Netflix Action Thriller Brings Best-Selling Novel To Life With Hollywood’s Biggest Star
Before Amazon’s Reacher television show—starring Alan Ritchson as the eponymous character—became a massive hit, there was another Reacher portrayed by one of Hollywood’s greatest stars. Of course, we’re referring to 2012’s Jack Reacher movie and its 2016 sequel Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, both of which star Tom Cruise in the lead role. The latter of the two movies is now trending on Netflix.
A Second Life On Streaming
Based on Never Go Back, an eighteenth novel in the Jack Reacher book series, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back was released as a sequel to the previously mentioned Jack Reacher movie from 2012. Sadly, it wasn’t a massive success with the critics and the audiences at the time of its release, which makes its climb up Netflix’s Top 10 movie list—where it amassed more than 5 million views—even more surprising. No, it wasn’t a financial failure of a film, considering that it made more than $160 million, but it didn’t fare all that well with the critics.
Framed For A Crime He Didn’t Commit
Jack Reacher: Never Go Back opens with Jack Reacher aiding the arrest of a corrupt Oklahoma sheriff and his local deputy and busting a human trafficking ring. Following the arrest, Reacher heads to meet with Major Susan Turner, only to learn that she has been accused of espionage and arrested. This sets off a series of events that involved Reacher and Turner and whoever’s hellbent on framing them for the various murders that take place throughout the film.
Doesn’t Match The Original
The Jack we meet in Jack Reacher: Never Go Back is equally as intelligent as his television series counterpart and equally as charming. He often solves complex problems and outsmarts, outplays, and even overpowers his opponents, which adds appeal to his appeal as a character who’s not just combat-ready but also smart.
The critics praised Tom Cruise’s performance and his portrayal of the character, as well as the film’s action sequences. However, they weren’t as kind to the film’s plot, which has been characterized as a notable drop-off from the first Reacher movie.
Even Critics Were Comparing The Two
The first movie was a massive success, with critics praising Tom Cruise’s performance as the lead character and characterizing the movie as an above-average crime thriller. In fact, even many of the negative reviews the movie gained—because every movie has some negative reviews—praised the original Jack Reacher as an entertaining piece of cinematography. Sadly, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back didn’t follow in the footsteps of the original feature, which is reflected in poor initial critical and audience ratings.
Climbing The Netflix Charts
REVIEW SCORE
However, thanks to the masterfully done Reacher series from Amazon, the interest in the entire IP has skyrocketed, so it’s not all that surprising that Netflix subscribers are taking another look at Jack Reacher: Never Go Back. In the end, the content-hungry fandom needs to consume something, and even a subpar Jack Reacher movie will suffice until Reacher Season 3 arrives. Those interested in watching Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, the movie is currently streaming on Netflix.
