Title: Movie Review: Jack Reacher – Never Go Back
Author: pfangirl
Recovered Author: pfangirl
Published Date: 2016-10-21
Original URL: https://geeknode.co.za/2016/10/movie-review-jack-reacher-never-go-back
Wayback URL: https://web.archive.org/web/20170929152756id_/http://www.geeknode.co.za/2016/10/movie-review-jack-reacher-never-go-back/
Recovery Confidence: high

- Genre Action, Thriller
- Director Edward Zwick
- Producer Tom Cruise, Don Granger, Christopher McQuarrie
- Actors Tom Cruise, Cobie Smulders, Patrick Heusinger
- Available on IMax
- Air Date 2016-10-21

- pfangirl

- 11 months ago

- 0 0

In these times of CGI overkill, sometimes you just want something a little simpler. All that multi-million dollar CGI dazzle and at the end of the day you still settle down to watch, say, Walker, Texas Ranger reruns. It’s cheesy, it’s not especially smart, but there are loads of satisfying fist fights and it’s refreshingly stripped down.

Well, sequel Jack Reacher: Never Go Back is pretty much a big screen equivalent to Walker, Texas Ranger . It has much better actors, and clearly a much bigger budget, but it’s still mindless entertainment – a popcorn action movie. Then again, the Lee Child novels on which the two Jack Reacher films are based, offer the same kind of escapism.

To briefly outline the plot of Never Go Back , nomadic hero Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise) pays a visit to Washington DC, where he used to work as a military police officer. He’s there to see his no-nonsense replacement Major Susan Turner (Cobie Smulders), but finds she’s been arrested on espionage charges. Operating outside the law as usual, Reacher sets out to clear Turner’s name, and finds himself drawn into a deadly conspiracy.

How much you enjoy Never Go Back will probably depend on your fondness for all those old school action thrillers from the 80s and 90s. You know, the ones where the moustache-twirling villains continually monologue, develop irrational grudges against the hero, and spout lines like “I’ve found a way to really hurt you.” It’s supremely corny.

But it’s also fun. In a throwback way.

Don’t expect to be challenged intellectually or emotionally by Never Go Back . There’s a mystery to be solved but it’s not much of a brain scratcher. There’s also a secondary plot where Reacher’s emotionally aloof, drifter lifestyle is threatened. This arc feels unnecessary – distracting from the lean, mean fight scenes – but it does insert some humour into the film as our hero is forced into an unconventional family unit.

Even this aspect is colour-by-numbers stuff, of course.

Mostly Never Go Back is a lot of running around, punctuated by baddies making the mistake of cornering Cruise. Fortunately, the bone-snapping fight choreography is one of the best things about the film. The other plus is the introduction of Smulders’ character, who absolutely holds her own alongside Reacher, taking beatings and dishing out her own. She’s tough, smart, sexy and likeable.

Ultimately, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back may leave you feeling a little torn. It’s unambitious – it doesn’t even try to offer something new and memorable – but it’s still an entertaining two-hour diversion. This is despite its completely unexceptional nature.

What your decision may boil down to is if you’re willing to pay full ticket price, or IMAX rates, to see a solid something you’ve watched a few dozen times before.

In these times of CGI overkill, sometimes you just want something a little simpler. All that multi-million dollar CGI dazzle and at the end of the day you still settle down to watch, say, Walker, Texas Ranger reruns. It’s cheesy, it’s not especially smart, but there are loads of satisfying fist fights and it’s refreshingly stripped down. Well, sequel Jack Reacher: Never Go Back is pretty much a big screen equivalent to Walker, Texas Ranger. It has much better actors, and clearly a much bigger budget, but it’s still mindless entertainment – a popcorn action movie. Then again, the Lee Child novels on which the two Jack Reacher films are based, offer the same kind of escapism. To briefly outline the plot of Never Go Back, nomadic hero Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise) pays a visit to Washington DC, where he used to work as a military police officer. He’s there to see his no-nonsense replacement Major Susan Turner (Cobie Smulders), but finds she’s been arrested on espionage charges. Operating outside the law as usual, Reacher sets out to clear Turner’s name, and finds himself drawn into a deadly conspiracy. How much you enjoy Never Go Back will probably depend on your fondness for all those old school action thrillers from the 80s and 90s. You know, the ones where the moustache-twirling villains continually monologue, develop irrational grudges against the hero, and spout lines like “I’ve found a way to really hurt you.” It’s supremely corny. But it’s also fun. In a throwback way. Don’t expect to be challenged intellectually or emotionally by Never Go Back. There’s a mystery to be solved but it’s not much of a brain scratcher. There’s also a secondary plot where Reacher’s emotionally aloof, drifter lifestyle is threatened. This arc feels unnecessary – distracting from the lean, mean fight scenes – but it does insert some humour into the film as our hero is forced into an unconventional family unit. Even this aspect is colour-by-numbers stuff, of course. Mostly Never Go Back is a lot of running around, punctuated by baddies making the mistake of cornering Cruise. Fortunately, the bone-snapping fight choreography is one of the best things about the film. The other plus is the introduction of Smulders’ character, who absolutely holds her own alongside Reacher, taking beatings and dishing out her own. She’s tough, smart, sexy and likeable. Ultimately, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back may leave you feeling a little torn. It’s unambitious – it doesn’t even try to offer something new and memorable – but it’s still an entertaining two-hour diversion. This is despite its completely unexceptional nature. What your decision may boil down to is if you’re willing to pay full ticket price, or IMAX rates, to see a solid something you’ve watched a few dozen times before. [taq_review]

Movie Review: Jack Reacher – Never Go Back

Movie Review: Jack Reacher – Never Go Back

2016-10-21

pfangirl

An entertaining popcorn flick but nothing more.

TOTAL - 7

70
7

Sequel Jack Reacher: Never Go Back is a throwback actioner short on surprises and ambition. This said, it's perfectly functional as mindless escapism, and has some fun inclusions.

User Rating: Be the first one !

7

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pfangirl

Entertainment / Geeky Goods Author

South African Tomb Raider, Pop Culture Explorer and Geekaissance Woman who writes it all. Loves movies, comics, games and cosplay. Most frequently seen fangirling on Twitter.

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Article Tags:
action · Cobie Smulders · featured · jack reacher never go back · Movie Review · novel adaptation · sequel · thriller · Tom Cruise

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