Meh Shot: Tom Cruise Breaks Bones in Jack Reacher Teaser Trailer
Oh, what a coincidence! Here comes the trailer for Tom Cruise's Jack Reacher (formerly One Shot), the action film based on a novel by Lee Child that stars the soon-to-be-divorcé as an ex-army cop who apparently drives around town in muscle cars getting into fights. The kind of angry, controlled rage-machine who gets into brawls, specializes in strategically breaking bones, asks questions later, etc. The badass clothing doesn't quite fit on Cruise, but you know. He's Tom Cruise.
Watch More ENTV Videos!
Plot is incidental to this first tease of a trailer, which sets up the eponymous loner-hero in mythic terms. "There's this guy," bandaged beaten up hospital guy says. "He doesn't care about proof. He doesn't care about the law. He only cares about what's right."
Then comes that reedy Cruise voice to ruin it all: "You think I'm a hero? I am not a hero. And if you're smart, that scares you." Well, I guess I'm not smart. Because, yeah. Yawn.
I'm not one of those folks hung up on how wrong Cruise is for the role, physically speaking, though Reacher's dimensions (posted helpfully at Child's website) do make you wonder which actors out there might have fit the bill a little better:
Measurements: 6'5", 220-250 lbs., 50" chest
Hair: Dirty-blond
Eyes: Ice blue
Clothing: 3XLT coat, 95 cm. pants' inseam
It's not even that Cruise isn't the physical ideal for Reacher. The wandering ex-military bruiser with no regard for the law doesn't really sit well on him. But we shall see; with writer-director Christopher McQuarrie (The Usual Suspects, The Way of the Gun) behind the camera, Josh Olson (A History of Violence) on scripting duties, and Werner Herzog playing baddie, there's enough promise left in this thing.
Still, while a lot of folks are getting a Drive vibe from this, I get more of a Gone in 60 Seconds feel — the middle-aged action hero wearing leather jackets, racing around in classic cars, lounging around with hot ladies in their underwear. It already feels like the mid-life crisis wish-fulfillment movie of the year for older dudes.
Verdict: Unless the next batch of trailers really wow me, I'm only hanging in for the Herzog.
[via Yahoo!]
Subscribe to the new Movieline on YouTube
Comments
I'm in the middle of reading this series, and Reacher doesn't HAVE a car, much less a muscle car. I can get past the HUGE difference between Cruise and Reacher, if they had portrayed his character the way he's written in the books. Reacher only acts like a bad ass when the situation calls for it. I think I'll pass on this movie. Lee Child must be so disappointed. Why he endorsed TC to play his character is a puzzleing question.
Doesn't Reacher not even have a driver's license? Not that that would stop a BAD ASS from driving, but you know...
Because Tom Cruise is one of the biggest film stars in the world. Plus he bought the book rights, so Child probably had no choice.
Lee Child didn't HAVE to sell him the book rights.
Personally, I am caught up in the physicality, because it is important here. Someone doesn't have to be 6'5" but he should be within a foot of it!! Reacher doesn't go around badassing people. He's very low-key, obviously of military stock, but he has actual conversations with people and is charming enough to bed a lot of women. Then there's the car issue. I doubt Reacher has a license. Since leaving the army, he keeps as off the grid as much as humanly possible. Which is why he doesn't own a car. He hitchhikes everywhere. He doesn't even own more clothes than he can carry around, let alone a leather jacket! Everywhere he goes, he buys new clothes, usually as basic as they can get. This doesn't look like a Reacher movie. It looks like a regular movie with a character who also seems to be named Jack Reacher. We've got another one-shot VI Warshawski on our hands here.
Deep Narrator Voice Over: In a world where Ryan Gosling is too busy to reprise his role from Drive, comes Tom Cruise doing his best Gosling impression as Jack Reacher. Watch as Tom Cruise battles normal sized men twice his size! Watch him "Drive" around town! Tom Cruise is Ryan Gosling is Jack Reacher. This December, Tom Cruise will Reach... for credibility.
Oh my, the way he touches that gear stick, mmm... And the low angle, the low angle!
Is there any scene more over used than the protagonist taking on six bad guys in which he destroys them all (even though some might be armed) in a highly choreographed fight scene? I blame the matrix.
And it's amusing how TC has to look up to see the bad guys. This trailer just reminds me of a certain golden ticket and a cigar-chomping Jack Slater. Only with tiny Tom.
LOL @ Max... that was my first thought - Jack Reacher doesn't look UP at anyone!!
When I heard about this horrendous miscasting it just made me ill... my husband and I love the Reacher books but we'll definitely pass on this movie. From the looks of the trailer, the movie has nothing in common with the books other than the main character's name.
I have read the Jack Reacher books and really like them. I do like to watch a movie where the star is at least close to the main character physically. Tom is just not in the right class to play a larger than life hero. He just will not be believable.
Vincent D'Onofrio. This guy would fit the part. 6'4'' and imposing. Not a household name but does a very good job on Law and Order - Criminal Intent. Just the right type for this role. Not unknow but not an A name. Could have made the character part his own and made a good run through all the books. Also, Chris Hemsworth would have fit the mold. Maybe too good looking.