Jack Reacher: Never Go Back: Movie Review

"Jack Reacher: Never Go Back" is not terrible but it isn't great at the same time. In fact, it's rather ordinary and it felt like Tom Cruise is the only A-list thing in this sequel. While the film plays off with a lot of entertaining action sequences, the rather pedestrian story hits the final nail in the coffin.

Years after resigning command of an elite military police unit, the nomadic, righter-of-wrongs Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise) is drawn back into the life he left behind when his friend and successor, Major Susan Turner (Cobie Smulders) is framed for espionage. Reacher will stop at nothing to prove her innocence and to expose the real perpetrators behind the killings of Turner's former soldiers. After escaping police custody, Reacher and Turner are doggedly pursued by the mysterious and nameless man known only as The Hunter (Patrick Heusinger).

If you found the first film entertaining because of Reacher and Reacher only then you'll probably love this sequel. The same omniscient bad-ass is back and he still has the same set of skills that make any amount of bad guys weep by the time the protagonist is done with them. Even better, Reacher may have found his match with a nemesis known as the Hunter. The two are a match in terms of know-how and drive and the biggest asset of the film were its action and fight scenes. But for us, one of the bigger things we raved about "Jack Reacher" was its story and how it grabbed our attention. This time around though, we found the mystery a little bit lacking. The overall plot was ordinary with little surprises along the way. The film tried to add some spice by putting up a side story about Reacher's child but it never really mattered if she was his daughter or not. This plot device also had a penchant to put Reacher in vulnerable spots that made the character dumbed-down - a huge conflict to how good he actually is. Overall, the film turned out to be plain and a huge step back from the first film. We wouldn't be surprised if the title is a sign to where this franchise is headed down the road.

Rating: 3 reels

Why you should watch it:
- the action sequences were awesome
- Tom Cruise is still bad-ass as Jack Reacher

Why you shouldn't watch it:
- the story was pedestrian and a huge letdown