After the lacklustre attempt at bringing Lee Child’s action hero Jack Reacher to the big screen back in 2012 (yes, the one with Tom Cruise), Amazon have brought the character to the small screen in a big way.
After getting off a bus in Margrave, Georgia to visit the site where his favourite blues musician Blind Blake died, Jack Reacher (Alan Ritchson) is quickly arrested on suspicion of murder. In the wake of proving his innocence, the former military police officer soon ends up in a web of conspiracies that goes deeper than he would like it to and he helps the local police department to solve.
Developed for TV by Nick Santora, this incarnation of Reacher is the most accurate and compelling to date. It is violent, raw and gripping – exactly what this particular story (adapted from the debut novel Killing Floor) required. Ritchson is built exactly like his character is depicted in the source material (a 6-foot 5-inch brick shit-house) and his portrayal is equally menacing, wholesome and human. The chemistry between him and Roscoe (Fitzgerald) and Finlay (Goodwin) is unrivalled in shows of this nature – funny and relatable when needed yet stern and serious when the narrative requires it. The eight-episode series is perfectly paced with each one-hour instalment keeping the suspense, action and mystery consistent throughout and utterly captivating.
From the writing to the acting and direction – Reacher is the perfect adaptation of this beloved character that will keep you enthralled from start to finish, sticks the landing and will leave you wanting more. Fortunately for us, a second season was instantly commissioned upon the series’ release.
Reacher is available to watch now on Prime Video.


