In the latest film featuring the uber-popular literary character of retired MP and drifter Jack Reacher to be released in October, the reality of Tom Cruise playing the lead role has effectively terminated the on-screen presence of how readers and viewers envision the title character. Though this is not an official crime, there should be consequences in the wake of a horrendous casting choice.
While Cruise possesses the attribute of existing as a living human being (maybe), and thus the implied advantage over author Lee Child’s beloved character, the only scenario in the universe where the maligned actor could actually defeat Reacher in a mono- on- mono battle is by once again taking on a hero’s roll in a major film. How the diminutive and effeminate scientologist is cast as the towering and likable purveyor of instantaneous and thorough justice is baffling until one considers the source. The nearest affinity for the New York Yankees in Cruise’s life is a pun that borders on the sophomoric.
Literary fans of Jack Reacher are so frustrated and distraught with the facilitators of the silver screen and Cruise’s flawed portrayal of the character, that a social network group has grown from the frustration and angst in providing direct feedback and criticism to brass of the entertainment industry. The site, Reacherfriends, lists the character’s height of 6’5″ and weight of 220-250 pounds in the group’s description, which is an obvious barb to the antithesis of the 5’6″ dwarf of a Cruise or Cruise of a dwarf.
One can only hope that a child viewing the film and armed with a pocket knife and Reacher-like reflexes, responds with instinctive fear to the threatening appearance of Cruise, and fires a swift and accurate missile of a throw between the actor’s eyes and through the screen.
Read the full Dailymail.com article here.