Based on the book, Killing Floor
The release of the movie is unfortunately poorly timed due to the tragic events in Newtown CT, but as a moviegoer who had some knowledge of the original story, I was not offended or put off by the scene. But I can see how some others might be a little shaken by reality so closely emulating a fictional movie. Before I begin this review, I want the families of the victims of the shootings in Newton CT to know that the hearts and prayers of Cloture Club, its contributors and followers is with them in their time of need.
This opening scene sets a crisis into motion as the police arrest, James Barr a war veteran with a strange past. As the moviegoer you know the sniper is not James Barr but instead an unknown character until the plot thickens. Right from the beginning we’re put into a detective game of who done it, a sort of moviegoer game of Clue.
Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise) plays a retired military police investigator turned drifter. Seeing the incident on TV, he heads to Pittsburgh. With Reacher’s surprised arrival, we are introduced to Barr’s defense lawyer, Helen (Rosamund Pike), who also happens to be the daughter to the prosecuting District Attorney. With some coaxing, Reacher ultimately decides to get involved with the case and our mystery starts to unfold.
Our movie villain is Zek (Werner Herzog). As a Russian Mobster, he is trying to control the concrete construction in multiple cities throughout the world. Zek’s psychopathy is shown immediately in a memorable scene where he tells a man that he will spare his life only if he will eat all the fingers on one hand. Yes, eat your fingers! While the scene was suppose to define the character, I think the audience chuckled at Zek’s request.
Robert Duvall comes in late in the movie and ultimately plays Reacher’s side kick. Duvall adds humor and levity into the story and gives the viewer a comic break from the action and drama. They ultimately band together to take on Zek, the sniper, and the Russian mob.
In a similar modern western-esque plot, this movie was enjoyable and good succeeds against evil. I can’t say Tom Cruise nails the character of Jack Reacher because of my familiarity with the novels. He comes off as a Clint Eastwood hero type as he wants to do the right thing for the right reasons but from the trailers, I was expecting a Mission Impossible action flick and from the book I was expecting a more physically imposing actor to play the main character of Jack Reacher.
This film was more like Cruise rewriting his role in past movies like the The Firm in the sense that he cleans up evil. I enjoyed and appreciated the way the movie was shot and the action was real and practical. They kept the extreme CGI explosions at bay and the car chases believable.
If you like the lawyer thriller movies with physical combat, then you’ll enjoy this flick.
We hope you took the opportunity and attended the screening earlier this week. There were promotion screening tickets last week through our website and Paramount/Allied. Make sure to continue to visit as there will be more opportunities!
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