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October 23, 2016

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‘Jack Reacher’ sequel inferior to original

IT’S not the acting or the action that makes “Jack Reacher: Never Go Back” inferior to the original 2012 hit. It’s the story.

The first film, “Jack Reacher,” established the title character as a brilliant, brutal loner dedicated to justice. He’s a former military officer turned drifter, unfettered by emotional ties, motivated purely by exacting righteousness.

What makes an archetypal character like this fun to watch is an unpredictable story, where the audience and protagonist together uncover the mystery. The 2012 film achieved this beautifully, packing action into a compelling thriller that developed the villains as much as the hero.

In “Never Go Back,” the bad guys are one-dimensional caricatures and the lone wolf is driven by protecting a teenager whom he insists from the start isn’t his daughter. This leaves the film riding on its action sequences and the charm of its central characters, played by Tom Cruise and Cobie Smulders. And while they’re incredibly appealing, they can’t do more than the story allows.

Cruise, who has made himself this generation’s ultimate action star, is perfect as Jack Reacher. He’s steely, strong and almost accidentally handsome. The ageless actor does most of his own stunts and effectively uses his eyes to convey his character’s guarded sensitivity.

Smulders, who’s played a small role in the “Avengers” films, proves herself an action star and leading lady as Susan Turner, an Army major who has taken over Reacher’s post in the military police force. Turner is investigating the murders of two soldiers in Afghanistan when she’s removed from her office and jailed on espionage charges.

Reacher comes to her aid, but another official warns him off, taunting him with a pending paternity lawsuit that claims Reacher fathered a now 15-year-old girl. Reacher denies it, but goes after the girl (Danika Yarosh) anyway. Suddenly, he’ll do anything to protect her.

This contrivance undoes the suspension of disbelief. Nothing about Reacher’s character suggests he’s yearning for fatherhood.

With Smulders and Yarosh on camera almost as much as Cruise, “Never Go Back” doubles the number of key women from the 2012 film. If only the story was as good.




 

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