Jack Reacher Never Go Back

Rating : ★★★✩✩

Jack Reacher, a myth to many, a friend to few and in himself a drifter, moving from place to place. He is an ex-Army Major and retired from military because as he says, “One day the uniform just didn’t fit him”. He is ruthless, he is fearless and he is resourceful. He works alone and he is very good at it. And most importantly he gets the work done. And if he believes in one thing, he goes to lengths to make it happen or make it right, in most of the instances. When they adapted the book into a movie, they did a commendable job the first time, because bringing life to a fictional character is never too easy. In the movie, Jack Reacher, almost a myth, was trying to settle an old score. Or as he would say, keeping his promise. The first installment was a power packed, well executed screenplay and had a great narration.

I have been a Jack Reacher fan, I will let it out first. I have read a couple too many books and I intentionally didn’t read this book. Before the first Jack Reacher movie, I had probably read one book because I didn’t know there was a movie on it and Tom Cruise was the lead in it. But after watching the movie, and thankfully still haven’t read the book then, it got me more intrigued in the character even more. I bought a couple more books and started reading them. And gladly I didn’t read Never Go Back. I want the suspense, I want the mystery, I want to not know what’s happening. I would read the books later, but never before because for the very obvious fact that I can’t enjoy if I knew what was happening. This is the reason when my friends ask me what happened in some of the TV series that we both are watching, I would decline to reveal it, because knowing spoils the fun, and it really isn’t pretty when we keep on thinking, “So, ‘that’ is going to happen…will it happen now…ok…ok…it will happen now… not yet.. ok, now it definitely is the right time… sigh, that’s it? “

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, starts of with a very brilliant opening scene. It will keep us at the edge of our seat right from the opening act. The same thing is shown in the trailer as well, just so that I am not adding much of the spoilers here. As the movie progresses and as evident from the trailer that something happens to Major Turner, played by Cobie Smulders, the lovely Robin Scherbatsky of How I met Your Mother, the brilliant Agent Hill of the Avengers, a treat to the eyes, always. So, Agent Turner is in trouble and Reacher is not so convinced with the reason that was provided for her arrest. Reacher takes it upon himself to find the reason why she was framed, for the good guy he is. And in the process of trying to find answers and the reasons, they try to frame Reacher as well because that’s what they would do to nosy people. But Reacher being Reacher, they can’t touch him, until they find his weak spot. Wait, weak spot? Jack Reacher is a drifter. He doesn’t have friends or family to worry about. He is invincible and he knows it. But that’s where there is a twist in the story. Reacher apparently has a daughter and now her life is threatened. Reacher is a little out of balance upon coming to terms with the new information. He had never worried about anyone else. And somehow it turns out to be a problem.

For Mr. Hunter what starts as a contract to kill  who was killing everyone and framing Reacher, turns out to pride his ego as the plot thickens gradually, because knowing that Reacher is too good at his job did burn Mr. Hunter’s ego. He even threatens Reacher’s daughter to pride himself as the most badass. And what starts as a mission to free Major Turner turns out to be a big government conspiracy. The movie revolves around Reacher, Major and his daughter. But like the books that I have read, the unraveling of the biggest conspiracy isn’t as appalling as it should it. You won’t feel the adrenaline pumping, or you biting your nails as it happens. No. It looks like a walk in the park. Literally walk in the park. The conspiracy is unveiled and the culprit is being caught, but then Mr. Hunter is not yet done. He goes after the girl to break Reacher down. The problem with every villain is that they just can’t pull the trigger. If it is any normal person, BHAM, he is dead. But when it comes to killing the heros or heroines or their kids, they hesitate to do it. And that is the hero’s queue to take him down.