After Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise, 2005's War of the Worlds) disbands a human
trafficking operation, the “retired” Military Police Major-turned private
investigator gains an ally in Major Susan Turner (Cobie Smulders, 2012's
The Avengers) – a successor in Reacher’s former
Virginia-based military unit, the 110th MP. Over time and over the phone, the
pair form a close (and flirtatious) working relationship: Turner offers remote
support and local MP resources as Reacher drifts from one case and locale to the
next – and the two playfully fantasize about what might happen should they ever
meet in person.
However, when Reacher’s travels bring him to Virginia, he decides to pay Turner
a visit – only to find that Turner has been relieved of her command and charged
with espionage. Unwilling to accept that Turner, a dedicated and respected
commander in the MP Corps, is guilty of the crime, Reacher sets out to clear her
name by placing himself between the Major and a dangerous military organization
– lead by a ruthless operative known as “The Hunter” (Patrick Heusinger, 2010's
Black Swan). In the process, a destitute
teenager, Samantha Dayton (Danika Yarosh, last seen in 2016's TV Heroes Reborn),
who Reacher believes could be his daughter, is unknowingly pulled into the
lethal conflict – reminding the retired MP hero why he’s better suited for a
life on the road without personal relationships and responsibilities.
Thanks to a clever story (borrowing from pieces of Lee Child’s best-selling
novel series), solid action set pieces, amusing supporting heroes, and a biting
villain (played by Jai Courtney), director Christopher McQuarrie’s Jack Reacher
exceeded expectation – to craft a surprisingly fresh and exciting crime drama
that both book fans and casual filmgoers could appreciate. Unfortunately, while
director Edward Zwick’s (1989's Glory) follow-up film, Never Go Back, includes
similar pieces – none are as well-defined or impactful this round. Jack Reacher:
Never Go Back is the definition of “franchise sequel” – fleeting entertainment
that is dull when compared to a more interesting and well-crafted experience
that made a film series possible in the first place.
Just as Jack Reacher was an adaptation of “One Shot” that borrowed from
additional plot lines in the Jack Reacher books, the sequel is an equally loose
adaptation of the Never Go Back novel – once again pulling back-story and series
mythology (including Turner) from volumes outside the source book. As sequel’s
often endeavor, Never Go Back aims to say something profound about its main
character – suggesting that Reacher, in spite of his self-imposed drifter life,
struggles with loneliness and longs for intimate human relationships.
This could have been a rewarding approach, if it were balanced with great action
and clever plot twists but Zwick (who directed Cruise on The Last Samurai)
over-saturates the movie with tangled storylines and underwhelming revelations –
bogging down Reacher’s investigation with bland confrontations and cumbersome
storytelling hurdles that prevent Never Go Back from building to a satisfying
climax (in either emotion or plot). Action is in short supply – and often
regresses into routine fist-fights without presenting audiences anything
particularly inventive (such as the standout car chase in the first Jack Reacher).
Where Reacher was a relatively stoic tour de force in the 2012 film, allowing
the people around him (both good and bad) to enjoy the spotlight, the Jack
Reacher in Never Go Back is an uneven mix of tough talk, melodrama, and
saccharine humor – a tricky blend for a chapter that sees the hero navigate
flirtatious encounters and the challenges of “parenting” a rebellious teenager.
Conversely, even though the movie is more light-hearted than its predecessor,
there are several mature aspects (such as sex trafficking, torture,
intimidation, and drug abuse) that are at odds with Zwick’s slightly more
hopeful installment. Cruise negotiates his scenes in stride, maintaining the
actor’s standard for charming and fun performances, but the larger Never Go Back
plot and portrayal still undercuts most of the small choices that separated this
franchise protagonist from similar action heroes (including others portrayed by
Cruise).
Supporting players in Never Go Back are equally uneven – with one exception:
Cobie Smulders as Major Susan Turner. Smulders riffs on her role as Maria Hill
from the Marvel Cinematic Universe but the world of Jack Reacher affords the
actress with an uncompromising heroine and several hard-hitting combat sequences
– including a (brutal) crowd-pleasing third act take down. Through Turner,
Smulders casts a spotlight on the added challenges of being a capable woman
serving as a female commander in the U.S. military – challenges that are often
typified by Reacher (who, despite good intentions and respect for Turner, still
views the Major as a woman in need of protection).
Samantha Dayton (Danika Yarosh) also tests Reacher’s preconceptions but where
Turner defies stereotypes and proves her mettle throughout the film, Dayton
routinely asks for Reacher’s respect – only to be undermined by mistakes the
story needs the character to make (in order to move the plot forward). Yarosh
and Cruise have entertaining chemistry but for all the logistical hurdles of a
road trip movie featuring two lethal army vets and an unruly teenager pursued by
a murderous assassin, Turner convolutes more than she illuminates.
More than any other aspect of the film, Patrick Heusinger’s Hunter is
symptomatic of Zwick’s attempt to rehash what worked well in Jack Reacher – only
to deliver an adequate but uninspired variation. Like Jai Courtney’s Charlie,
Hunter is a cold-blooded killer who views any altercation with Reacher as a game
to be won – regardless of the collateral damage. Yet, where Charlie was a quiet,
calculating, and haunting presence (a smart juxtaposition to Reacher), The
Hunter is a noisy and reckless sociopath – whose bite never quite matches his
bark.
Ultimately, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back offers another dose of Jack Reacher –
which could satisfy series fans who are interested in a new adventure with the
Ex-Major. That said, McQuarrie’s adaptation was a welcome surprise that managed
to differentiate itself from a long line of franchise action-dramas – and, as a
result, found an audience through positive word of mouth. Unfortunately, Jack
Reacher: Never Go Back does not offer enough high-octane action or clever
mystery to stand out from the glut of so-so crime movies.
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