Prime Video's Reacher owes much to Tom Cruise's Jack Reacher

When Prime Video's Reacher arrived, fans of Lee Child's novels breathed a sigh of relief. Alan Ritchson fit the physical bill — closer to the 6-foot-5, unstoppable drifter from the books — and his casting put Tom Cruise's earlier turns as Jack Reacher under fresh scrutiny.

Cruise, who played Reacher in Jack Reacher (2012) and Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016), had been controversial largely because he is much shorter than the character in the novels. Still, the films helped bring the character to a wider audience and made the television reboot possible.

The glow around Amazon's Reacher has made the movies seem lesser by comparison, but Jack Reacher is a solid example of mid-range studio filmmaking: a street-level crime plot, a big star, strong supporting actors, atmospheric locations and a few memorable action set pieces.

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