A Thrilling Experience: Jack Reacher Screen Adaptations
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From the pages of gripping thrillers to the big screen, the Jack Reacher adaptations have sparked immense debate from fans and newcomers. But what makes these adaptations click, and miss? Join me as we take a deep dive into Lee Child’s iconic character and explore how Reacher has translated from book to screen.
Lee Child’s Reacher novels were first adapted to the screen in 2012. It was adapted from the eighth book in the series, One Shot. The film had mixed reviews from fans and critics and one of the main critiques of the film was the casting choice for Reacher. To begin, casting directors are one of the most underrated jobs in the TV and movie industry. How many times have we said after watching a movie that that actor was perfect for the role, or we couldn’t see anyone else playing that character?
That was not the case for this film. Tom Cruise was casted as Reacher and at first, you might think he would be the perfect actor because who’s better to star in an action/thriller than Cruise? However, he didn’t fit the role. Throughout the novels, Reacher is described as a 6’5, 250-pound male. His size is what gave him an advantage against his foes. But Cruise is only 5’7 and although he portrayed Reacher’s intelligence well, his physique can’t be overlooked by a fan of the novels.
Lee Child’s novels were adapted for a second time in 2022 on Prime Video, this time it was a TV show. The first season was based on the first novel in the series, Killing Floor. I prefer the Prime series over the movies. The first reason was the actor they cast to play Reacher. Alan Ritchson was casted and fit the bill for Reacher much better than Cruise.
The first season of Reacher was one of the best book adaptations I’ve watched. I watched the show first and got into the books after watching the show and when I read the novel for the first time, I was surprised by how much they stuck to the source material. They made only minor changes from the book, and I felt they were well thought out. It’s hard for me to choose which one was better. If I had to choose though, I’d say the book is still better, but the first season was a ten out of ten adaption.
Less can be said about the second season. Season two was based on the eleventh book of the series, Bad Luck and Trouble. It was released a year after the first season. It was still a good and enjoyable season, but they strayed away more from the source material, and it showed throughout the season.
My least favourite change they made was in the season finale. It was a slight change but one that had a significant impact on me. In the finale, Reacher runs towards a helicopter that’s beginning to take off, jumps and hangs off the bottom of the helicopter before climbing inside. In the book, he hid inside the helicopter before it took off. I did not like this change because Reacher is just a normal guy, yes, he is big and strong, but he doesn’t have superhuman strength and hanging from a helicopter as it flies through the air seems a little unrealistic. It’s a minor change but a big one to me.
A change I did like in season two was giving more of a role to the character Gaitano Russo. He was a Detective for the New York Police Department and had a much larger role in the show than in the book. I liked this change because of the relationship he had with Reacher. Russo reluctantly partnered up with Reacher and the remaining members of the 110th Unit and the rivalry between Reacher and Russo was very enjoyable.
The screen adaptations of Jack Reacher have their highs and lows. It’s hard to say if the screen will ever fully capture the essence and relentlessness of Reacher. However, the Prime series has portrayed him better, and I highly recommend the Prime series over the movies.
Brayden Lowe is currently a professional writing student at Algonquin College. Brayden has been passionate about writing and telling stories since a young age. While creating his own stories, he also critiques everything he watches and reads, both the good and bad. He has been watching TV shows and movies his whole life but only started reading novels at fifteen. He now considers novels to be the purest form of entertainment and comparing his favourite books to their screen adaption is something he is very passionate about and a subject he could talk about all day.
