Tom Cruise, while very good, is NOT Jack Reacher

Rating: 8/10 (5 March 2014)

I've read about 15 Jack Reacher novels. Could say I'm a huge fan. When I'm ready to read the rest, I can borrow them from my public library's inter-library loan service.
Just as Matthew McConaughey is no Dirk Pitt, Tom Cruise is no Jack Reacher. Other reviewers have pointed out the differences between Lee Childs's Reacher and Tom Cruise's Reacher -- the size difference is just too vast to overcome.
That being said, this was still a terrific movie. The action that I've come to expect from Reacher is solidly there. As others have pointed out, with Reacher, you don't need special effects -- the character is fully grown and yes, sneaky at times. His time in the Army military police gives him more of a background in fixing wrongs -- as in this movie. It starts out with one premise and ends totally differently, as Mr. Childs does in every Reacher book.
There were times, however, that I did find myself saying: there's no way Cruise could beat the jelly bellies out of the dudes he takes on,the way a 6'5" Reacher could. His arm length just isn't there. That's what helps the "real" Reacher, his arm length is his best ally. I literally found myself not watching the movie so much as wondering which scenes Mr. Cruise was standing on a box for. Petty, I know, but as a Reacher fan (and as pointed out above, an obvious Dirk Pitt fan!) that's what I was thinking. Clever shooting of scenes and I'm sure boxes, helped Mr. Cruise make this movie believable as to his size difference.
Once I got past my pettiness of the wrong man, Mr. Cruise played a very good character -- the movie was terrific! Shows how THINKING rather than special effects, can make a movie for the ages. Admittedly, because of my disappointment in casting, I did not see the movie in the theater, I watched on Netflix. Normally, when watching a Netflix movie, I'll get up, get something to drink, put the dogs out, chat with my husband, etc. Not this one. I sat, riveted to my computer, until the end of the movie, and immediately ordered a much longer cable for between my TV and computer. This is a movie that needs the bigger screen. No interruptions -- my dogs wanted petting, they were put out of the room by husband (who refuses to watch movies for some reason -- and no TV either, NOT the man I married 25 years ago -- probably sick of the special effects, silliness, etc.). I was literally spellbound.
I agree with another reviewer, let's have at least one more Reacher movie, and yes, let's have Mr. Cruise play him. (But no more Matthew McConaughey playing Dirk Pitt -- he was grand in the movie, but he is seriously no Dirk!) I'm glad I didn't see it in the theater, with all the noise, etc. And once my longer cord gets here, I will replay it on Netflix and sit on my husband to watch it. As that may kill him, I'm glad that it won't take long until he is as entranced as I was.