I know it, MRB isn't about movie reviews, but when a movie comes out based on one of our power rotation authors, it's probably worth a comment. While Lee Child isn't our most reviewed author (Connelly and Crais are tied for that honor), I have read the entire Jack Reacher collection, many of which pre-date this blog.Lots of fan-boys were having a hissy fit that Tom Cruise was playing Reacher mostly because no one would ever confuse the stature of Cruise with that of linebacker sized Reacher. But I was willing to give it a pass to see how well the story was presented. Yes, Reacher's size is part of the character, but is it really THE defining characteristic?
The movie is based on One Shot. Army sniper Bass finished a tour of Iraq with no shots fired, so he offs 4 or 5 bad guys on his own. The crime is covered up because the bad guys really were really bad guys. Reacher investigated, had a solid case that the brass swept under the rug. Reacher leaves Bass with a warning - step out of line in the US and Reacher, now mustered out of the army, won't have to answer to a chain of command, he would just answer to what's right.
In Pittsburgh, a sniper takes out 5 civilians with 6 shots. Clues result in a slam dunk case against Bass and of course, Reacher shows up because he saw the story on the news. Bass's attorney is just trying to avoid the death penalty and enlists Reacher's reluctant help. A few hand to hand dust-ups, some clever deductions, a car chase that deserves mention alongside of Bullitt and French Connection, some serious long range shooting, and a terrific small role by Robert Duvall uncovers who is behind the shooting, the framing of Bass, and an attempt to frame Reacher for another killing.
So, how did Hollywood do? I thought it was quite good. The 2+ hrs zipped right along and, in my mind, Cruise was just fine from the action, attitude, and general behavior. Was it perfect? Of course not. Hollywood never accurately translates a book to the screen (John Grisham was asked if he liked how Hollywood presented his first big success, The Firm. His reply? The day he sold the rights was the day it was no longer his story. So, read between Grisham's lines: Get Over It). Depending on more professional reviews and box office receipts, Cruise could cheerfully play Reacher between the Mission:Impossible gigs and the occasional oddball part he seems to do frequently. Look for the cameo by Child. Maybe he'll be in each; every Reacher book has been optioned to Hollywood so he could carve out a cameo career; think Albert Popwell and the Dirty Harry series. And maybe Reacher will turn out to be this decade's Harry Callahan.
What was interesting was the audience. This piece I read said the demographic was overwhelmingly male (duh!) and over 50. At the Friday matinee I attended, there were maybe 3 women, one father-son team, and the rest were men easily over 50 and most were well past 50 - Child's audience.
East Coast Don
ECD,
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you broke the mold for MRB and wrote this review of a movie. It resonated with me on many levels as I've contemplated whether or not to see the movie.
1) I dislike Tom Cruise as I do most actors when I learn about their personal lives. But I've learned getting over it and enjoying their work is much preferred to bad mouthing and boycotting them. Jack Nicholson is a great example...loved him in Chinatown then spent years avoiding him until As Good As It Gets came along...then became a fan again.
2) The Bullitt chase scene was the best of all time. Probably because growing up in a small town in Ohio in the late '60's, I knew guys who owned BOSS Mustangs and Dodge Charger's...most of them teenagers blowing every penny they earned for the thrill of owning a muscle car. At the time I knew the cubic inch and horsepower of every engine Ford, Chrysler and Chevy made.
3) I saw The Firm the weekend it came out and was sorely disappointed in the movie version of a great book. Later however, I was traveling on business in Memphis and actually drove by the house used for Mitch and Abby's home in the movie…guess I got over that disappointment too.
4) My wife and I usually attend movies together and since I know she won't like this genre... well let's just say I didn't want to be THAT guy...the old guy sitting by himself at the matinee eating popcorn. Apparently, I won't be alone.
MWD;
ReplyDeleteHey, I can't count the number of movies I've seen by myself, been doing that since college. And I really don't like Cruise as a person, but aside from a few miscues, I've liked a number of his roles. But I don't run to lay out hard $$ just cuz he is in it. I am selective. And the care chase scene really is that good - for me, the best since Bullitt/French Connection. And if you've been to Pittsburgh, you'll seem lots of familiar territory. Me? Eastwood, Hackman, Michael Caine. if they are in it, I'll probably see it.
ECD
I saw the movie yesterday with my daughter's boyfriend - none of the women in the family wanted to go. I had the same reluctance about Cruise as did East Coast Don and Midwest Dave, but the movie works. As much as Cruise does not personify the Jack Reacher that I've come to visualize via Lee Child, the movie was well done. Cruise (and I choke as I say this) did a very good job. This was (to use some appropriate trite expressions) a hold-on-to-your-seat, shoot-'em-up action movie. In the last 15 seconds, they set up the sequel, so I hope that happens, and I'll pay to see that one, too.
ReplyDeletethe other recent movie based on an MRB-reviewed author is Killing Them Softly with Brad Pitt. It's the movie version of Cogan's Trade by George Higgins, a book recommended by Charlie Stella. I'd read the book and liked the movie a lot, but my son and brother in law were less awed. Too talkie. But that's what you get with a Higgins book - first rate banter. In this case, a little knowledge ahead of time was a good thing. Their loss, my gain
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