118 minutes, Action/Thriller 

When weighing up the physical capabilities and the charisma of Jack Reacher (played by Tom Cruise) against similar types of characters in other action films, such as Matt Damon’s Jason Bourne or Liam Neeson’s Bryan Mills in TAKEN, Jack Reacher falls just as short as the man playing him. When assessing the output of JACK REACHER: NEVER GO BACK and comparing it to the quality of other action film sequels, it suffers the same movie sequel syndrome as the TAKEN franchise. In NEVER GO BACK, Jack Reacher is on the run from authorities as he attempts to uncover the truth behind a government secret with the assistance of Major Susan Turner (Cobie Smulders). Meanwhile, a personal secret from Jack Reacher’s past threatens to collide with his mission.

There’s rarely a moment of excitement and zero originality in this very stale sequel, that’s not exactly a direct sequel either. The plot for NEVER GO BACK is extracted from author Lee Child’s eighteenth book in the series while the first JACK REACHER movie is the source of the ninth novel. Fans of that first film will be disappointed by the hackneyed effort of the plot trajectory, some thoughtless inconsistencies and the absence of thrills in a very standard exercise in action filmmaking. The lack of star power on board to support Tom Cruise is also evident, whose trusty yet tiring shoulders are given a bigger work out than what they can sometimes handle, despite the best efforts of a passable lead female performance from “How I Met Your Mother” star Cobie Smulders. JACK REACHER: NEVER GO BACK isn’t a bad movie by any means, but rather a less than memorable, moderately entertaining and very mediocre one.

2 out of 5 

JACK REACHER: NEVER GO BACK

Viewer Discretion 
M – Violence 

Moviedoc Melbourne wishes to thank Paramount Pictures and Village Cinemas Jam Factory for the invitation to the Melbourne Preview Screening of JACK REACHER: NEVER GO BACK. 

Review by Moviedoc 
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