Amazing action and direction, with great acting. Less than stellar writing...

Rating: 8/10 (21 January 2013)

Review originally posted on InspirationRation.com - Jack Reacher is based on one in a series of books by Lee Child, featuring the titular character Jack Reacher. Jack is a former U.S. Army Military Police Major who is enjoying early retirement in near paranoid solitude. When a sniper expertly shoots and kills five innocent people in Pittsburgh, the police are quick to apprehend a suspect. The man claims to be innocent however, and asks for Jack Reacher. Meanwhile Jack has seen the situation develop on the news, and travels to Pittsburgh to find out for himself what exactly has transpired. Although initially convinced that the suspect is in fact the killer, his investigation leads to more questions than answers The action in this movie is stellar. Immediately from the first scene – where we see the sniper's actions through his scope – it becomes apparent that 'Jack Reacher' takes its time. The over the top action so prevalent in today's movies is traded in for more realistic, cold and calculated brutality. The feeling of sheer tension when seeing the sniper choose its random victims through his scope, not knowing when he is going to pull the trigger, is quickly built, and unrelenting for a majority of the film.
This honest brutality is predominant throughout almost all the action. There is for instance, a truly great car chase scene reminiscent of Bullitt, where you are hurled into the dynamic thrashing of cars. No soundtrack, just the ruthless revving of engines, screeching of tires, and honking of oncoming traffic. Amazing mobile crane shots combined with long cuts show the action in all its glory and clarity. You won't find any cluttered and confusing fast-cuts which are so widespread in today's action movies, which give you a sense of action without showing you anything tangible at all. In this sense 'Jack Reacher' is a true breath of fresh air.
There is some good humour here as well, with some funny, sometimes surprising scenes scattered throughout the film.
The movie does have some serious shortcoming however. What it has going for it in terms of action and cinematography, it severely lacks in the writing department. Dialogue is often terrible, with one particular exposition-conversation being downright cringeworthy in its horridness. Awful lines like: "I mean to beat you to death and drink your blood from a boot." and similar are strewn throughout the film.
The story itself also has some questionable plot-points. Some 'reveals' are so incredibly evident from the start that I feel like the writers severely underestimate the intelligence of the audience, and simultaneously downgrade the believability of the movie's characters. Additionally it seems the writers could not contain themselves and had to write in the clichéd 'final boss' man-to-man unarmed combat, including the obligatory 'bad guy has a hidden switchblade'-scene and the mandatory heavy rain. This unfortunately somewhat detracts from the otherwise previously mentioned uncharacteristically amazing and realistic action.
I may be somewhat critical of the movie's shortcomings here, but please make no mistake, this is a great film! If you go to the theatre expecting a mediocre action-flick (as I was) you will be pleasantly surprised by its amazing action and more than decent acting. Just don't expect an enthralling thriller with amazing twists and great dialogue as well. For what 'Jack Reacher' is and is trying to be, it is certainly an excellent sample. - Review originally posted on InspirationRation.com