Jack Reacher is a mystery and action drama produced by Tom Cruise.

Tom Cruise himself plays the enigmatic Jack Reacher, an ex-military investigator and now Rambo-like superhero. In a rust belt city, five seemingly innocent and disconnected people are killed in a sniper attack. Through seemingly brilliant police, the case is quickly solved by detective Emerson (David Oyelowo) based on evidence left at the scene . When the suspect, an ex-military sniper, is caught, he tells the authorities that they’ve got the wrong man. “Find Jack Reacher,” he tells them.

Reacher quickly comes to the conclusion that not all is what it seems, and the pieces don’t quite add up. The gun battles, fist fights, and car chases start piling up quickly, and Reacher seems impervious to attack. A perfect one-man army.

The story is difficult to follow due to the various plot complexities, but I found it enjoyable to watch. It’s a guy movie – definitely not a chick flick.  The acting is quite good, with significant supporting roles by Robert Duvall and Richard Jenkins.

In addition, one minor role, albeit major in the plot, is that of The Zec (Russian for “the prisoner”), played by Werner Herzog. I don’t know how Cruise got Herzog to play in this movie, but it’s a brilliant choice. It would be like getting Stephen Spielberg to play a role in a German action film. Larger-than-life Werner Herzog is one of the most influential filmmakers in German Cinema and one of the most extreme personalities in film in general. Here is a brief biography.

Jack Reacher made me feel good since it’s a thinking action thriller, where the good guy is very good and gets away at the end. Sort of like Rambo – First Blood.

Rating:

By the guy: ** 1/2

By the girl: 1/2 at best