Review of 'Jack Reacher: Never Go Back'

never_go_back.jpg Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise), a former US Army military officer is assisting Major Susan Turner (Cobie Smulders) in investigating corruption on army bases. After Turner is arrested when a hard-drive in found in her house with classified information and Reacher is served with a paternity suit claiming that he is the father to a daughter from a woman named Candice Dutton. Reacher learns that Turner is suspected of being involved in the death of two soldiers in Afghanistan but he knows better…Stalked by a man known only as “The Hunter” (Patrick Heusinger), Reacher finds his supposed daughter Samantha (Danika Yarosh) and strikes up an unusual relationship. Framed for murder, Reacher is soon on the run seeking to clear his and Turner's names, trying to avoid being killed in the process.

Action-packed sequel to the original “Jack Reacher” film, “Never Go Back” continues on the formula of the first (and the books) with the violence and intriguing story you would come to expect. If you put aside the fact that Cruise is nothing like the Reacher of the books he does a good job at it, well known for doing all of his own stunts he really brings a physicality to the role. Working against all the odds the question is always how Reacher will win out in the end. I suppose how it turns out is never really in doubt…but HOW it happens is…

In the supporting role “Danika Yarosh” as Reacher's alleged daughter Samantha is just the right side of petulance to make the character stand up to the overwhelming presence of Reacher and adding an element of compassion to the story missing in the man himself. Yarosh is believable and, thankfully, very much an equal to Cruise on the screen. There is actually a moral element to this film that lacks so much in others of this type as Reacher struggles to come to grips with having a daughter and understanding her.

The action here is what filmgoers have come to expect and they will not be disappointed tinged with the often extremely personal violence Reacher inflicts on those that get in his way. Here there are no big set action pieces but a lot of hand-to-hand combat at which Reacher excels. It is nice to see that the baddies are not so easily dispatched here. Definitely not one for the squeamish and a bit much for me as I flinched during a number of the scenes.

Watch it on the big screen with some popcorn making sure to first turn off the brain…though not too much, you might get lost!

Rating: “Really good but I have some issues”

Review Date: 2018-10-27


Directed by: Edward Zwick

Studio: Paramount Pictures

Year: 2016

Length: 118 minutes

Genre: Action/Adventure

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3393786/