If you read the books, skip the movie

Rating: 2/10 (26 July 2015)

If you haven't read the books and the sight of Tom Cruise doesn't make you squirm, then you'll probably like this vehicle for his talent. Or not.
The books are formulaic but interesting in a long airplane flight kind of way. Buy them at the newsstand before the flight and you'll finish before you land, leaving it in the seat back for the next passenger.
Jack Reacher in the books is basically a big, strong guy with a brain. He uses his imposing physical self to get his way and if that doesn't do it he beats people up. If that doesn't do it he uses his formidable brain. These qualities are the absolute core of the character and the story revolves around them.
Tom Cruise has neither of these things going for him. He's short, skinny and probably has somebody carry his scripts around for him. He also doesn't come across as a particularly brainy kind of actor or character. Missing these qualities but trying to put ol' Tom into the character of Jack Reacher is going to sabotage the entire storyline. And it did.
At no point did I see Tom Cruise as anything but a Southern California rich boy dressed up in a leather coat (to add a little bulk to his skinny frame). The story became increasingly unbelievable and ol' Tom got deeper and deeper into the 'are you kidding me' place where serious movies never want to go.
Take a plane flight and grab one of Lee Childs books, you might enjoy it. But skip the movie unless Tom starts taking growth hormone and bulking up.