Review: ‘Jack Reacher: Never Go Back’

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Tom Cruise returns to action as ex-military man Jack Reacher, a drifter who’s out to protect the innocent in the sequel Jack Reacher: Never Go Back. Based on the 2013 Jack Reacher novel, Never Go Back by Lee Child and directed by Edward Zwick, the film picks up four years after the original film and finds Reacher back in the thick of things with a new set of bad guys and a mission to save a friend, but an unexpected bombshell might change everything for the hero.

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Jack Reacher sets out to take down a human trafficking ring when he comes in contact with Major Susan Turner (Cobie Smulders), head of the military police who helps him get out of a sticky situation. The two continue to communicate through the months that follow which leads to Reacher making his way back to Washington DC where he intends to meet his new friend, but upon arrival he is met with shocking news that Major Turner has been arrested for espionage. Believing that his instincts about Major Turner are correct, Reacher decides to find out the truth behind what’s really happening. In the process of his investigation, Reacher discovers that he may have a teenage daughter (Danika Yarosh) he never knew existed about which complicates his investigation.

jack-reacher-never-go-back-on-set-067As he begins to piece together the plot against Turner, Reacher himself comes under suspicion of murder and finds himself on the run from not only the authorities, but the organization that wants Turner eliminated. The race is on to discover the truth behind who really framed them for crimes they didn’t commit.

Tom Cruise is great as the titular character which plays more like a toned down version of one of his other iconic characters, Ethan Hunt. The main attraction to this character is his unconventional stature in the world as a drifter looking to replace his past of military service with a new life of service by his own rules. Cobie Smulders continues to come into her own in the action genre and gives her a strong female character to develop. Smulders never tries to over think the role and fleshes out the strengths of the character and never takes a back seat to her male lead.

Overall, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back is a non stop action thrill ride and a fun popcorn movie that doesn’t reinvent the action genre, but continues the long tradition of making a fun movie for the sake of nothing more than to entertain.

Stars:

3 out of 5

After credit scene?

No

Trailer:

Production Begins on ‘Jack Reacher: Never Go Back’ Starring Tom Cruise

jack-reacher-tom-cruiseParamount Pictures and Skydance Media have announced that principal photography has commenced on Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, starring Tom Cruise (the Mission Impossible franchise, Edge of Tomorrow) and directed by Edward Zwick (Blood Diamond).

The new film, a sequel to 2012’s Jack Reacher,  is based on author Lee Child’s 18th book in the bestselling Jack Reacher series, Never Go Back. The film is written by Richard Wenk (The Equalizer), Marshall Herskovitz (Love & Other Drugs) & Zwick.

Cruise is producing alongside Don Granger (Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation), Skydance Media’s David Ellison and Dana Goldberg (Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation), and Christopher McQuarrie (Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation). The executive producers are Paula Wagner (War of the Worlds) and Herb Gains (Non-Stop).

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back also stars Cobie Smulders (“How I Met Your Mother”), Danika Yarosh (“Heroes Reborn”), Austin Hebert (“Bonnie and Clyde”), Patrick Heusinger (Quantum Break), Aldis Hodge (Straight Outta Compton), and Holt McCallany (“Blue Bloods”).

Production will take place in New Orleans. The film is set for release on October 21, 2016.