Reacher tick. He saddles the character with a surrogate family when one isn’t called for, and the attempt to soften Reacher takes away the character’s edginess and unpredictability. The script drowns in a convoluted plot, there are unnecessary flourishes like “Reacher-vision”, and while Cruise still has a handle on the character, his adventure this time around is far less interesting despite a strong supporting performance from Cobie Smulders .

The story picks up with Reacher (Cruise) headed to Washington, D.C. to meet up with Major Susan Turner (Smulders), an officer who commands his old unit and a trusted friend despite the two never having met in person before. However, when Reacher comes to Turner’s office, he discovers that she’s been arrested for espionage. To make matters worse, Reacher’s also being hit with a paternity suit that claims he’s the father of 15-year-old foster kid, Samantha Dayton ( Danika Yarosh ). Realizing that both Turner and Samantha are in danger from shadowy forces, Reacher springs to the rescue and takes them both along as they try to figure out who framed Turner and who’s out to kill them.

If this were the fourth or fifth Jack Reacher film, I could maybe understand giving the character a surrogate family to help show another side of him. You shake up the formula because the formula has started to go a little stale. But what McQuarrie was offering in 2012’s Jack Reacher was still working fine. The supporting characters in that movie are important, but they don’t hang off of Reacher. He’s largely a solitary character, and he does two things: 1) kick butt; 2) solve mysteries. He still does those things in Never Go Back , but he’s saddled with relationships that don’t make Reacher, the guy we showed up to see, any better.

Also, a word of advice to any screenwriter or producer or director who’s thinking, “You know what this action movie is missing? A smart-ass teenager.”: Don’t. Just don’t. There are moments where Samantha’s not completely insufferable, but those moments are few and far between. No one was asking the question, “What if Jack Reacher was a father figure?” It’s not an essential part of his character. And yet Samantha is shoehorned into scenes to force development that never really arrives.   She’s also, inevitably, endangered by the bad guys at the climax of the film.

Perhaps if the movie had just been Reacher and Turner it could have been on to something, but that’s mainly on the strength of Smulders’ performance. Watching Never Go Back , I know it will be maddening in the years to come when I see Smulders in movies and those movies aren’t action films where she’s the hero. I have no doubt she could anchor an action franchise on par with Reacher or John Wick if she was given the opportunity.

The larger problem is that Reacher and Turner are trapped in a lazy thriller that doesn’t have the fun twists and turns of the first movie. The villains are absolutely lousy (I know that Werner Herzog is a tough act to follow, but the script doesn’t even try to give Robert Knepper ’s baddie anything substantive beyond “he’s greedy”), and their nefarious scheme is largely uninteresting. What’s more, Zwick doesn’t even seem to be particularly interested in the larger case at hand. He’s more occupied in painting Reacher as a makeshift family man, and that’s not really why we care about Jack Reacher.

Never Go Back was the opportunity to take a character who had somewhat struggled in his first outing (the first movie did fine at the box office, but not the kind of heavyweight numbers that studios demand) and give him another shot at winning over audiences. Sadly, despite Cruise and Smulders’ strong performances, this is probably the end of the line for the Jack Reacher franchise. It’s a shame because given the right screenwriter and director, I’d happily come back.

Screen Rant

Jack reacher: never go back review, jack reacher: never go back does not offer enough high-octane action or clever mystery to stand out from the glut of so-so crime movies..

After Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise) disbands a human trafficking operation, the "retired" Military Police Major-turned private investigator gains an ally in Major Susan Turner (Cobie Smulders) - a successor in Reacher's former Virginia-based military unit, the 110th MP. Over time and over the phone, the pair form a close (and flirtatious) working relationship: Turner offers remote support and local MP resources as Reacher drifts from one case and locale to the next - and the two playfully fantasize about what might happen should they ever meet in person.

However, when Reacher's travels bring him to Virginia, he decides to pay Turner a visit - only to find that Turner has been relieved of her command and charged with espionage. Unwilling to accept that Turner, a dedicated and respected commander in the MP Corps, is guilty of the crime, Reacher sets out to clear her name by placing himself between the Major and a dangerous military organization - lead by a ruthless operative known as "The Hunter" (Patrick Heusinger). In the process, a destitute teenager, Samantha Dayton (Danika Yarosh), who Reacher believes  could  be his daughter, is unknowingly pulled into the lethal conflict - reminding the retired MP hero why he's better suited for a life on the road without personal relationships and responsibilities.

Thanks to a clever story (borrowing from pieces of Lee Child's best-selling novel series), solid action set pieces, amusing supporting heroes, and a biting villain (played by Jai Courtney), Christopher McQuarrie's Jack Reacher  exceeded expectation - to craft a surprisingly fresh and exciting crime drama that both book fans and casual filmgoers could appreciate. Unfortunately, while director Edward Zwick's follow-up film,  Never Go Back , includes similar pieces - none are as well-defined or impactful this round. Jack Reacher: Never Go Back is the definition of "franchise sequel" - fleeting entertainment that is dull when compared to a more interesting and well-crafted experience that made a film series possible in the first place.

Just as Jack Reacher was an adaptation of "One Shot" that borrowed from additional plot lines in the Jack Reacher books, the sequel is an equally loose adaptation of the Never Go Back  novel - once again pulling backstory and series mythology (including Turner) from volumes outside the source book. As sequel's often endeavor,  Never Go Back  aims to say something profound about its main character - suggesting that Reacher, in spite of his self-imposed drifter life, struggles with loneliness and longs for intimate human relationships.

This could have been a rewarding approach, if it were balanced with great action and clever plot twists but Zwick (who directed Cruise on  The Last Samurai ) over-saturates the movie with tangled storylines and underwhelming revelations - bogging down Reacher's investigation with bland confrontations and cumbersome storytelling hurdles that prevent Never Go Back from building to a satisfying climax (in either emotion or plot). Action is in short supply - and often regresses into routine fist-fights without presenting audiences anything particularly inventive (such as the standout car chase in the first  Jack Reacher ).

Where Reacher was a relatively stoic tour de force in the 2012 film, allowing the people around him (both good and bad) to enjoy the spotlight, the Jack Reacher in Never Go Back is an uneven mix of tough talk, melodrama, and saccharine humor - a tricky blend for a chapter that sees the hero navigate flirtatious encounters and the challenges of "parenting" a rebellious teenager. Conversely, even though the movie is more light-hearted than its predecessor, there are several mature aspects (such as sex trafficking, torture, intimidation, and drug abuse) that are at odds with Zwick's slightly more hopeful installment. Cruise negotiates his scenes in stride, maintaining the actor's standard for charming and fun performances, but the larger Never Go Back plot and portrayal still undercuts most of the small choices that separated this franchise protagonist from similar action heroes (including others portrayed by Cruise).

Supporting players in Never Go Back are equally uneven - with one exception: Cobie Smulders as Major Susan Turner. Smulders riffs on her role as Maria Hill from the Marvel Cinematic Universe but the world of Jack Reacher affords the actress with an uncompromising heroine and several hard-hitting combat sequences - including a (brutal) crowd-pleasing third act take down. Through Turner, Smulders casts a spotlight on the added challenges of being a capable woman serving as a female commander in the U.S. military - challenges that are often typified by Reacher (who, despite good intentions and respect for Turner, still views the Major as a woman in need of protection).

Samantha Dayton (Danika Yarosh) also tests Reacher's preconceptions but where Turner defies stereotypes and proves her mettle throughout the film, Dayton routinely asks for Reacher's respect - only to be undermined by mistakes the story  needs the character to make (in order to move the plot forward). Yarosh and Cruise have entertaining chemistry but for all the logistical hurdles of a road trip movie featuring two lethal army vets and an unruly teenager pursued by a murderous assassin, Turner convolutes more than she illuminates.

More than any other aspect of the film, Patrick Heusinger's Hunter is symptomatic of Zwick's attempt to rehash what worked well in Jack Reacher - only to deliver an adequate but uninspired variation. Like Jai Courtney's Charlie, Hunter is a cold-blooded killer who views any altercation with Reacher as a game to be won - regardless of the collateral damage. Yet, where Charlie was a quiet, calculating, and haunting presence (a smart juxtaposition to Reacher), The Hunter is a noisy and reckless sociopath - whose bite never quite matches his bark.

Ultimately, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back offers another dose of  Jack Reacher - which could satisfy series fans who are interested in a new adventure with the Ex-Major. That said, McQuarrie's adaptation was a welcome surprise that managed to differentiate itself from a long line of franchise action-dramas - and, as a result, found an audience through positive word of mouth. Unfortunately, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back does not offer enough high-octane action or clever mystery to stand out from the glut of so-so crime movies.

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back  runs 118 minutes and is Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence and action, some bloody images, language and thematic elements.

Let us know what you thought of the film in the comments section below.

Key Release Dates

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Jack reacher: never go back, common sense media reviewers.

Violent Tom Cruise sequel has a high body count.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Never give up, no matter what the odds. Always mak

Reacher is loyal to a fault and is always willing

The body count gets pretty high. While Reacher doe

Flirting. One scene of a woman in a bra.

Occasional swearing includes "s--t," &qu

A few brands/products get screen time, notably an

No substance use, but a cache of drugs is found.

Parents need to know that Jack Reacher: Never Go Back is the sequel to 2012's Jack Reacher ; both movies are based on the popular books by Lee Child. Like the first, this is a Tom Cruise thriller, so there's plenty of edge-of-your-seat action. Reacher is a one-man wrecking crew who leaves a…

Positive Messages

Never give up, no matter what the odds. Always make sure to watch out for the people on your team; when you need help, they'll be there for you. But Reacher also frequently resorts to violence as a means of solving problems/achieving justice.

Positive Role Models

Reacher is loyal to a fault and is always willing to put himself on the line to help someone who needs aid, without expecting anything in return. That said, he also does whatever it takes to achieve justice -- which often leaves wreckage in his wake. Susan is a strong, capable woman who holds her own against Reacher.

Violence & Scariness

The body count gets pretty high. While Reacher doesn't usually carry a gun, he doesn't hesitate to take one from an opponent. And when there aren't any firearms around, he's pretty tough with his hands or any other object he finds laying around. Shoot-outs leave people dead. People are sometimes shot at close range, execution style. Many graphic fight scenes leave people beaten to a pulp or even worse. Some of these are quite extreme; even though there's almost no blood, gore, or lingering close-ups of the victims, the sound-effects (i.e. bones snapping) and suddenly limp bodies make for several cringe-worthy moments.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Occasional swearing includes "s--t," "d--k," "hell," "ass," "crap," "damn," "bitch" and "Jesus" used as an exclamation.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

A few brands/products get screen time, notably an LG phone and a Maserati sports car.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Jack Reacher: Never Go Back is the sequel to 2012's Jack Reacher ; both movies are based on the popular books by Lee Child. Like the first, this is a Tom Cruise thriller, so there's plenty of edge-of-your-seat action. Reacher is a one-man wrecking crew who leaves a trail of broken bodies -- only the bad guys, of course -- in his wake as he tries to right wrongs. Characters get shot, sometimes at close range (execution style), and are beaten to death. And while there's not much in the way of blood or gore, the fight scenes, especially the bone-snapping endings, can be pretty intense. On the plus side, there's no drinking, smoking, or drug use (though a cache of drugs is found). Sexual content is minimal (flirting, a shot of a woman in a bra), and swearing is moderate (mainly "s--t" and "d--khead"). And co-star Cobie Smulders plays a strong, capable woman who can keep up with Reacher. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say (5)
• Kids say (11)

Based on 5 parent reviews

Great movie!

A good flick but falls just short of the original, what's the story.

Tom Cruise is back in the title role in JACK REACHER: NEVER GO BACK, a sequel to 2012's Jack Reacher . This time around, Reacher's old friend Susan Turner ( Cobie Smulders ) is accused of espionage. It's up to Reacher to find out the truth. The former military cop realizes both he and Susan are being hunted by a shadowy weapons contractor and uncovers a plot that stretches from Afghanistan to New Orleans. Could it reach all the way to the top of the U.S. Army chain of command?

Is It Any Good?

This action sequel is an odd mix of thrilling and inert: It's entertaining enough, and the fight sequences are heart-pumpingly good, but the pacing is sometimes glacial and the plot predictable. The leads keep Jack Reacher: Never Go Bac k from going completely off the rails. Say what you will about Cruise, but he's as charismatic as ever -- and therefore compelling. No one has mastered a steely gaze like he has. Smulders bristles with contained energy, making for the perfect partner, and Danika Yarosh -- as the teen they both assist -- holds her own.

Still, Reacher is a joyless character. He barely cracks a smile -- which, in a way, serves the plot. But you can't help longing for a glimpse of the Cruise of yore who could tap into a well of cocky naughtiness ( Cocktail , Risky Business ) to balance the brooding. It's as if Cruise isn't allowed to have any fun at all, even in scenes that are meant to be flirtatious (though still brooding, given the character). In a film that's not especially original, the patented Cruise charm could very well have lifted it out of its doldrums.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the fight scenes in Jack Reacher: Never Go Back . How do they compare to what you've seen in other action movies? Is the violence presented as justified? Do you agree?

Reacher uncovers a nefarious plot that goes all the way to the top. How are the people in power abusing their authority? What's a law-abiding person supposed to do when the authorities can't be trusted?

Talk about the subplot revolving around a teen: What role do drugs play in her situation? How does she respond to her circumstances?

Movie Details

• In theaters : October 21, 2016
• On DVD or streaming : January 31, 2017
• Cast : Tom Cruise , Cobie Smulders , Robert Knepper
• Director : Edward Zwick
• Inclusion Information : Female actors
• Studio : Paramount Pictures
• Genre : Action/Adventure
• Topics : Book Characters
• Run time : 118 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG-13
• MPAA explanation : sequences of violence and action, some bloody images, language and thematic elements
• Last updated : December 31, 2023

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Jack Reacher: Never Go Back Review

21 Oct 2016

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back

Sure, he’s a fine actor, but what Tom Cruise does really well is run. And Ed Zwick, having directed him before, clearly knows that. So, as Never Go Back approaches the half-hour mark and with Cruise yet to break into anything above a brisk walk, Zwick cuts to him sprinting for a cab. And then, to make up for lost time presumably, a few minutes later he runs for a bus. He may be 54 now (and it’s not quite him trying to outrun a sandstorm), but watching Cruise run has lost none of its thrill.

Of course that is, technically, another stick with which doubters can beat this cinematic Reacher, should they be so inclined. Book Reacher’s lumbering lack of speed is a rare weakness and is brought up semi-regularly, but clearly it’s not an issue here. (Even though he does miss that bus.) But it feels, two movies in, as though it’s time to make peace. For better or worse, taller or shorter, when it comes to cinematic Reacher, Cruise is our man.

And (despite all that running) there is good news. Zwick here takes Reacher closer to the books — tougher, gruffer and no longer boasting the skills of a stunt-car driver. (At least, not that we’re shown.) In fact, he’s usually in the passenger seat. The opening scene, which sees police arrive at a diner with four bodies writhing in agony on the car park floor, and Reacher calmly sitting inside drinking his coffee, is a perfect example — an Indiana Jones -style end-of-the-last-adventure vignette that immediately sets the scene for this grittier vision. We’re not in the same territory in terms of stylistic differences as Mission: Impossible and its immediate sequel — there are no slo-mo doves here — but it’s still a noticeably different beast.

The stakes are higher here than in Jack Reacher — he’s framed for murder after poking around in the arrest of Turner (Smulders), the major who’s doing his old job in the Military Police. She’s been accused of espionage, but Reacher senses something’s afoot (which his arrest proves), so he breaks them both out of prison and they go on the run, closely followed by hitmen determined to stop them. Plus there’s an added wrinkle: 15-year-old Samantha (Danika Yarosh), a girl Reacher’s only just found out about, who may or may not be his daughter, is also caught in the firing line. Cue familial-style bickering between the three.

When it comes to cinematic Reacher, Cruise is our man.

According to Lee Child, the presence of Samantha in Never Go Back is one of the main reasons this story was chosen, and it’s an interesting addition in terms of Reacher’s character development — will the drifter find an anchor? Sure, it took 18 books of wandering for this particular paternity issue to come up and we’re only on film two, but it’s not without precedent — the issue of settling down was raised as early as book three when Reacher inherited a house (he decided against it).

Reacher’s also drafted back into the army after a clause in his release papers is activated, allowing them (rather than the police) to hold him for the murder he’s accused of. This sets up some soul-searching about whether someone like him can ever have a normal life, and brings up the question about why he left in the first place. “Let’s just say, I woke one morning and the uniform didn’t fit,” he tells Turner.

But where Never Goes Back does fall short in comparison with Jack Reacher , despite the lower stakes, is the central mystery. One Shot , the book the first film is based on, boasted one of the best (if not the best) of the entire series. Never Go Back does not. Recognising that, much here has been changed from the source material. Some necessary (the book fizzles out whereas this builds to a final showdown), some just different — no LA, as soon as the trio leave DC they head to party town New Orleans, where the finale just happens to coincide with the annual Hallowe’en parade. But the murky machinations of the arms-dealing still can’t compete with the purity of the original’s sniper mystery. Next time it would be wise to choose one of the better-plotted books — Killing Floor or Bad Luck And Trouble perhaps.

And it looks likely there will be a next time. This is only the second instance where Tom Cruise has committed to a sequel, and presumably it’s with eyes on a long-running franchise. With M:I it took him three movies to nail the tone and formula; with Reacher he’s managed it a film earlier.

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Tom Cruise's Jack Reacher 2 review: worth dying for, or Never Go Back?

Reacher said nothing.

But while it was fine, it didn't exactly shout, "Sequel!"

Nor did anyone else.

It grossed just enough worldwide, however, to allow Jack out of retirement one last time. So, was it worth the effort?

Based on Lee Child's novel Never Go Back , the film is set four years after the first film, with Jack returning to his old military headquarters. The reason? Purely to try to seduce Major Susan Turner (Cobie Smulders), with whom he's started up an old-school friendship over the phone for the past few months.

When he gets there, he discovers that Susan has been arrested and accused of espionage. So he attempts to uncover what is obviously a conspiracy involving corrupt military personnel. A decent enough plot.

Oh, and Jack's also accused of killing a bunch of people and he may or may not have a teenage daughter. But more on that in a second.

Out of all the Jack Reacher novels (20 and counting - the 21st, Night School, is out in November), it feels strange that they've picked the EIGHTEENTH one in the series, released only three years ago. If this is really the second best in the series, then please don't get us the whole set for Christmas.

The main issue with the story is that you could technically remove Jack from the film and the main plot would remain exactly the same. Without giving too much away, his end of the story mainly revolves around a girl who may or may not be his love child from years before.

Worse, Shameless star Danika Yarosh manages to place her character in the Dana-off- Homeland annoying stakes. Her brattiness would have worked in a '90s Mel Gibson vehicle, but it's just boring now.

The film should actually be called Susan Taylor: featuring Jack Reacher . Cobie Smulders may have found her calling as the next big female action star (we were rooting for her to be cast as Wonder Woman years ago), after being rather wasted as Maria Hill in the Marvel movies. In this, her comedy experience from How I Met Your Mother shines through, and she can clearly kick ass.

Tom Cruise is excellent, fierce and strangely hilarious as Jack, but he feels like a guest star in his own movie. The few moments he gets to kick some serious bottom and throw a couple of wisecracks are genuinely brilliant, especially the first sequence outside a diner and fighting a bunch of hired goons in some random hangar.

But we haven't even got to the big, big issue.

The big, big issue is the film's lack of a threatening baddie. The problem with the first film was that the main antagonist was played by Jai Courtney as a bland, boring and instantly forgettable git. (Though Werner Herzog, horribly underused as the Big Bad Boss, was awesome.)

So, what do they do for the second film? Cast relative newcomer Patrick Heusinger as a bland, boring and instantly forgettable supergit. He even looks like Jai Courtney. Seriously, can you tell who is who?

Not only is the character boring, but he has zero motivation other than working as a hitman for a shady businessman. We know nothing about his backstory and thus don't care about him whatsoever. By the end, he doesn't even need to be battling Jack anymore, he's just being a dick.

Heusinger plays it well enough, but it really does feel like they spent all their budget on Cruise and a few set pieces and had to make do with a few non-household name TV stars. Even Prison Break 's Robert Knepper appears as technically the main baddie, but if you went to the toilet for a few minutes you might miss him entirely.

But Tom Cruise's presence can make anything look good - any scene he's in, it's a joy. He and Cobie have a tremendous amount of chemistry, and we'd genuinely be up for a spinoff film where they just fight crime together without the political conspiracies.

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back doesn't quite know whether it's a gritty thriller or an action comedy. It's a weird hybrid of the two, but it's also lost a lot of the humour which made the first film more than just another generic action flick. Enjoyable, but we doubt you'll go back for a third instalment.

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back will be hitting UK and US cinemas on October 21.

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In theaters this weekend: reviews of ‘jack reacher 2,’ ‘keeping up with the joneses’ and more.

Read what THR's film critics are saying about films opening Friday.

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Tricks and treats, a tested family relationship and some very conspicuous spies are among what’s headed to theaters this weekend in Keeping Up With the Joneses , Jack Reacher: Never Going Back, Boo! A Madea Halloween, Ouija: Origin of Evil  and American Pastoral .

Read on to find out what The Hollywood Reporter’s critics are saying about the weekend’s new offerings, and click here to see how they’re expected to perform at the box office.

Keeping Up With The Joneses

Getting to know your new neighbors is always a tricky process. Now imagine finding out your neighbors are actually government spies. Director Greg Mottola ( Superbad , Adventureland ) brings this idea to the big screen in his latest film, Keeping Up With the Joneses . Jeff Gaffney (Zach Galifianakis ) and his wife, Karen ( Isla Fisher ), are a quiet couple living a comfortable life in a quiet suburb. Jeff is a cheerful HR manager, Karen an unmotivated interior designer. Their life is normal and relatively uneventful until their new neighbors, the Joneses , move in. Underneath their guise as travel writer and social media editor with a food blog, Tim ( Jon Hamm ) and Natalie Jones (Gal Gadot ) are actually top-secret spies. While the idea is there, THR’s  film critic Jon Frosch doesn’t believe the film delivers. “ Mottola and LeSieur fumble the big set pieces, including a sequence that finds the Gaffneys breaking into the Jones residence to look for clues; the rhythm is off, the jokes don’t land, the gags are sluggish and unimaginative,” writes Frosch . “You know things are dire when one of the most amusing bits consists of Jeff accidentally smashing Karen’s head into a wall.” Read the full review here.

Jack Reacher: Never Going Back

Returning to his non- Mission: Impossible secret-agent role, Tom Cruise once again becomes Jack Reacher, the unstoppable ex-military police commander with a passion for justice. THR film critic Todd McCarthy thinks the film unoriginal. “The film serves up nothing that hasn’t been seen in countless action films before, and it’s striking how little effort appears to have been made to give it any distinction,” explains McCarthy. “Undistinguished visually, this marks a return to the old days, when sequels were almost always markedly inferior to originals that spawned them.” Read the full review here.

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American Pastoral

In his directorial debut, Ewan McGregor takes the audience through the complex and emotional narrative of Phillip Roth’s 1997 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Set in Newark, N.J.,but filmed in around Pittsburgh, the film follows the Levov family as their picturesque life unravels when 16-year-old daughter Merry ( Dakota Fanning ) disappears after being accused of bombing a local post office. The father, Seymour Levov (Ewan McGregor), nicknamed “Swede,” was a legendary high school athlete and former Marine. The mother, Dawn ( Jennifer Connelly ), was a former beauty queen. “With Swede cast as the ever-earnest, heartbroken dad and his wife Dawn much more easily slamming the door on the daughter she’s given up on as a hopeless cause,” writes THR film critic Todd McCarthy, “the film’s ripest dramatic opportunities fall to Fanning, who rises to the occasion with her best big-screen work in a number of years.” Read the full review here.

Ouija: Origin of Evil

Breaking the chain of unworthy sequels, director Mike Flanagan crafts a chilling tale that even includes a sly allusion to The Exorcist , writes THR film critic Frank Scheck . Set 50 years before the original Ouija , the film focuses on the Zander family, which consists of widowed mother Alice (Elizabeth Reaser ) and her two daughters, teenager Paulina ( Annalise Basso ) and 9-year-old Doris (Lulu Wilson). Alice runs a fake medium business out of her home, in which she uses her kids to help create the illusions that mystify her clients. One day she brings a new prop home: the Ouija board. “The Ouija board soon proves itself a genuine conduit to the spirit world, with little Doris becoming possessed by an entity that clearly has malevolent intentions,” writes Scheck . “Director-screenwriter Flanagan slowly ratchets up the tension, forgoing a heavy reliance on cheap jump scares (not that there aren’t a few).” Read the full review here.

Boo! A Madea Halloween

Tyler Perry is back at it again with his fist-throwing, elderly character  Madea . This time she’s taking on the ghouls and ghosts of Halloween. Tasked with babysitting her grandchildren on Halloween night, one of whom wants to attend a wild party at a local fraternity down the street, Madea must keep control of the house while also keeping her sanity. All the monsters are out to get her on a night filled with both tricks and treats. Scheck writes that the film is essentially critic-proof given that Perry has legions of faithful fans: “At this point, reviewing a Madea film is like a food critic reviewing the fare at McDonald’s. By any objective standard, it’s subpar , made of cheap ingredients and panders to the undiscriminating. But millions of people seem to love it, and happily come back for more.” Read the full review here .

Ewan McGregor on Getting His Dad Involved in Directorial Debut 'American Pastoral'

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The biggest compliment one can give the new Amazon series “Reacher” is that Alan Ritchson owns the role now, despite it previously belonging to Tom Cruise . Cruise may not have been the right physical size for an elusive, brutal hero that author Lee Child originally wrote for a six-foot, five-inches tall person. But the megastar nonetheless tried to make the character his, especially during the gold rush of middle-aged star vigilante movies like “ Taken ” and “ The Equalizer .” With Cruise's two Reacher films forgotten by the genre (though Christopher McQuarrie ’s “Jack Reacher” is pretty good), in saunters Ritchson’s version of the character, fulfilling his hook from all along: he’s the smartest and the biggest guy in any room, when you normally get one or the other.  

Reacher finds more space to roam with this eight-episode first season that introduces him as an enigmatic, lone legend, and then watches him unravel different tiers of a conspiracy taking place in a sunny, peach pie slice of Georgia. The show hits you with a lot of questions immediately, like the mystery of this special military police investigator with a list of war medals, suddenly rolling into the quiet town of Margrave, GA, at the same time a body been found shot, its limbs broken, and covered with a cardboard box. Many bodies will pile up, a police station and a mayoral system will be turned upside down, and the encyclopedia in Reacher’s brain will keep flipping back to some clue about animal feed.  

The elaborate plot to showrunner Nick Santora's “Reacher” can feel a bit tangled—with a whole bunch of surnames to not get mixed up, constantly shifting positions of power in this small town, and a sense that the conspiracy is only going to get deeper, even though the flatly written villains practically twirl their mustaches in sinister delight. But it makes for some solid twisty TV storytelling, and death often has a formidable gravity as things get personal for practically every character. And thankfully we have people hunter Reacher guiding us through it all, who is not only often correct about his intuition with people, able to analyze clues to know what someone is thinking or where they’re going, but his detective skills keep the story moving from one non-obvious clue to the next.  

The larger fun of Reacher in this form is also to see a Schwarzenegger-grade action presence use their head so much—including the way that Ritchson’s Reacher headbutts people as if his forehead was a concrete block. When the filmmaking can keep up with his titanic limbs, it can practically make you dodge while looking at the screen, as in a prison shower rumble in the first episode that gives him   a bone-breaking introduction as a heavyweight fighter. His punches hit like speeding trucks, and the camera often lets us see him take down numerous opponents at the same time, with brutal finesse. The action in general hints at how much care Amazon is putting into the show, by giving creative space for standout fight choreography. 

The universe of “Reacher” is expansive, with other characters playing a central part to the investigation, all sharing good chemistry with Ritchson. Willa Fitzgerald is her own force to be reckoned with as Roscoe, another cop suspicious of Reacher, who later enters into a relationship with him that the show tries to leverage by affirming her as an independent bad-ass. And Reacher finds a striking opposite in police chief Finlay ( Malcolm Goodwin ), a Harvard-educated, tweed suit-wearing, “Carry on My Wayward Son”-blasting, Black man from Boston who encounters racism in the predominantly white town he wants to protect. Though for a show that feigns playing evenly with gender and race, it can be overzealous, like when it has no problem writing a cringing scene in which Reacher explains blues music to Finlay.  

But if this first season is any indication, “Reacher” is bound to have as supportive a home on Amazon as with the incredibly popular “Jack Ryan.” The character seems to fit better here, with the benefit of Ritchson's own multi-tiered charisma, which only starts with how he looks and sounds like an inflated Paul Rudd . Like Reacher, Ritchson also feels strikingly new to the area, but you can’t stop noticing him. It doesn't get old to watch his brain compute, and see his fists respond.  

All of season one screened for review. "Reacher" premieres on Amazon tomorrow, February 4th.

Nick Allen is the former Senior Editor at RogerEbert.com and a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association.

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Psychopath or hero? 'Reacher' presents a vigilante who walks the line

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Willa Fitzgerald and Alan Ritchson are on the hunt for justice in Reacher . Shane Mahood/Shane Mahood/Amazon Prime Video hide caption

Willa Fitzgerald and Alan Ritchson are on the hunt for justice in Reacher .

Old Western movies often begin with a stranger riding into a troubled town that doesn't know what to make of him: Is he an outlaw? A lawman? In fact, he's usually something in between: an honorable, gunslinging outsider who will help clean up the town, albeit while shooting a bad guy or two.

Today's version of this mysterious loner is Jack Reacher. He's the hero of Reacher , a new series from Amazon Prime Video, which specializes in making TV out of popular "manly" men franchises. (Previous series center on Harry Bosch and Jack Ryan .)

Based on Killing Floor , the first of Lee Child 's bestselling novels, this eight-part series offers a superhero for viewers who don't like Spandex costumes. At 6 feet, 5 inches and 250 pounds, the brainy, inexpressive Reacher is a weird cross between Mr. Spock and the Incredible Hulk.

'Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan' Offers A Dose Of Retro Heroism In Its 2nd Season

Alan Ritchson — who boasts abs the size of Evian bottles — stars as Reacher, a war hero and ex-military policeman who now spends his life off the grid, traveling the country with no luggage, using fake names and paying for everything in cash. As the series begins, Reacher's turned up in Margrave, Ga., where an old blues musician he likes supposedly died. There he's promptly and, of course, wrongly, arrested for murdering two men on the night he hit town.

For reasons I won't explain, Reacher sticks around to solve the case. He works alongside Roscoe (Willa Fitzgerald), a sharp female officer he finds fetching, and Finlay (Malcolm Goodwin), a buttoned-up Black detective who's just moved to Margrave from Boston. As the body count soars — in part, courtesy of Reacher — the trio finds itself knee-deep in dirty cops, corrupt officials, nasty rich kids, corporate scoundrels, murderous Venezuelan thugs and a conspiracy delirious enough for QAnon .

Author Interviews

This time it's 'personal': lee child writes his 19th jack reacher novel.

Call me retrograde, but I found Reacher entertaining. It clips right along, is reasonably suspenseful and has a vivid cast. As Roscoe and Finlay, Fitzgerald and Goodwin are really terrific: They bring an emotional richness to their characters that isn't in the script.

As for Ritchson, whose deadpan line-readings sometimes made me think of early Clint Eastwood , he gives Reacher the intimidating, man-mountain presence missing from the movie version played by bantam-weight Tom Cruise . Ritchson's Reacher could use Cruise's as a sock puppet.

Movie Reviews

With a second 'jack reacher,' tom cruise finally exceeds his grasp.

But while I raced happily through the series, I didn't feel altogether clean about it. Although Reacher may be a righteous dude, he's also a vigilante who, early in the show, announces his plans: "I'm going to find out who did it, and then kill them all." He's not being metaphorical or hyperbolic. No crook ever goes to trial in a Jack Reacher story.

In fact, his approach seems so ultra-violent on-screen that the show, unlike the books, feels the need to make jokes about it, working hard to convince us he's not a psychopath but a bearer of justice. He punishes child abusers and defends women being mistreated by their boyfriends. He even rescues a dog whose owner is treating it cruelly.

Unlike most of his justice-dispensing forebears in pop culture — such as Mickey Spillane 's Mike Hammer or Eastwood's original "Dirty" Harry Callahan —Reacher doesn't come off as morally dodgy or politically conservative. Like the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo , he's essentially a vigilante that liberals can love. He hates bullies, is drawn to strong women, and feels more comfortable with Black barbers than with prosperous white people. His protégé, Neagley (Maria Sten), is a mixed-race woman.

Where those gunslinger heroes helped honest folks in a lawless Wild West, this series conjures a present in which the existing laws have frayed. It speaks to an America in which many people — liberal and conservative — are filled with rage because they believe the system doesn't deliver the justice they want to see delivered. Reacher offers the pleasures of an invincible avenger who satisfies our fantasies of payback — and lets us see them as moral. And have I mentioned that I really enjoyed it?

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Jack Reacher – review

T here is a rich and varied tradition of great directors taking cameos in other people's films. Fritz Lang appeared in Jean-Luc Godard's Le Mépris . François Truffaut appeared in Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind . And now the legendary German director Werner Herzog appears in this movie, which stars Tom Cruise as hunky military investigator Jack Reacher, directed by Christopher McQuarrie and adapted by him from the bestseller One Shot by Lee Child.

Herzog just happens to be playing the sinister-looking, scary European guy with the heavy German accent. At first glance, this looks hurtfully close to typecasting. When he read through the script, we can only imagine Herzog's subsequent, tearful phone call to his agent: "I thawwwwd I would heff the rrrole of Reeeacher, the meff -erick aaaah-mee cop . I would be fenn -tastic in the pahhht because men would vant to bee me and women vant to bee wiss me and, plus, I could look into Rosamund Pike's eyes wissout heff -ing to stand on a box ."

But Herzog's role is sadly pretty small in this outrageous but entertaining pulp-melodrama thriller. It is watchable, though, of course, easily mocked: I discovered for myself recently that the joke about adding "-round" to the hero's surname is so prevalent online that it has almost caused Twitter to crash. Given its gun theme, the distributors might have pondered the possibility that this release should be postponed. It comes out this week in the US and on Boxing Day in the UK. But the film does show gun enthusiasts as, by and large, loathsome creeps, and that goes especially for people who drone on about their Second Amendment rights.

Tom Cruise is naturally Reacher, who in the book is a big guy . Cruise is not a big guy. So he remedies matters by bulking out east and west and walking with a shoulder-rolling, sub-Mitchum gait as if getting his arms past his pecs was a big problem. He does, however, appear to be at eye-level with Rosamund Pike. Cruise gets one fairly cheeky shirtless scene – which McQuarrie ironises with a throwaway gag – and his chest dimensions have evidently expanded mightily, while his tummy is sort of contracted into a muscular scrunch, as if you'd removed the plastic holding together a six-pack of beer and tied it in a knot. He wears leather bomber jackets and tan shoes, and in one scene a Persil-white top that is almost as low-cut as Pike's.

Reacher is a wild card, a highly decorated warrior once employed as a brilliant internal investigator, who has now quit the army and disappeared off the map, living a mysterious and somewhat ascetic life. We get to glimpse his file, which is regarded with the same awestruck respect and fear as that of Colonel Kurtz in Apocalypse Now.

This Pimpernel of the US military re-emerges when a trained army sniper is arrested for the fatal shooting of five people, apparently at random. The investigating officer Emerson (David Oyelowo) is certain of his guilt, but to Emerson's astonishment and chagrin, a brilliant and beautiful lawyer, Helen (Pike), has stepped forward to defend this man, simply to spite her overbearing dad, the district attorney, played by Richard Jenkins. It is the defendant himself who mysteriously calls on Reacher's help – the only man who can prove his innocence.

The story pans out in a long, involved and more than faintly preposterous style, though with a few procedural diversions along the way. Reacher begins by telling Helen that he will help, if she agrees to interview the victims' families: an unthinkably tactless thing to do, but it elicits important details about the crime.

Perhaps the most purely enjoyable scene comes when Reacher (trained in badass unarmed combat) is challenged to a fistfight by five bullies outside a bar. It's five against one, smirks one. Three against one, corrects Reacher coolly, because the last two guys always turn and run. Then the action kicks off in a scene so elaborately edited and choreographed, it looks like an adaptation of Matthew Bourne's famous all-male Swan Lake.

Reacher must eventually confront the evil one himself, played by Herzog with a weird contact-lens to make one of his irises milky-white – as if he wasn't scary-looking enough as it is. In one horrible scene, he demands that a cringing underling bite off two of his own fingers. By the end of that, I and quite a few other members of the audience were attempting to bite our own fingers off, in the grip of an intense, unclassifiable emotion. Perhaps there will be more Reacher films after this: I hope Mr Cruise rises to the challenge.

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Itinerant former military policeman Jack Reacher solves crimes and metes out his own brand of street justice. Based on the novels by Lee Child. Itinerant former military policeman Jack Reacher solves crimes and metes out his own brand of street justice. Based on the novels by Lee Child. Itinerant former military policeman Jack Reacher solves crimes and metes out his own brand of street justice. Based on the novels by Lee Child.

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Episodes 17

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Reacher is Back and Bigger Than Ever! 👊 Prime Video Debuts the Action-Packed Reacher Season Two Official Trailer - The Highly Anticipated New Season of the Hit Series Starring Alan Ritchson Will Premiere December 15

Reacher is Back and Bigger Than Ever! 👊

Prime Video Debuts the Action-Packed Reacher Season Two Official Trailer

The Highly Anticipated New Season of the Hit Series Starring Alan Ritchson Will Premiere December 15

Watch the Official Trailer HERE Reacher Information and Assets Available HERE  

CULVER CITY, California—November 7, 2023—The massive hit is back and bigger than ever! Today, Prime Video released the official trailer for Reacher Season Two and announced the adrenaline-fueled series will return on December 15. After the overwhelming response to the debut season, the new installment ups the ante with even higher stakes and action. The eight-episode season will roll out weekly, with the first three episodes premiering on December 15, and subsequent episodes dropping every Friday through January 19, 2024, exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide. Reacher has commanded a Jack Reacher-sized global audience, quickly becoming one of the top five most watched original seasons ever in the U.S. and globally on Prime Video during its inaugural run . Fans can catch up on the first season, streaming now on Prime Video.

Reacher Season Two begins when veteran military police investigator Jack Reacher (Alan Ritchson) receives a coded message that the members of his former U.S. Army unit, the 110th MP Special Investigations, are being mysteriously and brutally murdered one by one. Pulled from his drifter lifestyle, Reacher reunites with three of his former teammates turned chosen family to investigate, including Frances Neagley (Maria Sten); Karla Dixon (Serinda Swan), a forensic accountant for whom Reacher has long had a soft spot; and fast-talking, switchblade-wielding family man David O’Donnell (Shaun Sipos). Together, they begin to connect the dots in a mystery where the stakes get higher at every turn, and that brings about questions of who has betrayed them—and who will die next. Using his inimitable blend of smarts and size, Reacher will stop at nothing to uncover the truth and protect the members of his unit. If there’s one thing Reacher and his team know for certain, it’s that you do not mess with the Special Investigators. This season, get ready for Reacher and the 110th to hit back hard.

Based on Bad Luck and Trouble , the 11th book in Lee Child’s global best-selling series, Reacher Season Two stars Alan Ritchson in the title role of Jack Reacher, with Maria Sten, Serinda Swan, and Shaun Sipos as key members of the 110th MP Special Investigations Unit. Rounding out the cast are Ferdinand Kingsley as A.M., a mercenary that homeland security refers to as a “ghost;” Robert Patrick as Shane Langston, head of security for a private defense contractor with a questionable track record; and Domenick Lombardozzi as tough NYPD detective Guy Russo.  

Reacher is produced by Amazon Studios, Skydance Television, and Paramount Television Studios. Based on the novels by Lee Child, who serves as an executive producer, the series is written for television by Emmy-nominated writer Nick Santora ( Scorpion, Prison Break ), who also executive produces and serves as showrunner. In addition to Santora and Child, the series is executive produced by Don Granger, Scott Sullivan, and Adam Higgs, with David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Matt Thunell for Skydance.

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Street Fighter Movie Fan Art Casts Alan Ritchson in the Perfect Role

New artwork for the upcoming Street Fighter reboot film imagines Reacher star Alan Ritchson in a major role.

New fantasy casting for the Street Fighter reboot film imagines Alan Ritchson as the live-action Guile.

After making his debut in the video game series in 1991's Street Fighter II , Guile has long been a major part of the long-running franchise. The character is known for his military attire, as he's portrayed as U.S. Air Force major, along with his distinct flat-top haircut. In the 1994 movie, Guile was played by Jean-Claude Van Damme, essentially serving as the main character. With a reboot film in the works, the popular digital artist BossLogic has been sharing new artwork of various possible castings, and this includes Reacher star Alan Ritchson as Guile . The art has garnered the approval of many fans, and it can be seen below, attached to another piece of art picturing Jonathan Majors as Balrog.

Yor Fights Chun-Li in Capcom's First Spy x Family and Street Fighter 6 Crossover Gameplay

These days, Alan Ritchson is best known for starring in Reacher , Amazon's immensely popular series based on Lee Child's Jack Reacher novels. He can also be recognized by DC fans as Smallville 's version of Aquaman as well as Hawk in Titans . Last year, he was seen in the franchise film Fast X . Ritchson will next appear in Guy Ritchie's new film, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare , which sees the actor teaming up with Henry Cavill to take on Nazis.

BossLogic has shared several other images of fan art picturing other actors as Street Fighter characters. This includes Florence Pugh as Cammy , Jessica Henwick as Chun-Li, Mackenyu as Ryu, Lucas Till as Ken, and Mads Mikkelsen as M. Bison. He also shared an image of a CGI Blanka, though he noted while sharing the artwork that he'd picture Andy Serkis doing the motion capture.

The Street Fighter Shared Universe, Explained

The street fighter reboot is in the works.

As for the Street Fighter reboot, the project is in its early stages, and it's not yet clear if a screenplay has yet been finished. It was reported in April 2023 that a new live-action Street Fighter film would be made by Legendary Entertainment. Talk to Me co-directors Danny and Michael Philippou are also on board to helm the reboot. The duo previously teased how it's "very exciting" to take on the franchise , noting how they have "so many original ideas" they want to add to the lore.

No release date has been set for the Street Fighter reboot.

Source: BossLogic

Street Fighter

The player competes in one-on-one matches against a series of computer-controlled opponents or in a single match against another player. 

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Watch Reacher with a subscription on Prime Video, or buy it on Vudu, Apple TV.

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Reacher Star Alan Ritchson to Lead the Netflix Sci-Fi Action Movie War Machine

Alan Ritchson will take the lead in the Netfflix science fiction movie War Machine from the director behind The Hitman’s Bodyguard.

• Alan Ritchson continues to flex his acting muscles in Netflix's War Machine , directed by Patrick Hughes.
• Ritchson's star power rises with roles in Reacher and upcoming film with Henry Cavill, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare .
• Ritchson is currently filming Reacher season 3.

Reacher star Alan Ritchson will continue to throw his impressive weight around in the Netflix science fiction movie, War Machine , from the filmmaker behind The Hitman’s Bodyguard franchise , Patrick Hughes. Set to be directed by Hughes, War Machine has been co-written by frequent collaborator James Beaufort, and was developed at Lionsgate who have now set a deal with the streaming giant.

You can check out the synopsis for War Machine below, courtesy of Deadline .

“In the final 24 Hours of the world’s toughest selection process, a team of Army Rangers encounter a threat beyond their imagination.”

Following roles in the likes of The Hunger Games series, the live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, and the superhero series Titans , Alan Ritchson has seen his star rise rapidly thanks to his role as the nomadic avenger Jack Reacher in Prime Video’s hit action series, Reacher . Alongside this lead role in the Netflix sci-fi flick, the actor is next due to star alongside Man of Steel’s Henry Cavill in The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare from director Guy Ritchie.

Director Patrick Hughes, meanwhile, is best known for helming the action movie The Expendables 3 , Netflix’s The Man from Toronto , and The Hitman's Bodyguard and its sequel Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard , which find Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson starring as a failed bodyguard and a professional hitman who must put their differences aside to work together.

War Machine is produced by Todd Lieberman and Alex Young of Hidden Pictures, Range Media Partners’ Rich Cook and Hughes’ Huge Film, and Greg McLean.

War Machine has not yet been given a release date.

Alan Ritchson Is Now Filmig Reacher Season 3

Ritchson is currently filming his return as Jack Reacher in Reacher season 3, which we now know will be based on the seventh book in the Jack Reacher series written by Lee Child, Persuader. You can check out the official synopsis courtesy of Prime Video below.

"In the third season of the action-packed drama series starring Alan Ritchson, based on the 7th book in Lee Child’s global best-selling series, Persuader, Reacher must go undercover to rescue an informant held by a haunting foe from his past."

Reacher Fans Shocked by Alan Ritchson's "Lost" American Idol Past

The cast of Reacher season 3 was recently announced, with The Wolverine, Jurassic World, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows star Brian Tee set to play what sounds like an evil version of Reacher himself. Described as “physically imposing and intimidating” the character, Quinn, is a “lieutenant colonel “whom Reacher investigated years ago.”

The rest of the supporting cast includes Johnny Berchtold ( Dog Gone, The Passenger ), Anthony Michael Hall ( The Breakfast Club, Halloween Kills ), Roberto Montesinos ( Father Stu, The Zombie Farm ), Daniel David Stewart ( Catch 22, For All Mankind ), and Maria Sten as Frances Neagley.

The first two seasons of Reacher are available to stream on Prime Video.