Tom Cruise is not Jack Reacher but...

Rating: 5/10 (9 January 2014)

Jack Reacher is an imposing man. That's a key part of the character. In the Lee Child novels he is 6'5" and 220+. His size and strength are key character elements.
Tom Cruise might be 5'7" but that's probably being generous.
So, if you are not a fan of the novels, it probably doesn't matter. If you are, you will have to suspend your feelings about Cruise terribly miscast as the lead.
The plot is great. The other character in the story are pretty well cast and do an admirable job. The action is pretty well done (with the exception of a terrible, against-the-traffic chase scene). The fight scenes are OK but certainly not great and they don't make up for Cruise's diminutive size.
There are several scenes that suffer terribly from his small stature. Cruise is a great actor and does his best but you simply can't act your way into an extra foot of height.
Here's hoping they find a different star for the next installment.