Well-grounded action, terrible dialog

Rating: 4/10 (15 January 2013)

Jack Reacher has some serious problems in terms of writing, acting, and direction.
If you were expecting a fun action movie based on the previews, you should be aware that this film has perhaps 2 or 3 action sequences in it, and plays out much more like a mystery thriller. The problem, however, is that while 80 to 90% of the screen time is devoted to dialog, that dialog is very poorly written, and even more poorly executed.
The plot holds up on its own, and while the action sequences are few and far between, they are very well done - in a sort of gritty, more realistic style than we've gotten out of Hollywood as of late. There is no shaky cam here. The final action sequence is particularly enjoyable as it is well-structured and laid out before it is set into motion, and never gets out of hand or over the top.
However, the dialog is just so bad that it's hard to get into what's happening at all. Tom Cruise, who can be a very intense actor, is completely flat. Not once does he show any sort of emotion. This may fit his character to an extent, but all of the other characters are completely flat as well, which makes dialog almost unbearable to watch. Rosamund Pike is particularly bad. The dialog between her and Tom Cruise reads like a clichéd CSI parody. I'm not sure if this falls on the actors, the screenwriter, or the director, but at least one of the above seriously dropped the ball here.
This isn't a terrible movie, but it is definitely a disappointment.