Register  |   Log In  |  
Sign up to our weekly newsletter    
Follow us on   
Search   
Forum Home Register for Free! Log In Moderator Tickets FAQ Users Online

Jack Reacher

  		Logged in as: Guest
  Printable Version
All Forums >> [Film Forums] >> Film Reviews >> Jack Reacher Page: [1] 2   next >   >>
Login
Message << Older Topic   Newer Topic >>
Jack Reacher - 12/12/2012 12:55:59 AM   
Empire Admin

 

Posts: 26334
Joined: 29/6/2005
Post your comments on this article
Post #: 1
Not buying it - 12/12/2012 12:55:59 AM   
rob_devitt

 

Posts: 26
Joined: 2/3/2006
From: Australia
 It may be a good movie but it could be that without being called Jack Reacher. The entire heart of the character is his size. It's his defining characteristic. This isn't anything against Cruise but Jack Reacher is a 6 foot 5 brick shit house. end of story.

(in reply to Empire Admin)
Post #: 2
- 12/12/2012 2:52:04 AM   
cdpmd2

 

Posts: 1
Joined: 12/12/2012
This is a case of an organ grinders monkey being cast as King Kong.

(in reply to Empire Admin)
Post #: 3
RE: - 12/12/2012 4:33:49 AM   
Qwerty Norris


Posts: 3145
Joined: 26/10/2005
From: Edinburgh
 Looks like it could be a lot of fun. Can't wait to see Werner Herzog play a deplorable bastard.

_____________________________

Qwerty's Top 10 of 2013 (so far)

1. Zero Dark Thirty
2. No
3. In The Fog
4. Good Vibrations
5. McCullin
6. Beyond the Hills
7. The Place Beyond the Pines
8. Wreck-it Ralph
9. Shell
10. In The House



(in reply to cdpmd2)
Post #: 4
RE: Not buying it - 12/12/2012 1:51:54 PM   
Deviation


Posts: 26908
Joined: 2/6/2006
From: Enemies of Film HQ
quote:

ORIGINAL: rob_devitt

It may be a good movie but it could be that without being called Jack Reacher. The entire heart of the character is his size. It's his defining characteristic. This isn't anything against Cruise but Jack Reacher is a 6 foot 5 brick shit house. end of story.


WHO CARES WERNER HERZOG AS AN EVIL BASTARD

_____________________________

quote:

ORIGINAL: Dpp1978
There are certainly times where calling a person a cunt is not only reasonable, it is a gross understatement.

quote:


ORIGINAL: elab49
I really wish I could go down to see Privates

(in reply to rob_devitt)
Post #: 5
RE: Not buying it - 12/12/2012 1:56:19 PM   
Cool Breeze


Posts: 1625
Joined: 9/11/2011
From: The Internet
 BUT TOM CRUISE ISN'T BLONDE !


(in reply to Deviation)
Post #: 6
RE: Not buying it - 12/12/2012 2:49:25 PM   
UTB


Posts: 8970
Joined: 30/9/2005
Obvious trolling signature is obvious.

(in reply to Cool Breeze)
Post #: 7
RE: Not buying it - 12/12/2012 4:42:17 PM   
directorscut


Posts: 9852
Joined: 30/9/2005

quote:

ORIGINAL: rob_devitt
The entire heart of the character is his size. It's his defining characteristic.


That's a pretty shit defining characteristic.

_____________________________



Member of the TMNT 1000 Club.

(in reply to rob_devitt)
Post #: 8
No way!!!!! - 12/12/2012 7:15:52 PM   
katzkid

 

Posts: 1
Joined: 12/12/2012
I have been a fan of the Reacher stories since the beginning, and the character cannot be sustained by a midget. The basic ingredient in the tales is the intimidating presence of Jack Reacher, and no 5"6-7' troll is the answer. Cruise is not even a very good actor without all of the special effects he's had support of lately, even that didn't save "Valkerie". Lee Child sold out.

(in reply to Empire Admin)
Post #: 9
RE: No way!!!!! - 13/12/2012 1:21:44 AM   
Deviation


Posts: 26908
Joined: 2/6/2006
From: Enemies of Film HQ
quote:

ORIGINAL: katzkid

I have been a fan of the Reacher stories since the beginning, and the character cannot be sustained by a midget. The basic ingredient in the tales is the intimidating presence of Jack Reacher, and no 5"6-7' troll is the answer. Cruise is not even a very good actor without all of the special effects he's had support of lately, even that didn't save "Valkerie". Lee Child sold out.


WHO CARES WERNER HERZOG AS AN EVIL BASTARD

_____________________________

quote:

ORIGINAL: Dpp1978
There are certainly times where calling a person a cunt is not only reasonable, it is a gross understatement.

quote:


ORIGINAL: elab49
I really wish I could go down to see Privates

(in reply to katzkid)
Post #: 10
- 13/12/2012 3:02:10 AM   
Miikesmama

 

Posts: 13
Joined: 19/7/2008
One thing I will never understand: What drives directors to take bit parts in films??? Herzog in this, Roman Polanski in Rush Hour, wtf?

(in reply to Empire Admin)
Post #: 11
RE: - 13/12/2012 8:54:20 AM   
Qwerty Norris


Posts: 3145
Joined: 26/10/2005
From: Edinburgh
quote:

ORIGINAL: Miikesmama

One thing I will never understand: What drives directors to take bit parts in films??? Herzog in this, Roman Polanski in Rush Hour, wtf?


Let's not sidestep what really matters here. Bottom line....

quote:

ORIGINAL: Qwerty Norris

Can't wait to see Werner Herzog play a deplorable bastard.



quote:

ORIGINAL: Deviation


WHO CARES WERNER HERZOG AS AN EVIL BASTARD




quote:

ORIGINAL: Deviation

WHO CARES WERNER HERZOG AS AN EVIL BASTARD






_____________________________

Qwerty's Top 10 of 2013 (so far)

1. Zero Dark Thirty
2. No
3. In The Fog
4. Good Vibrations
5. McCullin
6. Beyond the Hills
7. The Place Beyond the Pines
8. Wreck-it Ralph
9. Shell
10. In The House



(in reply to Miikesmama)
Post #: 12
RE: No way!!!!! - 13/12/2012 9:36:34 AM   
Brundlesflies


Posts: 589
Joined: 30/9/2005
From: ..telepod one to telepod two
quote:

ORIGINAL: katzkid

I have been a fan of the Reacher stories since the beginning, and the character cannot be sustained by a midget. The basic ingredient in the tales is the intimidating presence of Jack Reacher, and no 5"6-7' troll is the answer. Cruise is not even a very good actor without all of the special effects he's had support of lately, even that didn't save "Valkerie". Lee Child sold out.



Pot. Kettle. Black

Only read the first couple of Jack Reacher novels to date and I must admit they're pretty good page-turners. While his height is mentioned in the books I don't really think of it as a 'defining characteristic'. From the sound of it Cruise and co have made a pretty good fist of the movie. I'm looking forward to catching it.

_____________________________

"The Daily Mail isn't technically a newspaper, more a serialised Necronomicon." C. Brooker
My DVD's

(in reply to katzkid)
Post #: 13
Did no one watch Dark Knight Rises...? - 13/12/2012 1:11:06 PM   
Fozola


Posts: 56
Joined: 4/9/2006
At the end of the day, what the fuck happened to The Mask? What the fuck happened to Constantine...Bane was played by a midget for fucks sake! Nick Fury...Electro... No one moaned about these characters being completely changed for movie exposure and what difference does it make really (ok I was fucked off with the Mask but hey...) Never read a book, don't give a shit...gonna give it a go!

(in reply to Empire Admin)
Post #: 14
RE: No way!!!!! - 13/12/2012 1:26:33 PM   
johnd1971

" border=0 align="absmiddle" width="100" height="100" />

Posts: 5
Joined: 30/5/2012
Oh I see, so we are still in the world of "if it is in the Book it must be in the movie"

Why is it Movie Fans are the least receptive to artist direction?

Musicians have always been able to put their own spin on another artists work. I doubt Paul Mcartney opened an account at his local builders yard Yesterday *see what i did there* so he can get his hands on 4000 plus bricks to lob through windows.

Authors such as Bernard cornwell "Sharp" (btw Sharp was from London Sean Bean yorkshire, should he have not been cast?) And Conn Iggulden G. Khan, J. Caesar etc, Frank Miller "300" (movie was miles from the Graphic Novel which was miles from the historical event but I love all three versions) to name a few, have messed with historical facts and been very successful. You don’t hear about "time team" boycotting Waterstones.

When a Painter re-imagines a classic work Banksy on Pulp fiction (I imagine Tarantino loved it, but said so in an inaudible precotious way)

Alan Moore a hero of mine is the worst at this, refusing to have any association with another artists vision in a completly different medium (i thought Watchmen was outstanding Snyder rocked that adaption (i first read watchmen in the DC series in 86, so stick that in your purity one upmanship pipe and ....dont light, it its bad for you) is artistic arrogance of the highest order.

Read the book, enjoy the book, but leave it on the bookt shelf when you enter the Cinema.


_____________________________

You believe what you want. You work your side of the street, and I'll work mine

(in reply to Brundlesflies)
Post #: 15
RE: No way!!!!! - 13/12/2012 5:17:08 PM   
UncleMonkeyTrousers

 

Posts: 15
Joined: 5/8/2008
@Johnd1971

The thing I see, is that it will be a lot of people who have enjoyed the books coming to see this, and over the course of 15 odd books, people have an image in their heads of what the character will be like.
This is the audience that might get pissed off at Reacher not being a massive brick shite house as he is described.

As film fans, we know that changes will happen, e.g.: Constantine goes from a blonde Liverpudlian, to Ted Theodore Logan but overall the film wasn't too bad and was a passable horror film that probably appealed to more people by having Keanu Reeves in it.

Alan Moore (still) knows the score, though..

(in reply to johnd1971)
Post #: 16
RE: Did no one watch Dark Knight Rises...? - 13/12/2012 5:45:16 PM   
Harry Tuttle


Posts: 7497
Joined: 12/11/2005
From: Sometime in the future.
quote:

ORIGINAL: Fozola

At the end of the day, what the fuck happened to The Mask? What the fuck happened to Constantine...Bane was played by a midget for fucks sake! Nick Fury...Electro... No one moaned about these characters being completely changed for movie exposure and what difference does it make really (ok I was fucked off with the Mask but hey...) Never read a book, don't give a shit...gonna give it a go!


Oh right. I must have imagined all the people complaining about the changes to Constantine. My bad.

As for Nick Fury. The movie Nick Fury is based on Marvel's Ultimate imprint version of Nick Fury, who was initially modelled on Sam L Jackson anyway so it made sense to give him the role.

I don't know who you mean by Electro so I'm assuming you mean Elektra. Visually I think Jennifer Garner was alright although I don't remember the Daredevil film (and I haven't seen Elektra) so I can't remember, or am unaware of, any liberties taken with the character.


< Message edited by Harry Tuttle -- 13/12/2012 5:47:15 PM >

_____________________________

Acting...Naturaaal

Your knowledge of scientific biological transmogrification is only outmatched by your zest for kung-fu treachery!

Blood Island. So called because it's the exact shape of some blood

(in reply to Fozola)
Post #: 17
RE: No way!!!!! - 13/12/2012 5:52:58 PM   
johnd1971

" border=0 align="absmiddle" width="100" height="100" />

Posts: 5
Joined: 30/5/2012
quote:

Alan Moore (still) knows the score, though..
Doesnt he just though, bless him.

I agree with all you said and as a wolverine fan I have to set my expectation pretty low when it comes to movie adoptions

Staying with the Magic Man as a perfect example, The League, V for vendetta (which I read as a militant student in the eighties whilst Thatcher was parading around in her jack boots so this series had a special place in my literary heart) and from hell. None were 1/100th of the originals.

Was I disappointed in them? NO, why, because I didn’t go to see those novels on screen I went to see other artists take on those books.

But my note wasn’t aimed at the rational, of which you appear to belong but the jumpers and screamers and the those who are socially challenged who sit behind you during comic adoptions stating far too loudly " Tony stark wouldn’t do that", "Hawkeye should wear a mask" "the hulk is red now and not even Bruce banner these idiots know nothing" to which I say "enjoy wearing my nachos".



_____________________________

You believe what you want. You work your side of the street, and I'll work mine

(in reply to UncleMonkeyTrousers)
Post #: 18
Get over it! - 14/12/2012 1:13:48 PM   
thelimeyone

 

Posts: 3
Joined: 8/10/2005
It seems to me the height argument is strangely reminicent of the fuss about Daniel Craig being a blonde Bond. Height/hair colour is not a critical factor in casting an actor. Can they perform the role? Empire thinks he can so I will go and see and decide for myself. If the author of the books isn't bothered by the height then maybe we should at least watch the film before making an opinion.

(in reply to Empire Admin)
Post #: 19
Get over it! - 14/12/2012 1:13:50 PM   
thelimeyone

 

Posts: 3
Joined: 8/10/2005
It seems to me the height argument is strangely reminicent of the fuss about Daniel Craig being a blonde Bond. Height/hair colour is not a critical factor in casting an actor. Can they perform the role? Empire thinks he can so I will go and see and decide for myself. If the author of the books isn't bothered by the height then maybe we should at least watch the film before making an opinion.

(in reply to Empire Admin)
Post #: 20
RE: Get over it! - 14/12/2012 2:38:18 PM   
carlrogers22

 

Posts: 15
Joined: 20/4/2008

quote:

ORIGINAL: thelimeyone

It seems to me the height argument is strangely reminicent of the fuss about Daniel Craig being a blonde Bond.


I agree. It's also worth pointing out that Christian Bale was Batman, Andrew Garfield is Spiderman and Henry Cavill Superman, the three biggest comic book heroes all played by Brits. As far as I know there hasn't been much, if any negative reaction to that in America. However, you can bet if an American was picked to play Bond (once Daniel Craig ends his very good tenure and hands in the Walther PPK), people would actually spontaneously combust. Human sacrifice, Dogs and Cats living together, mass hysteria!

I don't want to continue the Bond cross-referencing too much (I'm going to though), but wasn't there a bit of an outcry when Sean Connery (a Scot) was picked to play 007? That worked out pretty well didn't it? So well that an impressed Ian Fleming wrote in a Scottish ancestry for Bond. Does that mean we should have spontaneously combusted when two Englishmen were picked for the part? Not to mention a New Zealander, a Welshman and an Irishman?

(in reply to thelimeyone)
Post #: 21
RE: No way!!!!! - 14/12/2012 3:14:52 PM   
sharkboy


Posts: 6029
Joined: 26/9/2005
From: Belfast
quote:

ORIGINAL: UncleMonkeyTrousers

@Johnd1971

The thing I see, is that it will be a lot of people who have enjoyed the books coming to see this, and over the course of 15 odd books, people have an image in their heads of what the character will be like.
This is the audience that might get pissed off at Reacher not being a massive brick shite house as he is described.

As film fans, we know that changes will happen, e.g.: Constantine goes from a blonde Liverpudlian, to Ted Theodore Logan but overall the film wasn't too bad and was a passable horror film that probably appealed to more people by having Keanu Reeves in it.

Alan Moore (still) knows the score, though..


Now, I may be wrong, but isn't there just a teeney-weenie chance that more people who to to see this movie will be fans of Tom Cruise than Jack Reacher?  Or even might just enjoy action movies but are pretty unaware of Lee Childs' creation?  If so, doesn't your point about Constantine apply equally here?  There's a damn good reason Cruise is Reacher - it attracts money to the project, both to get it made and at the box office.  The vast majority of the potential cinema audience don't give a shit if the character in the books was a 6'5" brick shithouse or a primordial dwarf, as far as they'll be concerned Cruise=Reacher.

_____________________________

WWLD?

Every time we think we have measured our capacity to meet a challenge, we look up and we're reminded that that capacity may well be limitless

I left in love, in laughter, and in truth and wherever truth, love and laughter abide, I am there in spirit.

(in reply to UncleMonkeyTrousers)
Post #: 22
Bravo :) - 23/12/2012 9:28:40 PM   
TheMightyBlackout


Posts: 92
Joined: 28/4/2012
From: Oxford, UK
 The plot's as twisty as you'd expect with this sort of thing, but it still runs out of steam long before Cruise does. At 130 minutes, it's too long, and the last half hour or so just seems like stalling rather than wrapping up proceedings to their inevitable conclusion. That said, it never gets out-and-out boring as it's relentlessly cheesy and quippy even when it's resting.

The bottom line is, I enjoyed this far more than I probably should have.

_____________________________

More reviews and rambling like that ^^^ at: >>>WorldOfBlackout.co.uk <<<

(in reply to Empire Admin)
Post #: 23
- 24/12/2012 7:25:04 PM   
Letattz


Posts: 128
Joined: 5/12/2005
From: Reading
 Not sure why the need for such filthy language in this review, but seems par for the course these days. Film sounds distinctly average, in line with much Tom Cruise does these days.

(in reply to Empire Admin)
Post #: 24
It is utterly brilliant. - 26/12/2012 5:55:06 PM   
tysmuse

 

Posts: 256
Joined: 24/9/2007
To all the haters: being tall is a characteristic. I am one of the biggest Jack Reacher fans out there. I was just as shocked/annoyed by the casting of Cruise as anyone. But the simple truth is: being tall is not a talent. Acting like Jack Reacher is, and Cruise pulls it off. He delivers on what Reacher is really about, the wit, the charm, the violence and the smart, cool-logic thinking. It is a terrific adaptation of the book and the character as a whole. The ending shot/mini scene is Reacher exactly.

(in reply to Empire Admin)
Post #: 25
Seen it twice, reviewing it twice. - 27/12/2012 9:56:24 PM   
tysmuse

 

Posts: 256
Joined: 24/9/2007
Even if I wasn't a massive fan of the books. And a fan of Cruise too. I think I would still love this movie. It's a neat story, told superbly well. McQuarrie has done an outstanding job. It's a proper old-fashioned, but not out-dated, lean thriller.

(in reply to Empire Admin)
Post #: 26
RE: Seen it twice, reviewing it twice. - 28/12/2012 12:06:36 AM   
Groovy Mule

 

Posts: 1089
Joined: 26/11/2005
I was one of those people rather non-plussed by the trailer and, being unfamiliar with the source series of books, I failed to get into the hype of whether or not Tom Cruise was the right guy to play the titular character. With all that in mind, Jack Reacher is a pleasant surprise.

The star of the show here is the writing. Writer-director Christopher McQuarrie has produced a script which zips along with one liners and no small amount of wit and charm. It is this script which helps along the chemistry between Cruise and Rosamund Pike as the defence attorney who takes the case at the centre of the story. Neither role is necessarily a stretch - ice queen intellectual for Pike and leading man cracking wise and cracking heads for Cruise are roles both have played before but they combine to make a likeable duo.

If there was consternation about the lead casting, it must be said that the support casting is inspired. Any film starring Richard Jenkins is required viewing in my opinion and Werner Herzog as lead villian The Zec is suitably menacing and cold whilst Jai Courtney shows signs of being a potential film star in the making.

Questions of Cruise's stature will unfairly dog this film and I doubt I would have noticed it as an issue had it not been publicised in advance. There is a pleasing level of menace and believable physicality in Cruise's performance. That being said, there are occasions when it is noticeable and I suspect that die-hard fans of the books and the character will notice and probably not like it. For me, it never spoiled my enjoyment and I, for one, am looking forward to future installments of the Jack Reacher franchise.

8/10

< Message edited by Groovy Mule -- 28/12/2012 12:08:35 AM >

(in reply to tysmuse)
Post #: 27
Jack does not reach us - 28/12/2012 12:40:33 AM   
J_BUltimatum

 

Posts: 108
Joined: 20/1/2007
From: Edinburgh
 Ok... so I have not read any Jack Reacher books and do not want to after this shocking pile of rubbish. I will admit the trailer did have me intrigued, but the film itself is just tedious, boring and in whole a film to boost Tom Cruise's ego (which is big enough already). There is really no need for this movie to made and by the end of it you don't care about any of the characters and would rather spend the times getting trampled on in the sales!

(in reply to Empire Admin)
Post #: 28
Surprisingly good - 29/12/2012 5:32:22 PM   
Workshed


Posts: 2471
Joined: 11/11/2005
From: somewhere near barstow on the edge of the desert
 Saw this's last night and was rather pleasantly surprised. The plot and feel are I found slightly reminiscent of Dirty Harry or Payback and while I had my reservations about Cruise in the role I felt he did a fine job in and was believable in the action sequences. Werner Hertzog was also great and really menacing with the use of just his voice. I haven't read the books but i do have a a fair understanding of the Reacher character and iI could see that some elements were obviously changed to suit Cruises persona and for dramatic reasons (more dialogue etc). I can see how die hard fans could be conflicted but I felt this was a good overall interpretation of the character. And to all the naysayers re his height, Kiefer Sutherland was always convincing as Jack Bauer as was Damon as Bourne and this is a character in that vain.

The direction was also assured from McQuarrie and it was also really well shot but it also had flaws. It could have done with being a hard R with more blood and grit. I think that would have given cruise the opportunity to go inside the darkness of the character as he did in Collateral where one baunted look would say a thousand words. Here he held back which is a shame.

All in all I would recommend this and will start reading Childs books.

(in reply to Empire Admin)
Post #: 29
Not Many Brains, Lots of Brawn - 29/12/2012 9:33:52 PM   
Arfpint

 

Posts: 36
Joined: 14/11/2005
From: 222
 Surprisingly violent for a 12A, and with some unfortunate and unintentional timing with the recent shootings...Tom Cruise doesn't really do Jack Reacher (more like Ethan Hunt without the morality), but hell, I liked it.

What really failed though was Werner Herzog (or rather, his character) - as the Empire review states, his twisted sense of reality doesn't come through nearly enough to make you feel anything except a bit confused. The 'twist' also had me scratching my head - all this carnage for...well, I won't ruin it but it just seems a bit excessive for the reasoning behind all the killings.

< Message edited by Arfpint -- 29/12/2012 9:37:31 PM >

(in reply to Empire Admin)
Post #: 30
Page:   [1] 2   next >   >>
All Forums >> [Film Forums] >> Film Reviews >> Jack Reacher Page: [1] 2   next >   >>
Jump to:





New Messages No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages Locked w/o New Messages
 Post New Thread
 Reply to Message
 Post New Poll
 Submit Vote
 Delete My Own Post
 Delete My Own Thread
 Rate Posts


 
Movie News  |  Empire Blog  |  Movie Reviews  |  Future Films  |  Features  |  Video Interviews  |  Image Gallery  |  Competitions  |  Forum  |  Magazine  |  Resources
 
Forum Software © ASPPlayground.NET Advanced Edition 2.4.5 ANSI

0.109