Several fatal Falws in this film

Rating: 2/10 (27 March 2013)

This film has several fatal flaws: 1: Tom Cruise. I have never been a serious fan of Cruise. He seems OK for fantasy projects like Mission Impossible. Playing the big, hard, mysterious Jack Reacher is an impossible stretch. Absolutely one of the poorest casting choices ever made. He is adequate in this film, I can give him that...but Reacher demands something better. Child's has, I believe, deeply damaged his brand by endorsing, even bragging about, this incredibly poor casting choice. 2. the big chase scene with the cars. Reacher never had any big car chase scenes, but the director and whoever else just had to put one in, and a really pointless one that does nothing at all to advance the story line. This story in particular, was really great because it had so little car action in it. 3. Failing to follow the story. Reacher is such a compelling and unique character. The film here is just so generic, it misses so many of the great jewels of character that make Reacher such an interesting character. The film is presented in a dumbed down action style of film, when the original story is a smoldering mystery with really brilliant clues, conclusions and mystery solving. The director here failed miserably in that aspect of the nature of Jack Reacher. It is of course always a bitter experience when hacked together Hollywood producers attempt to make films of great books, but this one is specially bad, obtuse, dumbed down, not even close. The director could not even come close to Reacher's famous coffee habit, that part of the character being portrayed by Cruise with exceptional lameness. I can't make a good review of the plot and the cast, it was just such a hacked together film that it does no justice to Lee Child's great original story. Rather than watch this film I would advise the viewers to buy the book...there are even versions for readers. For iPhone and kindle users. As for the film, you will thank me later if you avoid seeing it.