Another Cruise Surprise

Rating: 9/10 (23 December 2012)

Tom Cruise takes on challenging projects. All I heard and read about was that he wasn't a good fit for the part because of the physical differences in size, height, etc., and by the time the film ended, I have to admit that I couldn't have cared less what the character looked like on the printed page. What matter was that Cruise carried the picture quite well, with sheer determination to convince the audience this was a man who was able to think independently and most importantly, that others should take seriously.
Cruise wanders into the middle of a conspiracy to help the authorities bring the guilty parties to justice. He becomes a crime suspect as the investigation deepens, and he has a couple of close calls as the film reaches its explosive conclusion. "Reacher" feels like a 70's thriller. It's intelligent, with enough intrigue and twists to make the audience think and keep us engaged. It doesn't talk down to you, is full of elaborate and unbelievable plot turns. It has the perfect balance of action with the terrific car chase and old fashioned ambush, and there are very intelligent conversations as he and his lawyer friend (Pike) figure what is really happening.
Cruise might not look like a young action hero anymore, but that hasn't stopped people like Ford and Neeson from scoring big at the box office, and now he is showing some strength in the way he portrays his characters. I'm glad they left out the romantic element, and we see more of a camaraderie or sympathy towards his female colleagues. There is a very touching scene involving a woman who tells him that she expects that kind of mistreatment, and we see through his eyes that he knows exactly what is happening.
Pike is excellent as the attorney who gets trapped in the middle of the conspiracy. She is strong but shows enough vulnerability to carry the final scenes. We are not witnessing the birth of a superwoman, but instead there is this modern, intelligent and analytical human being who knows the situation might be troublesome, but she won't run away or act like the typical damsel in distress.
I was particular impressed with the cinematography and the music. It validated my belief that Hollywood, when it tries really hard, is able to bring back an era, or the feel of one. Yes, we have cell phones here, but with the inclusion of the Camaro, and the way the camera zooms in and out of some alleys and the quarry scene, I felt like I was looking back at some of Friedkin's or Coppola's best dramatic work. There are scenes where you can almost feel the spirit of "The Conversation" come to life, and it is almost impossible to recreate that car chase in "The French Connection", but I had fun watching this tribute.
"Jack Reacher" is a very good film, and I wouldn't mind seeing one or two more sequels in the series.