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Jack Reacher, now for rental and on-demand

EMNofSeattle

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Aug 7, 2012
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in one of the few successful book to movie conversions in all recorded history, Jack Reacher is the adaptation of Lee Child's successful book "One Shot". One Shot is of course only one of an entire series of books by UK author Lee Child, starting with The Killing Floor starring the hero Jack Reacher.

Born in a military base in Germany, Reacher is a full american citizen, but didn't enter the United States until he was admitted to West Point, after graduation Reacher became an officer in the Military Police Corps, taking foreign assignments. after putting in 20 Reacher enters his own country for only the second time in his life, becoming a drifter, a man with a clear moral compass trekkin' across CONUS via interstate bus, carrying only cash, a foldable comb, an expired passport, and a bank card he uses to have Western Union wire his retirement checks to money orders. A large burly man who's 6'5'' and 250 pounds... and he's played by Tom Cruise....

ok stop laughing.

one frosty morning in the City of Bridges, a charging handle on an M-14 slams forward. before anyone knows what happened 6 .308 bullets scream from a parking garage across a river, killing 5 seemingly random people in front of pirates stadium. All the evidence points to Barr (the only name given), an OIF veteran who was an Army sniper. after 12 hours of police interrogation he only communicates with the officers by writing "Get Jack Reacher" on the "confession" printed by the police.

Detective Emerson and Allegheny County DA Alex Rodin quickly find out who Jack Reacher is, but wonder how to find him since Reacher lives a life with a low profile second only to Piers Morgan. However seeing news of Barr's arrest Reacher arrives at the courthouse, and after the DA won't tell Reacher the evidence, Reacher leaves, but not before meeting Helen Rodin, DA Rodin's daughter who has become Barr's defense attorney.

Reacher explains to Helen that he believes Barr is guilty and explains how Barr was one of the types who joined the service just to kill people, and how an he got off on a previous killing spree having gunned down several blackwater contractors.

But Barr isn't the only one with the Itch to kill, It's been a long time since the Commonwealth's Attorney Rodin has killed him a man, despite his unblemished record of winning capital cases, Pennsylvania hasn't executed anyone since the end of the last Milenium, and with a perfect mass killing, Rodin is ready to break out the needles and party like it's 1999.

Despite Barr's seeming guilt, the evidence doesn't fit well with Reacher, especially when Reacher learns that part of the Commonwealth's evidence was a thumbprint off of a quarter used to charge the parking meter in the garage where the bullets were fired from. saying that "someone getting ready to kill 5 people isn't worried about a parking ticket" (gee where have we heard that logic before) Reacher devles into a conspiracy involving a construction company, a crime boss, and a crooked police official. getting into car chases, shootouts, and unleashing his inner Chuck Norris in a 5 on 1 bar fight. all while Pier's Morgan is calling for a ban on Sniper rifles from his CNN show.

Guns? you want guns?
you're in luck. Multiple M-1As make an appearance, along with an M-4 Carbine, and a Sig 556. the Pittsburg Police seem well equipped with their AR-15s during the SWAT scenes, and Glock 17s the rest of the time. in one scene there's a scoped Remington 700, which is due to the "Remington 700 product placement act" stating a scoped remington 700 must be in every action movie. nevertheless the M1A is the star of the show, with a prominent scene involving a retired marine sniper assisting Reacher who doesn't want to kill anyone and instead blows a hole through the lower of a bad guy's AR-15.

Despite Cruise looking nothing like the Reacher of the novels, Cruise plays the character well, and the story is mostly loyal to the book, changing the location to Pittsburg from a town in Indiana is the biggest change. with riveting action and a plotline not worth spoiling, 4 stars out of 5 for Jack Reacher
 

MAC702

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Nevada
Having seen the movie, I have to say that is an outstandingly written review, in both content without spoiling and entertaining writing style. Well done.
 

loic

Regular Member
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Dec 23, 2011
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Location
Las Vegas
so...the movie is good ? I read several of the book and really like them, but i'm afraid to be disapointed with the movie, especially with who they choose for the character...
 

MAC702

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jul 31, 2011
Messages
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Location
Nevada
I can't stand Tommy Boy, but despite the casting, I thought it was a good movie. I didn't know about the books, so am now looking forward to reading them.

I did the same with Master and Commander: Far Side of the World. Loved the movie; then read the awesome books.
 

EMNofSeattle

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2012
Messages
3,670
Location
S. Kitsap, Washington state
so...the movie is good ? I read several of the book and really like them, but i'm afraid to be disapointed with the movie, especially with who they choose for the character...

Well I can't tell you if you'll like the movie, I haven't read terribly much of Lee Child, I thought the movie was great and my father who has read every Jack Reacher book really enjoyed it. Lee Child himself does make one cameo appearance in the movie though :lol:
 
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