You might assume Tom Cruise wants nothing to do with Jack Reacher again given the hate he received for playing the role. The role almost ravaged his career, but he is not scared. Cruise’s frequent collaborator, Christopher McQuarrie, famously stated that the “franchise has moved on…we haven’t.” This hints at a third movie way down the line, probably after the Prime Video show ends. But will Lee Child let it happen? The author declared that “there won’t be any more movies with Tom Cruise.” However, like Reacher, Cruise is a hard person to bully. He does what he wants.
Criticism towards the Jack Reacher movies is normally directed at Cruise, who many feel wasn’t right for the role because of his size. The former military investigator simply cannot be a tiny guy. It’s like casting a 6’5″ actor as James Bond. Fans would riot, and rightfully so. However, the films aren’t terrible. They actually handle a few things better than the Prime Video show, which has been panned lately for its cheesiness.
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Better Pacing and Precise Storytelling
Reacher has triggered a few complaints regarding its pacing and overstretched narrative. There have been arguments that no Lee Child book isn’t thematically detailed enough to fit eight episodes, so the storylines in each season tend to be stretched more than necessary. This has been followed by the suggestion that each season needs to either be shorter or be an adaptation of more than one book. Thankfully, the movies (each around 2 hours long) don’t have such a problem. There is no filler. Events flow smoothly and precisely.
It’s Time to Change the Adaptation Strategy
The two Jack Reacher movies might have numerous flaws, but they are as pinpoint as action movies get. The first installment is even better, mainly because Christopher McQuarrie has great expertise in handling such kinds of plots. His Mission Impossible movies prove just how meticulous a filmmaker he is.
It’s highly likely that fans won’t be happy with shorter seasons of Reacher. Two books per season might also make things more confusing. To solve the precision problem, showrunner Nick Santora and his team should resist the urge to be too faithful to the source material. Pumping in as many exclusive subplots as possible is the best thing to do.
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Crisp Dialogue
The dialogue in the action series gets really cringey at times. Just when things are about to improve, we get lines like “You do not mess with the special investigators,” and “I don’t hit soft.” The movie, on the other hand, focuses on lines that highlight the character’s stony-hearted nature and level of skill. Cruise’s Reacher says things like “The last two guys always run” and “On second thought, I’d like to kill you.”
Enough with the Kindergarten Lines
People get poked fun at too in the Tom Cruise movie, but it’s all done with solid humor and considerable affection. Every line Cruise’s Reacher says is an outlet for his fiery spirit. Contrarily, the show frequently throws the most basic stuff out there. It doesn’t help that Alan Ritchson always seems like he is about to burst into laughter. Well, you can take the actor out of Blue Mountain State, but you can’t take the Blue Mountain State out of the actor.
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Fight Psychology and Realism
In the movies, it’s hinted, right from the opening minutes, that Jack Reacher can knock the wind out of just about everyone. However, hoodlums underestimate him, which makes sense, given his tiny frame. And despite his background and reputation, the odds aren’t always in his favor. You get the feeling that he could lose at any given point. On the show, the noodle-brained miscreants see a big guy with a lot of confidence and still aren’t afraid of him. They still think it wise to fight him. Unsurprisingly, they keep losing.
People Ought to Fear Jack Reacher
This is the single, and perhaps the only positive thing that stems from casting Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher. His version of the military police veteran seems like someone who villains would gladly mess around with before finding out they touched the wrong button. So, every fight is basically him proving people wrong.
The carefree manner in which people confront Ritchson’s Reacher doesn’t reflect real life trends. Ordinarily, everyone would be intimidated by someone like him. And every fight on the show is basically him confirming what we already know. No one can beat him. So, why is anyone even trying?
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Fewer Ridiculous Moments
You’d have to research for hours to find a moment in the Tom Cruise movies that defies logic. The Prime Video series has plenty. Whether it’s Reacher throwing a grill at a car (then running from a different direction), or him doing something as self-sabotaging as hiding a DEA badge under a pillowcase, the ridiculousness just keeps coming.
The Show Is Silly, but Fun
Every moment that Ritchson’s Reacher buts heads with sadistic, lucre-hungry criminals is enjoyable, and so is every moment that he uses his wiles to infiltrate secure cliques of lawbreakers. Regrettably, all the awesomeness tends to be stained by silly sequences. It’s annoying, though there is really no reason to cry about it. After all, it’s all fiction. Even so, there is no doubt that the Prime Video hit show would be better if it was as realistic as the Tom Cruise movies.
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A More Recognizable Cast
Tom Cruise lacked the physical frame needed to portray Jack Reacher accurately, but he had the talent. It isn’t by accident that he has remained one of the world’s most bankable actors since the ‘80s. Cruise is good. Cruise might play Cruise in every movie, but Cruise is good. Besides him, the movies feature other talented actors like Rosamund Pikes and David Oyelewo.
Movies are More Lucrative
Reacher, too, has some heavy hitters, including Robert Patrick. Still, the majority of the cast members aren’t A-list. They are all good, but the movie’s actors beat them when it comes to sheer natural ability. This is hardly surprising considering that big-budget films tend to attract the finest Hollywood talents, compared to TV shows. At the moment, things look promising for Alan Ritchson, who might just end up leading the new age of action stars.
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Better Production Values
Tom Cruise’s misplaced casting is the reason everyone remembers the Jack Reacher movies, but some may have forgotten how serious the Paramount adaptations are in their production values. Check out the chase scene in Jack Reacher and the quarry showdown in Never Go Back for examples of superior set pieces. You’ll be more impressed to learn that Tom Cruise performed all of his own driving stunts during the first film’s signature car chase sequence.
It All Comes Down to Money
Unless Jeff Bezos dips into his pockets a bit more, there is nothing Nick Santora can really do. Jack Reacher had a $60 million budget while Jack Reacher: Never Go had $55 million for the director to create magic with. With such major sums, the action sequences and the visuals were always going to be better.
The Prime Video series reportedly runs on a budget of about $12 million per episode. This is perfect for a TV show, but it still leaves the showrunner with little room to play. With such a sum, Jack Reacher and his team normally have to do more talking than shooting, especially in the last two seasons. And cars can’t keep on getting destroyed like a Fast & Furious movie.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
