The first thing you should know about Jack Reacher is that he is a rather large man. This refers firstly to his size. Standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing approximately 250 pounds, he is a muscular tank of a human being that you don’t ever want to get in the way of. He's also a mythical figure of sorts, known for appearing off a bus to right the wrongs in a scattering of locations across the country. The character has gained this reputation after appearing in 26 of author Lee Child’s books and a handful of short stories where he is a roaming loner who seems to find trouble wherever he goes. Now carrying on that legacy is a new series simply entitled Reacher. Over eight episodes, the Prime Video show’s first season serves as a fitting adaptation of Child’s first book, 1997’s Killing Floor. It will unmistakably appeal to fans of the book looking for a faithful retelling of the story about a small-town mystery and, more importantly, introduce us to the now definitive actor to take on the role.
An imposing Alan Ritchson lives, breathes, and embodies Reacher. He's of the right physical appearance in terms of his towering stature, but he's also much more than that. Ritchson plays the character with a charming disposition that masks his brutality, aware of his size and strength that he has lots of fun with. He'll do everything from effortlessly breaking out of zip-tie handcuffs with his sheer strength to casually opening a beer bottle with a bicep while going out for a drink. The manner in which he does this is as playful as it is intimidating. It would have been far too easy for Ritchson to coast by on his physical resemblance to his literary origins. What elevates his performance beyond mere impersonation and makes him so entertaining to watch is how he carries himself. Ritchson has a deadly serious demeanor though the way he delivers a plethora of knowing one-liners makes him a multifaceted character who is overflowing with charisma. He is able to both strike fear into all the various bullies he’ll beat up while also hitting all the right comedic notes to keep things light. There is no one that has ever brought the character to life quite like he has and there likely never will. (Yes, this includes the ill-fated Tom Cruise films.)
The story itself is largely faithful to Child’s work, serving as an origin story of Reacher that introduces us to the character. It all begins with our gargantuan hero strolling into a diner in the fictional town of Margrave, Georgia. A well-decorated former military man now just wearing the clothes on his back, he's in town because his brother Joe has told him about the area’s connection to a famous blues musician. He is in the diner because he wants to try a piece of what he has heard is the best pie you’ll find anywhere. Before he can do that, he is unexpectedly arrested for a murder he didn’t commit. Reacher, being Reacher, keeps his cool and soon finds out there is a secret to this town that he has unwittingly stumbled into. He will then have to team up with detective Finlay (Malcolm Goodwin) and officer Roscoe (Willa Fitzgerald) to get to the bottom of what is wrong with this small corner of the world. Oh, and he’ll see if he can ever get back to that pie he never finished.
The entire experience is a show that is light on its feet from a tonal perspective as it follows Reacher and company looking into the growing number of mysterious murders. It prioritizes excitement over everything else, with the show always finding a plausible enough reason for this hulk of a man to beat up some bullies who are pushing others around. Be it some goons in prison trying to silence him or a local spoiled rich kid who uses his wealth to do whatever he wants, Reacher dispatches them all with ease. Even when he gets bloodied and beaten up in the process, he’ll just go find a replacement t-shirt and glue up his wounds before moving on to his next task. It is all precise, simple, and satisfying, a reflection of its pulpy origins. There are certainly darker elements, as we see both graphic violence committed by and against Reacher, though it is all wrapped up in an easygoing disposition that keeps everything moving along at a brisk pace.
The stakes do keep ratcheting up, but we all know that Reacher is capable of handling almost anything that the baddies will throw at him. The series reminds us repeatedly of his prowess. A lesser show could take this too far, robbing the action sequences of tension. Reacher, smartly, doesn’t let this happen and often undercuts its lead at key moments to remind us of his vulnerability. He is, after all, still human and mostly confined to the laws of nature. The show still doesn’t skimp on some creative action sequences, sprinkling them in while Reacher does his investigating. The best ones are where he must undertake hand-to-hand combat, with Ritchson not only taking on many of the stunts but really selling it. In one standout sequence, Reacher almost is bested by a formidable opponent when he finds himself alone. He still manages to do some quick thinking and get out alive while leaving, in a manner of speaking, his attacker hanging out to dry.
As we see Reacher take down enemy after enemy and the bodies begin to pile up, the only worry you begin to have is that the story might lose sight of some of the other characters. This includes smaller characters — like an underutilized Harvey Guillén of What We Do In The Shadows who plays Jasper, the local medical examiner who delivers many funny lines as he finds himself way out of his depth. When it comes to the main characters, both Finlay and Roscoe can often fade into the background. For Finlay, he is frequently the punching bag for the town that borders on feeling one-note. With Roscoe, she is an initially interesting confidant for Reacher though gets sidelined in a strange mid-season plot development. When considering the abundance of repetitive and largely unimportant flashbacks Reacher gets to his younger years, it risks feeling a little out of balance narratively. There is also a perplexing ghost of a storyline that our protagonist might have some demons in his past from wartime that could complicate his otherwise good-guy persona. The show finds a way to resolve the issue with Reacher being the hero, because of course he is, though it makes for a shallow misdirect that could have been explored more deeply. This is not something that derails the show; it just speaks to the narrative ceiling a Jack Reacher adaptation will eventually reach.
Still, this tendency to prioritize a simple narrative over a more morally complex one is core to what Reacher is. As Brandy Jensen wrote in the best piece you’ll find about the long-running novels, the way the stories are structured is “laid out in a fairly orderly fashion” that “even takes on a sort of meditative quality.” The show captures that ethos, eschewing the shades of grey found in the real world to become more of a fantasy — a fantasy where a big man finds out whose skulls need cracking, proceeds to crack those skulls, and that is all it takes to set things right. It is a show that knows exactly what it is and what it needs to be, providing an entertaining catharsis in seeing Reacher take down those who abuse their power. He is capable of just about anything, for better or worse. There likely will be more adventures for him ahead, as there are certainly more than a few available books to cover in future seasons. Whatever path Reacher ends up taking, as long as he is played by Ritchson, the material is in good hands. Large hands that are tools of violence, though still good hands at that.
Rating: A-
All episodes of Reacher are available starting Friday, February 4 on Amazon Prime.