Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher?

[Batutta]

I also don't understand calling it Jack Reacher, as the novel they used is called One Shot, which is a pretty strong title in my opinion. This kind of thinking didn't really work out for John Carter so I don't know why they thought it was a good idea. I don't really care for the name Jack Reacher either. Sounds both generic and made up at the same time.

[David Jimerson]

Are you fracking kidding me?



A 5'7" 175lb dude playing a character that, by Lee Child's description is a 6'5" 250lb mountain of a man?

This looks craptacular.

Did they want to make The Punisher?

[mcgeedigital]

Did they want to make The Punisher?

If they do decide to do the Punisher, maybe they could get Danny Devito for the lead.

[j1clark@ucsd.edu]

If they do decide to do the Punisher, maybe they could get Danny Devito for the lead.

Despite the discrepancy between the Cruise 'real life physique' and that of the fictional character... Cruise has delivered a number of successful action films... whether people here have liked them or not...

On the other hand, the closest that Devito has gotten to 'action' was perhaps "Romancing the Stone"(1984) and sequel... I don't count "Get Short"(1995) to be an 'action' it still in the 'comedy' mode...

Now perhaps Joe Pesci... just give him a pen and he'll go all ape s*%t wild...

[timbook2]

But what are the first three things you think of when you see tom cruise?:

1. the face of scientology
2. he likes to jump on couches
3. he doubles the applebox budget of any film he is in

4. his OSA agents are currently doing rounds doggy style on plastic lawn
5. Miscavige is biting his carpet

[Egg Born Son]

They've just started promoting it here. The scene where he stands surrounded by hostiles - Marv from Sin City he ain't.

Agree with Battuta, One Shot is a much more evocative title. Jack Reacher recalls the title John Carter that just bombed (unfairly I thought). One Shot, that has punch.

[agcohn]

I don't know anything about the books, so I don't have any preconceived notions about how the character should look, but this is a really bad trailer.

It doesn't do anything but try to pump up this "Jack Reacher" guy as a bad-ass brawler with nothing to lose, but it doesn't show anything of how he became such a bad-ass, why he has nothing to lose, or what he is trying to do (hunt down some bed-ridden guy???).

And since it's Tom Cruise in the part (clearly smaller than all the guys who had him surrounded), it does require some sort of explanation.

Tom Cruise has played tough characters in the past, like in MISSION IMPOSSIBLE or COLLATERAL, but in those movies he was playing a secret agent and an assassin... not merely a former police officer.

[L1N3ARX]

Don't know why I actually went to see this... but I kinda regret it.

I definitely enjoy a decent action flick I can just shutdown and enjoy once in a while, but this was so bland it caught me off guard... these kind of B action movies were around in the mid 90's, but nowadays are nowhere to be found. The story itself was surprisingly boring- no twists, nothing really all that unexpected or even interesting... and it was ALL material that I've seen a million times in TV shows and movies past. This was the first time I thought... damn, this movie is a prepackaged unapologetic cliche in worst way. The retired / recluse X-military guy who comes out of hiding and given a task that only he can do... the "unexpected" dirty cop, the corporate conspiracies, the one-liners, wonky gun action that felt a little bit off... Don't know how to describe it really, it was just a very plain, uninteresting movie.

These days, there's some action movies that may not have the greatest story, but at least attempt to make up for it stylistically, acting-wise or with other gimmicks that don't necessarily forgive a bad story... but at least it's something. There wasn't anything I found redeeming about this film. Too bad.

[mcgeedigital]

Anyone casting Tom Cruise in the role of a man the author describes as " a mountain of a man" and is supposed to be 6'5" should have his head examined.

[Mark Williams]

Read the books. Much more enjoyable.