Reacher (2022)

Written by jw on February 3, 2024

A tale of two Reachers

a matter of taste.

Disclaimer: I haven't read the books.

You can re-cast characters, and play the same thing differently. That's OK.

The Reacher we get in the Tom Cruise variant is perceptive, clever, cautious; he relies on his wits and knowledge of human nature. He does what he thinks necessary and right, tends to avoid collateral damage. He's a loner, and perfectly fine with it.

The Reacher we get in the Alan Ritchson variant is a Hulk with penchant for killing; he leaves behind a trail of destruction and corpses. He pretends to be a loner, but is a lost team player in the end.

It's like James Bond versus the A-Team. Both enjoyable, similar topics, but very different in tonality and production.

One more aspect: the Cruise-Reacher is like a modern Yojimbo. The Ritchson one is written like a power fantasy: invincible avenger walks through walls to right the wrongs.

A matter of taste, really. I lost my appetite for this series in the second season.

PS: Season 1 is pretty much "Red Harvest" with a modern plot goal.