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Jack Reacher

Where to watch.

Watch Jack Reacher with a subscription on Paramount+, rent on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

What to Know

Jack Reacher is an above-average crime thriller with a smoothly charismatic performance from Tom Cruise.

Critics Reviews

Audience reviews, cast & crew.

Christopher McQuarrie

Rosamund Pike

Helen Rodin

Robert Duvall

Richard Jenkins

Werner Herzog

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It's well-established that Tom Cruise is too short to play the Jack Reacher of Lee Child's novels, a broad-shouldered giant of an ex-military policeman described by the author in terms usually reserved for horror movie beasts. But between Cruise's often steely, obsessive screen persona and his multiple-decades-long career as a leading man, he's built up a gravitas that translates to "menace" easily, and he's effective in "Jack Reacher," adapted by Christopher McQuarrie ("Way of the Gun," " The Usual Suspects ") from the novel "One Shot." Even when he's laughing and grinning, Cruise seems like the sort of person one wouldn't want to cross. He can also do icy minimalism (see Michael Mann's " Collateral " for proof), and that's the mode McQuarrie is operating in here, so it's an effective match of leading man and filmmaker, even though the overall impact is that of a superior proof-of-concept pilot for a TV show rather than a rich stand-alone film.

The story begins when a man drives a van into the parking garage across the Allegheny River from a stadium and murders five people with a sniper rifle. Local cops pull a fingerprint from a quarter deposited in a parking meter near the garage where the killer set up and arrest ex-Army sniper James Barr ( Joseph Sikora ). Detective Calvin Emerson ( David Oyelowo ) and District Attorney Alex Rodin ( Richard Jenkins ) offer Barr a choice between confessing to the crimes and going to prison for life. Barr adds a third option: writing "Get Jack Reacher" on a notepad. 

Reacher, who came to Pittsburgh after watching TV news coverage of the shootings, visits Barr in the hospital, where he's in a coma with memory loss after having been attacked by fellow inmates during incarceration. Reacher meets Barr's defense attorney, Helen Rodin ( Rosamund Pike ), who happens to be the D.A.'s daughter. The case has a few peculiar details, notably the fingerprinted quarter: what sort of mass murderer pays for parking? What really happened here? 

Helen and Reacher (they call him Reacher, almost never Jack) discuss the incident and embark on their own investigation. Well, not exactly: Reacher drives the movie to such a degree that it makes Cruise seem insecure as a leading man (he's more generous in the "Mission: Impossible" movies). He does most of the talking here, trying out his own theories and picking apart Helen's. Mostly Helen is there to (1) help Reacher do things he doesn't have the clearance or access to do for himself, (2) be proved wrong or made to seem naive, and (3) get kidnapped and used as a hostage/leverage in the final stretch of the movie. 

Reacher is a sharp and often sardonic investigator in the books and usually becomes the alpha in whatever room he's in. But there's something misguided in this film's tone. It tips things so that we spend two hours watching Reacher be right about (almost) everything. Helen isn't insulted or degraded by the movie, but she's not respected, either, and almost every person who dares step to Reacher gets his butt handed to him in a lunchpail. That gets dull after a while. If Cruise weren't so naturally intense and the filmmaking so assured, it would have gotten dull a lot faster.

The mystery ultimately leads us to the bad guys, but they're introduced to the audience long before Helen and Reacher figure out how they're involved in the mass murder and why they engineered it the first place. The chief henchman is a Reacher-like paramilitary badass played by Jai Courtney . The Big Bad is a gangster posing as a legitimate businessman who goes by the ominous one-syllable name Zec (Russian for "prisoner") and is played by director Werner Herzog . 

Zec is a cipher, more a satanic presence than a man. It makes sense that Cruise and McQuarrie would decide to fill the part with somebody who is as much of a "brand" in his own way as Cruise. Herzog has chronicled so much madness and evil as a director that it's rubbed off on him by osmosis, even though he comes across as a cheerful eccentric when discussing his art. His work in "Jack Reacher" is one of the best pieces of director stunt casting since Martin Scorsese played the president of Geritol in " Quiz Show ." Herzog brings menace and a hint of cosmic irony to the role, making it feel like a statement rather than a gimmick. Zec is a man who has not just seen hell, but purchased real estate.

There's another cagey old veteran in the cast:  Robert Duvall , who acted with Cruise in "Days of Thunder." He plays Marine Gunnery Sgt. Martin Cash, who helps Reacher go after the bad guys and is an artist with a rifle. The scenes between Cruise and Duvall are the most pleasurable in the film. Duvall often seems to be busting Cruise's chops, more so than Cash busting Reacher's. This levels out Cruise's control-freak approach to the "hero" part. Duvall is a thousand-pound bull of an actor: Cruise seems to know he'll get the best results by waving a cape at him, then stepping aside to let him gallop and kick. 

McQuarrie deserves credit for having enough faith in the power of his filmmaking to limit himself to a handful of self-contained action scenes, none of which are big by modern Hollywood standards, and make them feel wild, messy and harrowing rather than hide inside of the software-buffed vague digital slickness that has become so common. A fight between Reacher and three men in a house, two of whom corner him in a bathtub and try to kill him with bats, feels real even when Reacher is making like 1980s Schwarzenegger and using one man's head as a makeshift bowling ball to beat another man's face in. 

Cruise has that Harrison Ford gift for acting his way through action and reacting to things the way we might, even if we had the hero's experience and training. The movie is never funner or more exciting than when Reacher is facing off against men whose machismo has poisoned the part of their brain that produces common sense and who fail to read Reacher as somebody who makes promises, not threats. Sometimes things will get intense even by Reacher's standards and he'll throw off a reaction that says, "I can't believe I'm in a life-or-death situation for the fourth time this week" right before he rallies and neutralizes the people who are causing him problems. 

The climax should serve as a model for anybody hoping to stage comprehensible action in a vast, dimly lit space (the cinematographer is  Caleb Deschanel , who shot " The Black Stallion ," " The Right Stuff " and other classics). Every moment is so cleanly conveyed that you could write out a police report and not forget anything important. "Reacher" is a solid mystery-action picture, made memorable by the caliber of craft that its cast and crew brings to the table.

Matt Zoller Seitz

Matt Zoller Seitz is the Editor at Large of RogerEbert.com, TV critic for New York Magazine and Vulture.com, and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in criticism.

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Film credits.

Jack Reacher (2012)

Rated PG-13

130 minutes

Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher

Rosamund Pike as Helen Rodin

Richard Jenkins as D.A. Alex Rodin

David Oyelowo as Det. Emerson

Werner Herzog as Zec Chelovek

Jai Courtney as Charlie

Robert Duvall as Martin Cash

Vladimir Sizov as Vlad

Joseph Sikora as James Barr

Nicole Forester as Nancy Holt

Michael Raymond-James as Linsky

Alexia Fast as Sandy

Josh Helman as Jeb Oliver

James Martin Kelly as Rob Farrior

Dylan Kussman as Gary

Denver Milord as Punk

Susan Angelo as Oline Archer

Julia Yorks as Chrissie Farrior

Delilah Picart as Rita Coronado

Joe Coyle as Darren Sawyer

Alicia Murton as Mrs. Sawyer

Peter Gannon as Mr. Archer

David Whalen as Mr. Holt

Tristan Elma as Marcos Coronado

Sophie Guest as Little Girl

Michael Minor as Eyewitness

Scott A. Martin as Wesley

CJ Ramirez as Secretary

Teri Clark as Night Manager

Jarid Faubel as Man on Bus

Sara Lindsey as Woman on Bus

Jace Jeanes as Zec's Thug

Andrei Runtso as Zec's Thug

Efka Kvaraciejus as Zec's Thug

Lee Child as Desk Sergeant

Tommy Lafitte as Man with Ballcap

Kristen Dalton as Mindy

Jordan Trovillion as Goodwill Cashier

Annie Kitral as Pawn Shop Cashier

Lissy Gulick as Diner Waitress

Catherine Albers as Jeb's Mom

Larissa Emanuele as Sportsbar Waitress

Jason McCune as Construction Foreman

Shane Callahan as SWAT Guy

Joshua Elijah Reese as SWAT Guy

Nathan Hollabaugh as Cop

Christopher Stadulis as Cop

Joe Fishel as SWAT Officer (uncredited)

Robert Liscio as Man in Bar (uncredited)

Ronn Surels as Jeb's Wingman (uncredited)

Jackson Nunn as Passenger / Bar Guy (uncredited)

Production Design

• James D. Bissell

Art Direction

• George A. Weimerskirch

Costume Design

• Susan Matheson
• Kevin Stitt

Original Music Composer

• Joe Kraemer
• Don Granger
• Gary Levinsohn
• Paula Wagner
• Christopher McQuarrie

Music Supervisor

• Denise Luiso

Set Decoration

• Douglas A. Mowat
• Mindy Marin

Key Hair Stylist

• Nancy Keslar

Camera Operator

• BJ McDonnell

Music Editor

• John Finklea

Steadicam Operator

Script supervisor.

• Jessica Lichtner
• Marvel Wakefield

Hair Department Head

• Angel De Angelis

Supervising Sound Editor

• Alan Rankin
• Mark P. Stoeckinger

Sound Re-Recording Mixer

• Anna Behlmer
• Terry Porter

Costume Supervisor

• Charlene Amateau

Makeup Department Head

• Trefor Proud

Production Coordinator

• Lindsay Feldman

Still Photographer

• Karen Ballard

Director of Photography

• Caleb Deschanel

Assistant Editor

Visual effects editor.

• Mark Edward Wright
• Josh Sutherland

Art Department Coordinator

• Jenn Albaugh

Sound Mixer

• Jay Meagher
• Jim Emswiller

Property Master

• Peter Gelfman

ADR Supervisor

• Kelly Oxford

Dialogue Editor

• Julie Feiner

Second Unit Director

• Paul Jennings
• Dixon McPhillips

Stunt Coordinator

Executive producer.

• Kevin J. Messick
• Dana Goldberg
• Paul Schwake
• David Ellison

First Assistant Director

• Cliff Lanning

Second Assistant Director

• Rhys Summerhayes
• David Kelley
• Deanna Leslie

Unit Production Manager

• Andrew Saxe

Associate Producer

Post production supervisor.

• Susan E. Novick

Second Second Assistant Director

• Walter E. Myal
• Mikey Eberle

Assistant Director

• Eric Yellin

Executive In Charge Of Production

• Kirby Adams
• Ronn Surels
• Kimberly Shannon Murphy
• Janene Carleton
• Zack Duhame
• Peter Epstein
• Alice Rietveld
• Amy Lynn Tuttle
• Eddie Perez

Supervising Art Director

• Christa Munro

Assistant Hairstylist

• Winfrey Izear

Makeup Artist

• Sarah Monzani

Key Makeup Artist

• Marianne Skiba

Foley Mixer

• Scott Curtis

Boom Operator

• Chad Djubek
• Michael Piotrowski

Foley Editor

• Victor Ray Ennis
• Jerry Gilbert
• Chris Navarro

ADR Engineer

• Tamas Kurina

Utility Sound

• Kelly Roofner
• Amishjim Schulze

First Assistant Sound Editor

• David Stanke

Sound Effects Editor

• Bruce Tanis

Sound Editor

• Jay Wilkinson
• Juan Álvarez
• Cody Brunty
• Chris Ervin
• Doug Spilatro

Visual Effects Coordinator

• Caitlin Atherton
• Rachel Faith Hanson
• Charles Baden
• Travis Wade Ivy
• Roger Mocenigo
• Shoban Narayanan

Visual Effects Producer

• Daniel Chavez

Visual Effects Supervisor

• Bryan Godwin
• Mike Uguccioni

Rotoscoping Artist

• James Kawano

Compositing Supervisor

• Harimander Singh Khalsa

Digital Compositor

• Valy Lungoccia
• Jale Parsons

CGI Director

• Mare McIntosh

2D Supervisor

• Denise O'Neill

Digital Colorist

• Mitch Paulson

CG Supervisor

• Joel Sevilla

Senior Visual Effects Supervisor

• Shane Strickman

Executive Visual Effects Producer

• David Van Dyke

Set Costumer

• Melanie Cargioli
• Alison Evans

Key Costumer

• Michelle Christensen
• James Eidel
• Kelli French
• Nancy Thompson

Assistant Costume Designer

• Elaine Perlmann

Key Set Costumer

• Virginia Smith Phillips

Score Engineer

• Greg Loskorn

First Assistant "C" Camera

• Markus Mentzer

Stunt Driver

• Chris Palermo
• Jimmy N. Roberts
• Clay Cullen

Stunt Double

• Casey O'Neill

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The Ending Of Jack Reacher Explained

In the 2012 film "Jack Reacher," a horrible crime is committed in Pittsburgh: five people are coldly executed by a sniper. The case seems open and shut when the police discover a man named James Barr (Joseph Sikora), a former U.S. Army sniper with damning evidence in his home and his van. The authorities make a simple offer to Barr: a full confession and life in prison, or a guaranteed death sentence in court. Barr doesn't say a word, but takes a pen and a notepad and writes three words: "Get Jack Reacher."

Reacher ( Tom Cruise ) arrives in Pittsburgh after hearing of Barr's arrest for the murder. Reacher is a wandering drifter and former Army police officer who knows full well what Barr is capable of, but doubts he committed the actual crime. Joining forces with Helen Rodin (Rosamund Pike), Barr's defense attorney, the two realize that the killing spree is actually part of a far more insidious plot.

The full confession of an innocent man

In "Jack Reacher's" final scene, Barr had been attacked in prison and left in a coma, one he awakens from with no memory. However, he believes that he must be guilty of the shootings. While innocent of the crime he was framed for, he talks about how he would have committed the crime exactly as Reacher himself described it during his investigation. Barr then demands to face his punishment. He is eager to own up to this crime because of his previous encounter with Reacher years before, where he had gone on a killing spree during his tour in Iraq but wasn't prosecuted for the crime because his victims were suspected of multiple instances of sexual assault.

As Barr confesses, he breaks down in tears, not of remorse or regret for his crimes, but for the fact that Reacher knows where he is, and if he gets away with this, he will find him and kill him. After all, Reacher doesn't care about the law — he only cares about what's right. As the film ends, we see a man verbally and physically threatening his wife on a bus, and Reacher quietly rises from his seat and starts moving toward him, further reinforcing his personal principles.

The deconstruction of the Action Hero

In "Jack Reacher," we see a take on the implacable, unstoppable action hero that's quite different from other examples within the genre. Cruise's Reacher isn't quick with quips like John McClane or a nearly indestructible powerhouse like Dom Toretto , but a quiet and determined operator who will absolutely, positively kill you dead if you're outside of his definition of right or wrong. The world of "Jack Reacher" isn't one where a person can fly into the windshield of a speeding car and walk it off: the violence is quick, lean, and brutal. Jack Reacher isn't a maverick cop or a charming rogue, but a trained killer who is very, very good at administering pain and executing his opponents quickly and efficiently.

The film illustrates that a man like Reacher, someone so close to what we conceive of as the archetypal action hero, one operating by his own code and acting as the ultimate arbiter of right and wrong, would be a terrifying figure even if he's ostensibly the "good guy."

Jack Reacher (2012)

Jack Reacher is a 2012 thriller directed by Christopher McQuarrie ( The Way of the Gun , Mission: Impossible - Fallout ). The feature film is an adaptation of the novel One Shot by Lee Child (the author who appears in a cameo in the film as an officer), who created a series of novels featuring the title character. Tom Cruise stars as Jack Reacher, a former US Army investigator living off the grid who emerges after being called upon by a former Army sniper who is accused of a seemingly random shooting of five people in Pittsburgh. The film also co-stars Rosamund Pike , Jai Courtney , David Oyelowo , Robert Duvall and director Werner Herzog in a rare acting role. The film was followed in 2016 with the sequel Jack Reacher: Never Go Back and 2022 with Reacher , an Amazon Prime original series with Alan Ritchson in the role of Reacher.

The following weapons were used in the film Jack Reacher (2012) :

• 1.1 Glock 19
• 1.2 M1911A1
• 1.3 Colt Government Model
• 1.4 Ruger 22/45 Lite
• 1.5 Smith & Wesson Model 442
• 2.1 M4A1 Carbine
• 2.3 SIG P556 SWAT / SG 550 hybrid
• 2.4 Springfield Armory M1A
• 2.5 Remington 700
• 2.6 PWS MK216
• 3.1 Cash's Shooting Range

Detective Emerson ( David Oyelowo ) uses a Gen 4 Glock 19 as his sidearm. He carries it in an IWB (Inside the Waistband) holster. Helen Rodin ( Rosamund Pike ) also briefly handles the gun in the film, when she hands it to Jack Reacher ( Tom Cruise ).

A distraught father of one of the shooting victims has a M1911A1 with Rampant Colt grips sitting on his table when he speaks with Helen Rodin ( Rosamund Pike ). Close inspection reveals the standard spur hammer has been replaced with a Commander-style ring hammer.

Colt Government Model

A thug tries to shoot Jack Reacher with a slightly customized Colt Government Model with a skeleton hammer before being disarmed by him.

Ruger 22/45 Lite

Charlie ( Jai Courtney ) uses a Ruger 22/45 Lite pistol in the film.

Smith & Wesson Model 442

Detective Emerson ( David Oyelowo ) carries a Smith & Wesson Model 442 as his backup gun.

Rifles / Carbines

M4a1 carbine.

Pittsburgh PD SWAT officers use M4A1 carbines with various attachments in the film. Private Military Contractors in a flashback to Iraq are also seen with M4A1 carbines. Charlie ( Jai Courtney ) also uses a heavily customized M4A1 fitted with a Magpul buttstock, pistol grip, angled fore grip, MBUS and PMAG. He also has a low power scope, offset red dot sight, free float quad rail, tactical flashlight, extended charging handle latch and a laser designator on his back-up rifle during the climax. Jack Reacher ( Tom Cruise ) also uses this rifle at a later point. Reacher takes off the scope before entering a close-quarters situation, having no use for it.

One of the Pittsburgh PD SWAT officers uses an M16A4 fitted with a bipod and a scope when responding to the shooting.

SIG P556 SWAT / SG 550 hybrid

All of the henchmen employed by the Zec (Werner Herzog) use SIG P556 SWAT hybrid rifles during the finale. Jack Reacher ( Tom Cruise ) uses one with an Aimpoint CompM2 sight after taking out a henchman with a rock. The rifle used by Reacher has been previously seen in the film Salt , and is a custom rifle that has a SIG SG 550 series lower receiver not seen on the actual P556.

Springfield Armory M1A

The Springfield Armory M1A is the main rifle seen in the film. An M1A in a woodland camouflage scheme is used in the shootings in Pittsburgh, and is handled in various scenes by James Barr ( Joseph Sikora ), Charlie ( Jai Courtney ), Jack Reacher ( Tom Cruise ) and Detective Emerson ( David Oyelowo ). U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant, and gun range owner Cash ( Robert Duvall ) uses an M1A with a wooden stock to provide covering fire for Reacher in the finale. Every M1A in the film is an actual M1A and not an M21/M25 SWS because they all lack the fire selector even though 2 of the rifles seen have cutouts for it in the stock. James Barr is also seen using an M1A in desert camouflage and a makeshift suppressor in a flashback to his experiences as an Army sniper in Iraq, which is strange because the US Army stopped using the M21/M25 SWS in 1988 when the bolt action M24 was introduced. In the book that the film is based on, Barr served as an infantry sniper during the Gulf War(1990-1991). Even though many M21/M25 variants came back into favor in the Iraq and Afghan wars in the 2000s, it is not clear in the movie if Barr served in the Gulf War or the Iraq War(2003-2011).

Remington 700

Cash ( Robert Duvall ) challenges Jack Reacher ( Tom Cruise ) to shoot three rounds into the center of a target at 700 yards with a Remington 700 before speaking with him about James Barr.

Charlie ( Jai Courtney ) uses what appears to be a PWS MK216 during the final confrontation with Reacher.

Cash's Shooting Range

Former USMC Gunnery Sergeant Cash ( Robert Duvall ) has several handguns on display at his shooting range store. Several hunting rifles can also be seen on the upper left corner, and pictures of Remington shotguns next to them. A crossbow is also visible when Reacher first visits Cash's store.

• Action Movie
• Christopher McQuarrie

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Jack reacher, common sense media reviewers.

Serviceable but forgettable Cruise thriller is very violent.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Bad guys get what's coming to them, courtesy of Ja

Reacher doesn't hesitate to break the law to achie

Plenty of violence right from the start, when a lo

One scene shows a woman in her underwear getting d

Relatively infrequent swearing includes a couple u

Several car brands are mentioned and/or get promin

One scene takes place in a bar where plenty of peo

Parents need to know that Tom Cruise stars as the title character in Jack Reacher , an adaptation of Lee Child's novel One Shot . Reacher is a former military police offer who's enlisted to find a sniper who fired six shots into a crowd, killing five people. This thriller is violent, and vigilante…

Positive Messages

Bad guys get what's coming to them, courtesy of Jack Reacher, a loner/vigilante who dispenses his own brand of justice, which mostly bypasses the legal system. That said, there's also the message that it's worth looking beyond appearances to find out the truth.

Positive Role Models

Reacher doesn't hesitate to break the law to achieve his goals -- he participates in assault, auto theft, coercion, intimidation, and outright murder -- but all of his victims have it coming to them. (Well, mostly.) He uses smarts and intuition in many cases (in addition to his more violent methods). Helen is able to separate her emotions from her job.

Violence & Scariness

Plenty of violence right from the start, when a lone gunman shoots five people with a sniper rifle (a scene that's revisited later in the movie). Jack Reacher, the main character, is a former soldier, highly trained with guns and in hand-to-hand combat, and the film finds plenty of chances to showcase his abilities. He takes on a group of toughs in a few street brawls, leaving them bloodied and sometimes with broken bones. Other scenes feature execution-style killings, allusions to torture, and men beating up women. Few of these scenes actually show blood or gore, but they do make it clear that bodies are taking serious damage and the people are in pain, and a few shots may be hard to watch. There's also a high-speed chase through city streets that damages plenty of cars.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

One scene shows a woman in her underwear getting dressed; Reacher is shirtless in another. Some sexual tension between the two main characters never leads to anything. One scene has some flirty banter when a woman comes on to Reacher, though he's clearly not interested.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Relatively infrequent swearing includes a couple uses of "f--k," plus "p---y," "s--t," "a--hole," "bitch," "prick," "damn," "hell," "ass," "goddamn," and more.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Several car brands are mentioned and/or get prominent screen time. Helen drives a Mercedes, and the bad guys spend a lot of time trailing Reacher in an Audi. Another character drives a Cadillac, which is referred to by name. Some of the characters drink Budweiser when relaxing, and Bud signage is visible in the background in a bar.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

One scene takes place in a bar where plenty of people in the background are drinking, though Reacher sticks to coffee. He later shares a beer with Helen when they're relaxing in a motel room. References to meth use; drug paraphernalia is shown.

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Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Tom Cruise stars as the title character in Jack Reacher , an adaptation of Lee Child's novel One Shot . Reacher is a former military police offer who's enlisted to find a sniper who fired six shots into a crowd, killing five people. This thriller is violent, and vigilante Reacher shows no qualms breaking the law to make sure justice is done -- at least his version of justice. There's some swearing (including "f--k" and "s--t") and a bit of sexual tension between Reacher and co-star Rosamund Pike , but no actual sex and very little drinking. Still, there are allusions to torture, and the fight scenes are sometimes brutal; a few are very tough to stomach. Even though there's little blood or gore on screen, the film is more appropriate for older teens and up. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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• Parents say (15)
• Kids say (44)

Based on 15 parent reviews

What's the Story?

After a lone gunman shoots five people in a random spree of terror, all the evidence points to a former Army sniper, but the suspect makes one request: "Get JACK REACHER." Who's Reacher? A retired soldier, weapons expert, and martial artist who lives off the grid -- no car, no mobile phone, no credit card, no known address. The star of a popular series of novels by author Lee Childs, Reacher ( Tom Cruise ) travels from town to town, always managing to get himself involved in some kind of adventure. Here, he sets out to make sure the accused gets what he deserves, but soon begins to suspect he may actually be innocent. Working with a defense attorney ( Rosamund Pike ), Reacher uncovers a dangerous conspiracy run by violent thugs who are eager to shut him up, permanently. Robert Duvall and Richard Jenkins co-star.

Is It Any Good?

This movie is muscley but ultimately forgettable entertainment. The story in Jack Reacher has enough twists to keep viewers interested, and Cruise playing stoic, confident, and extremely competent is always watchable. Plus, there are a few set pieces that are good fun. (Watch as Cruise, weary and wary, takes on five punks after warning them they're in for more than they expect -- no spoiler, he wasn't lying.)

But the film lacks momentum. It moves quickly through the action sequences and then too slowly as Cruise and Pike knit together the clues. The villains, led by a shadowy Russian, are generically evil, yet their motivation is unclear. Pike in particular has little to do other than look anxious in her damsel-in-distress role. And the movie seems indulgently violent. Besides the extended opening sequence of one murder after another, there are plenty of other sequences that leave both men and women battered, bloody, and broken. In short, Jack Reacher works as a serviceable thriller, but a masterpiece of the genre? Now that's a reach.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about what makes Jack Reacher , which is rate PG-13, different from R-rated films. Is the violence less graphic or upsetting? Why or why not? What impact does seeing this kind of violence have on teens ?

What do you think about Jack Reacher's vigilante actions? Is it right for one man to dispense justice to people who are clearly villains?

Why does Jack Reacher live the way he does? How do his actions in this film show what he wants out of life?

Movie Details

• In theaters : December 21, 2012
• On DVD or streaming : May 7, 2013
• Cast : Robert Duvall , Rosamund Pike , Tom Cruise
• Director : Christopher McQuarrie
• Inclusion Information : Female actors
• Studio : Paramount Pictures
• Genre : Thriller
• Topics : Book Characters
• Run time : 130 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG-13
• MPAA explanation : violence, language and some drug material
• Last updated : June 17, 2024

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Jack Reacher: When the Man Comes Around

Cast and crew speak on adapting One Shot as the first Jack Reacher film, casting Tom Cruise, earning Lee Child's blessing, additional character qualities and the performances that shape them... Read all Cast and crew speak on adapting One Shot as the first Jack Reacher film, casting Tom Cruise, earning Lee Child's blessing, additional character qualities and the performances that shape them, Lee Child's cameo in the film, and shooting the film's climax. Cast and crew speak on adapting One Shot as the first Jack Reacher film, casting Tom Cruise, earning Lee Child's blessing, additional character qualities and the performances that shape them, Lee Child's cameo in the film, and shooting the film's climax.

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• Robert Duvall

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• May 7, 2013 (United States)
• United States
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Home > Films > J > Jack Reacher

Thursday July 18th 2024

Jack Reacher | 2012

• Locations |
• Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania
• Christopher McQuarrie
• Tom Cruise,
• Rosamund Pike,
• Richard Jenkins,
• David Oyelowo,
• Werner Herzog,
• Alexia Fast,
• Robert Duvall,
• Jai Courtney

Lee Child ’s original story, One Shot , was set in Indiana , but the opening aerial view of the wedge-shaped city at the confluence of two rivers clearly puts us in the heart of Pittsburgh .

It’s to the north of downtown that the sniper is firing across the Allegheny River , from the parking garage of the Stanwix Tower Apartments, 625 Stanwix Street .

He picks off his apparently random victims on the Riverfront Walk at the foot of Mazeroski Way , beneath the PNC Park baseball stadium, home of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

When he’s tracked down and arrested, the sniper’s only response is to scrawl "Get Jack Reacher” on a notepad. Reacher ( Tom Cruise ) turns up and somewhat unwillingly finds himself working alongside the suspect’s defence attorney, Helen Rodin ( Rosamund Pike ).

It seems, though, that there are people who are out to discourage him from getting involved. The bar, in which Sandy ( Alexia Fast ) comes on to Reacher and sparks off a fight, is Mario’s South Side Saloon , 1510-1514 East Carson Street .

You won’t recognise the exterior of the bar. When Reacher quickly sees off the five guys with his impressive combat skills, he’s a couple of miles away, outside 1900 Smallman Street at 20th Street in the Strip District – northeast of the city toward the Allegheny River .

Reacher tracks down Jeb, ringleader of the bar brawlers, to a home on South Side Slopes , with terrific views over the city. A false frontage was added to the house, 1016 Fritz Street , which is much smarter than it looks on film.

The (now closed) Sewickley Country Inn, 801 Ohio River Boulevard, Sewickley , became the ‘Three Rivers Motel’, where Jack Reacher stays, and discusses the discrepancies in the case with Helen. Sewickley is on the Ohio River , about 12 miles northwest of Pittsburgh .

Fleeing a murder scene set up at the motel, Reacher rams the car of the gang behind the scheme on the 10th Street Bridge , crossing the Monongahela River from South Side Flats , before careering the wrong way through the two-lane Armstrong Tunnel , to emerge on South 10th Street at Forbes Avenue.

He’s soon managed to negotiate Pittsburgh ’s one-way system, and coolly abandons his car on 9th Street south of the Rachel Carson Bridge . Evading the police, he melts into a bus queue outside Pizza Parma, 9th Street at Penn Avenue.

Jack and gun-range owner Cash ( Robert Duvall ) finally catch up with The Zec ( Werner Herzog ) in the Hoover Stone Quarry, 150 Moween Road , in Saltsburg , about 30 miles east of Pittsburgh .

Visit The Film Locations

Pennsylvania.

Visit: Pennsylvania

Visit: Pittsburgh

Flights: Pittsburgh International Airport , 1000 Airport Boulevard, Pittsburgh, PA 15231 ( tel: 412.472.3525 )

Visit: Mario’s South Side Saloon , 1510-1514 East Carson Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203 ( tel: 412.381.5610 )

Visit: PNC Park , 115 Federal Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15212

Jack Reacher : Tom Cruise Picks the Wrong Week for a Thriller About a Mass Killing

The star's new crime drama gets undermined by the suddenly dour pre-Christmas mood—and by not being a very good movie

A man drives into a Pittsburgh parking garage, deposits a quarter in the meter and stares across the Allegheny River at pedestrians on the esplanade near the Pirates’ PNC Park. Cruising for targets, the sniper aims his M1A Super Match rifle at “the sweet spot where the medulla meets the spine.” Bang bang bang, bang bang bang. Six shots, five dead — random victims, whose only crime was being in the line of a madman’s fire.

Jack Reacher , the very ordinary new Tom Cruise thriller, may be a minor collateral victim of the Sandy Hook Elementary School carnage. Because it begins with this scene of a mass slaughter, shown from the gunman’s point of view, the movie accidentally and automatically evokes obscene images of slain first-grade children. Those images will be in most Americans’ minds for a while, certainly through the early run of the movie, which opens Friday. Popular entertainment, meant to relieve people of real-life cares by leading them into a fictional world, occasionally grazes against some national trauma. That is the case with Jack Reacher . Appropriately, Paramount Pictures postponed the Saturday evening premiere in Pittsburgh, where the movie was filmed, and where Cruise was to receive commendations from Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and Governor Tom Corbett.

(READ: Michael Crowley on Obama’s Assertion That “These Tragedies Must End” )

In the U.S., mass murders and serial killings have become a serial of their own, a frequently recurring horror movie featuring the same monster: some resourceful lunatic whose atrocity contains no political agenda, only an expression of indiscriminate rage. The mind behind the murders in Jack Reacher is something else; this is not a horror film but an old-fashioned detective story cocooned in violence. We’re not spoiling any plot points (the identity of the sniper is revealed in  Reacher ’s first scene) to say that a tale like this is designed to give motive to madness, to offer the relatively comforting explanation of a conspiracy among the prominent and powerful. It’s the right genre — just, at this time of bereavement, the wrong moment.

Jack Reacher  has two other goals: to provide moviegoers with an incorruptible, infallible savior — the American dream man meant to prevent or avenge American nightmares — and to hand Cruise a second franchise, more modest than his globe-trotting, hyper-expensive  Mission: Impossible  series.

(READ: Corliss’s  review of Tom Cruise’s  Mission: Impossible 4 )

Lee Child’s Reacher novels, 17 by now, portray an ex-Army investigator turned drifter who’s part Travis McGee, part Terminator, and all avenging angel. Along with no fixed abode, he has no car, credit cards, computer or cell phone. He’s like your indigent, itinerant grandpa, a hobo Abe Simpson, except Reacher is six-five, 250 and a master of martial and firearm arts. This taciturn hero — the most frequent sentence in any Child novel is “Reacher said nothing” — shows up at some crime scene, detects, fights, solves and leaves. Though he travels on public bus lines (whose vendors take cash and don’t bother with security patdowns), the books are best consumed on a crosscountry plane trip: prime junk culture, immediately diverting and instantly disposable.

(READ: Andrea Sachs’s Q&A with Lee Child )

The attraction of the movie Jack Reacher , based on  One Shot , the ninth volume in the series, is that it aims no higher than the book: the sweet spot where the child’s appetite for heroic fantasy meets the NASCAR dad’s need for vicarious mayhem. Cruise, as star and producer, and Christopher McQuarrie, the screenwriter and director, are going for that B-movie crime vibe — a tough man, a blond, a couple of gnarled city officials and a pack of lumpen goons — with a gritty, rust-belt milieu.

In a month of films overburdened by dreams of Oscar, it’s nice to anticipate a picture that has no other ambition but hard-boiled detective-story entertainment. It’s also disappointing when the film’s modest pleasures are scuttled by more sizable frustrations, and when a little movie with big talent behind it turns out to be suitable only for in-flight viewing.

(You won’t FIND:  Jack Reacher  on  TIME’s Top 10 Best Movies of 2012 )

In the sniper shooting, an abundance of clues leads to a loner Iraqi veteran, James Barr (Joseph Sikora), who looks ripe for the death penalty . His one demand to the police, before convicts beat him into a coma, is “Get Jack Reacher.” No one in Pittsburgh knows how to contact Reacher — he leaves only a ghost’s shadow — yet within days he shows up. Reacher’s mission is not to clear the suspect but to ensure his death. Years before, on a Middle East tour of duty, Barr had shot and killed four contractors but been freed on a political technicality; Reacher, the military cop who nailed him, promised Barr that if it happened again he would come back to exact justice.

He tells this to Emerson (David Oyelowo), the detective who gathered the evidence against Barr, to District Attorney Alex Rodin (Richard Jenkins) and to the D.A.’s lawyer daughter Helen (Rosamund Pike), who has taken Barr’s case. Reacher agrees to act as Helen’s investigator, both to validate his opinion of the defendant and because… well, if Barr really were the sniper, there’d be neither book nor movie.

(READ: Corliss’s 1989 Tom Cruise cover story by subscribing to TIME)

Though closer to five-six than to six-five, Cruise adequately fills the Reacher silhouette. The three-decade leading man, who turned 50 this summer, wears his years well. He is still of sturdy physique, which he irrelevantly displays to Pike, and has quick reflexes needed for the three main action sequences. They don’t match his scaling of the 160 stories of Dubai’s Burj Khalifa in Mission: Impossible 4 , but they’ll do as a Cruise triathlon.

Here they are: a fight with five guys (“Remember, you asked for this,” he tells the ringleader before beating the sap out of him); a frantic car chase through the City of Bridges (some sharp work by Cruise and his stunt drivers); and the climactic battle at a quarry, where he and a craggy ex-Marine (Robert Duvall) try to take down the movie’s Comrade Big, a wily survivor of Soviet gulags who is known as The Zec (Pantheon director Werner Herzog, sporting an agate marble for his left eye, and fingers gnawed down to the knuckles). A Cruise character that never smiles simply does not give value for money — Reacher would be a snugger fit for some large, glum actor: an Arnold Schwarzenegger or Liam Neeson in his younger days —  but the star is not the problem with Jack Reacher .

(READ: Richard Schickel’s review of the Cruise-McQuarrie film  Valkyrie )

The culprit is McQuarrie, whose Oscar-winning script for the 1995 The Usual Suspects stands out in his otherwise so-so résumé like the Burj Khalifa on the flat Arabian Peninsula. Stripping the 496-page novel of three of its five prominent female characters, while retaining a Child plot twist indebted to Agatha Christie’s The ABC Murders , McQuarrie gets the gist of the story but not the juice.

Many scenes have the airless tone of a first read-through; the car chase (done on foot in the novel) is a needless exercise, sloppily choreographed; Pike and Oyelowo, fine British actors both, seem stranded and coarse of character in the drab mise-en-scène . There’s a moment when Reacher has his back turned as Helen enters a room and can identify her because she was “breathing too sternly.” Pike’s whole performance is like that: naive and anxious.

(READ: Corliss’s  review of Christopher McQuarrie’s  The Usual Suspects ) 

A strong director might have enlivened two of the starker scenes — Reacher overwhelming two Keystone-klutz thugs in a bathroom, and the fearsome Zec telling a minion he won’t be killed if he’ll just bite off a finger — but McQuarrie hasn’t the skill or daring to make them work. (A kinder inference would be that he was inhibited by Cruise’s insistence on landing a PG-13 rating for the film.)

Some movies, like Tom Hooper’s Les Misérables , fail because of bad direction: big ideas gone wrong. Jack Reacher suffers from a lack of direction, as if McQuarrie had pushed the actors in front of the camera and hoped that the film would miraculously make itself. Maybe he relied too much on the artistry of cinematographer Caleb Deschanel ( The Black Stallion , The Right Stuff , The Patriot , The Passion of the Christ ) and by Joe Kraemer’s thumping score, which, during helicopter shots of the crime scene, explodes like God’s farts over Pittsburgh.

(READ: Corliss’s review of Hooper’s Les Misérables )

We found a few saving performances. Jai Courtney makes an excellent impression, a blend of Javier Bardem and early Jeremy Renner, as Charlie, The Zec’s chief marksman-henchman. Jenkins, as the D.A. in tense conversation with Helen, subtly segues from badgering the witness to playing the protective dad. James Martin Kelly is wonderful in a small role as Rob Farrior, the father of one of the sniper’s victims. A beefy, working-class guy whose paternal tenderness has been stripped raw, Farrior at first seems weakened by grief; but when Helen, Barr’s attorney, visits him, he is stirred to a fury that sends her packing. It lasts only a minute or two, but it’s a beautifully acted scene of a man, made bleary by mourning, who in an eyeblink realizes that a father’s atavistic duty is to lash out at the emissary of his daughter’s killer. Coincidentally, Farrior stands in for those, in Newtown and beyond, rendered numb by tragedy and wondering why the news media, or movies, have to pick so diligently at this fresh wound.

(READ: James Poniewozik on the media’s exploitation of the Sandy Hook children )

There’s also one laugh-out-loud line of dialogue, when Reacher faces down Charlie with the gaudy threat, “I mean to beat you to death and drink your blood from a boot,” as if Cruise were briefly channeling his Lestat character in Interview With the Vampire . It’s almost up there with James Caan’s immortal warning — “I can promise you a day of reckoning that you will not live long enough to never forget” — in McQuarrie’s directorial debut, the 2000 The Way of the Gun .

(READ: Corliss’s  review of Christopher McQuarrie’s  The Way of the Gun )

The blood-from-a-boot line is a keeper, but it doesn’t suit the hero’s brand of tight-lipped heroism. Even when the film is cool, it manages to be wrong. That’s another stroke of bad luck in a movie whose worst misfortune was to stumble into the middle of anguished national debate about the kind of killer Jack Reacher means only as a plot device.

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The 48 Best Sniper Movies Ever Made, Ranked

You don't need a spotter to find good movies about snipers and sharpshooters because we've ranked them from best to worst using votes from Rankers like you. It makes sense that films about marksmen hitting targets from a distance are great subject matter for thrillers like Phone Booth and Grand Piano . There are also a few war drama films on the list like American Sniper, Enemy at the Gates, and Battle for Sevastopol. But if straight action is what you're looking for, be sure to check out Tom Berenger in the Sniper franchise or Mark Wahlberg in Shooter. No matter what you choose to watch, you'll either know what it's like to see a target through a scope or find out what it feels like to be in the crosshairs. With so many good sniper movies, it will be hard to determine the top ten best sniper movies, not to mention which one belongs in the number one spot.

Vote up your favorite films about marksmen and markswomen so other fans will know what to watch next. Also, don't hesitate to vote down the sniper movies you wish you hadn't seen to keep them from going to the top of the list. Lastly, look for the Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, HBO Max, Paramount+, and Apple TV+ buttons below each film to stream them whenever you want.

Enemy at the Gates

• Released : 2001
• Directed by : Jean-Jacques Annaud

Enemy at the Gates is a movie about one of history's most legendary snipers, Vassili Zaitsev. The film follows him as he works tirelessly to defend Stalingrad from Nazi forces during World War II. It does a remarkable job showing how his skill and accuracy with a rifle were key to the battle, but more importantly, it emphasizes the human cost of war in a powerful way. Enemy at the Gates is an excellent historical drama with suspenseful action sequences.

• # 12 of 262 on The Best War Movies Of All Time
• # 15 of 113 on The Best Movies Of 2001
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American Sniper

• Released : 2014
• Directed by : Clint Eastwood

American Sniper is a powerful movie about a Navy SEAL sniper, Chris Kyle. The film follows his story from enlisting in the military to being deployed for four tours and eventually returning home with PTSD. It's an honest portrayal of what war does to soldiers, as well as their families, and shows just how difficult it is for them to readjust back into civilian life.

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• # 16 of 262 on The Best War Movies Of All Time

• Released : 2007
• Directed by : Antoine Fuqua

Shooter is an action-packed movie about a former military sniper, Bob Lee Swagger. It tells the story of how he is framed for murder and must fight to clear his name. The film does an excellent job of showing the skill and expertise required to be a good marksman, as well as highlighting the moral dilemma faced by soldiers who have to make life-or-death decisions in their line of work.

• # 79 of 193 on The Best Movies For Men
• # 40 of 139 on The Best Movies Of 2007
• # 36 of 65 on The Most Patriotic Movies Of All Time

Saving Private Ryan

• Released : 1998
• Directed by : Steven Spielberg

Captain John Miller is tasked with retrieving Private James Ryan from behind enemy lines during WW II. This film makes the list because of Barry Pepper as Private Daniel Jackson, a gifted marksman who participates in one of the most memorable scenes involving snipers ever in a war film.

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• # 8 of 50 on The Biggest Movies Of The '90s, Ranked
• # 1 of 262 on The Best War Movies Of All Time

• Released : 1993
• Directed by : Luis Llosa

Sniper , released in 1993 and starring Tom Berenger and Billy Zane, is a great movie about the life of a sniper. The film follows the story of Thomas Beckett (Berenger) as he attempts to complete one final mission before retiring from his career as an expert marksman. It's a gripping tale that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats until its thrilling conclusion. With realistic battle scenes and excellent performances by both lead actors, Sniper is sure to please fans who are looking for an entertaining movie about snipers.

• # 36 of 157 on The Best TriStar Pictures Movies List
• # 57 of 77 on The 75+ Best Black Ops Films
• # 56 of 83 on The 80+ Best Army Movies Of All Time

Dirty Harry

• Released : 1971
• Directed by : Don Siegel

Dirty Harry is an iconic movie from 1971 starring Clint Eastwood. It follows a San Francisco detective, Dirty Harry Callahan, who uses his sharp wit and deadly accuracy with a .44 Magnum to take down criminals in the city. He must track down a vicious sniper before a kidnapped girl pays the ultimate price, but due to Harry's overzealousness, the sniper is back on the street and takes a school bus hostage. It's up to Dirty Harry to stop him for good this time.

• # 53 of 149 on Movies That Should Never Be Remade
• # 428 of 769 on The Most Rewatchable Movies
• # 14 of 193 on The Best Movies For Men

Sniper: The White Raven

• Released : 2022
• Directed by : Marian Bushan

• Released : 1997
• Directed by : Michael Caton-Jones
• # 51 of 99 on The Best 1990s Action Movies
• # 32 of 95 on The 100+ Best Movies Of 1997
• # 72 of 107 on The Best Movies About A Cat And Mouse Game

• Released : 2017
• Directed by : Doug Liman

The Wall is an intense and captivating movie about a sniper, set in the backdrop of a war-torn Middle East. The film follows two soldiers who are trying to survive after one of them is shot by an unseen enemy sniper. While under constant threat, they must use their wits and courage in order to make it out alive. It's an incredibly thrilling experience that will keep you on edge throughout its entirety.

Sniper: Assassin's End

• Released : 2020
• Directed by : Kaare Andrews

• Released : 2015
• Directed by : Paul Gross

Battle for Sevastopol

• Directed by : Sergey Mokritskiy

The Battle for Sevastopol is a 2015 Russian war film based on the real-life story of Ukrainian sniper Lyudmila Pavlichenko. The movie follows Pavlichenko's journey as she fights to defend her homeland and become one of the deadliest snipers in history. From intense action sequences to psychological drama, this movie will keep you on your toes.

Jack Reacher

• Released : 2012
• Directed by : Christopher McQuarrie

The action thriller movie Jack Reacher , starring Tom Cruise and Rosamund Pike, is a good action-mystery movie about a sniper. The film follows former military police officer Jack Reacher as he investigates an assassin who shot five random victims in Pittsburgh. With gripping suspense and intense fight scenes , this movie keeps you on your toes as you follow Jack's journey to uncover the truth behind the shootings.

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Phone Booth

• Released : 2002
• Directed by : Joel Schumacher

Phone Booth is a suspenseful movie about a sniper who traps an unsuspecting man in a phone booth. The movie follows the man as he desperately tries to escape from his captor while also trying to save himself and innocent bystanders. It stars Colin Farrell, Kiefer Sutherland, Katie Holmes, and Forest Whitaker. This tense thriller has great performances all around and keeps viewers glued to the screen until the very end. It is an excellent example of a good movie involving a sniper that leaves viewers with plenty of questions and excitement.

• # 81 of 251 on The 200+ Best Psychological Thrillers Of All Time
• # 21 of 152 on The Best Movies of 2002
• # 34 of 152 on The Best Movies Of 2003, Ranked

Sniper: Reloaded

• Released : 2011
• Directed by : Claudio Fäh

Sniper: Reloaded is a good movie about a sniper, released in 2011. It follows the story of a sniper, Brandon Beckett, who is tasked with preventing rebel forces from overthrowing the government. The action sequences are intense and dramatic, making them exciting to watch. The soundtrack also adds to the overall effect by adding suspenseful music at key moments throughout the film. Sniper: Reloaded is definitely worth watching for anyone interested in snipers or military-style movies.

• Released : 2005
• Directed by : Sam Mendes

Jarhead is a gripping war drama that follows the story of sniper Anthony Swofford, played by Jake Gyllenhaal. The movie does an excellent job of delving into the psychological effects of being in combat and conveying how difficult it can be to make decisions in such high-stakes situations. It also realistically captures what life is like for those serving in the military, from small moments between comrades to big battles on foreign soil. All in all,   Jarhead  provides viewers with a unique look at war through its thrilling action scenes as well as its thought-provoking narrative.

• # 2 of 10 on The Best Movies About the Gulf War
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• # 43 of 143 on The Best Movies of 2005

• Released : 1968
• Directed by : Peter Bogdanovich

• Released : 1995
• Directed by : Richard Donner

Assassins is a movie about a skilled sniper, portraying the story of his life and all he has gone through to become an expert in his craft. It depicts how someone who obeys orders can question what is right and wrong. The film uses stunning cinematography to capture the tension between the protagonist’s moral choices and his devotion to duty, making it an enthralling watch for any viewer.

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• Directed by : Craig R. Baxley

Sniper 2 is a thrilling movie about a sniper, Thomas Beckett. It has plenty of thrilling moments and intense action sequences that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The story follows Beckett and his spotter as they are sent to assassinate a general responsible for ethnic cleansing attacks.

• Released : 2009
• Directed by : Dante Lam

The Sniper (2009) is an intense, action-packed movie about the top snipers in the Hong Kong Police Force. The majority of the drama is derived from relationships on the elite Special Duties Unit Sniper Team. Get ready for combating egos and wild cards in this action thriller.

The American

• Released : 2010
• Directed by : Anton Corbijn
• # 432 of 675 on The Best Movies Roger Ebert Gave Four Stars
• # 10 of 14 on Quiet Action Movies That Don't Need A Ton Of Explosions To Keep You Gripped
• # 32 of 34 on Great Movies About Very Dark Heroes

• Released : 2004
• Directed by : P. J. Pesce

Sniper 3 is a great movie about the life of an expert military sniper. Although it is action-packed, there are also many intense emotional moments that show us how tough and stressful being a sniper can be. It follows the story of Major Beckett as he battles both his enemies abroad and personal demons at home.

Downrange is a 2018 suspenseful thriller about six college students who are stranded on the side of the road after their car tire gets punctured. What starts off as an innocent roadside stop quickly turns into a nightmare when they realize that they have become targets for a mysterious sniper. This movie does a good job of painting the picture of what it's like to be in the shoes of someone being hunted by a trained marksman.

The Virtuoso

• Released : 2021
• Directed by : Nick Stagliano

The Virtuoso is an action-packed and thrilling movie about a professional sniper who must complete a difficult mission in return for his freedom. It stars the talented Anthony Hopkins, and his performance will leave you captivated from start to finish. With intense action sequences, unexpected twists, and turns, this movie will have you on the edge of your seat throughout its entirety.

Liberty Stands Still

• Directed by : Kari Skogland

Grand Piano

• Released : 2013
• Directed by : Eugenio Mira

Grand Piano is a thrilling and suspenseful movie about an acclaimed concert pianist who discovers that his life is in danger. The main character, Tom Selznick, must complete a piece of notoriously difficult music on a grand piano - or else he will be killed. This film captures all the tension and excitement of being under threat by a skilled marksman with its intense score, captivating cinematography, and strong performances from Elijah Wood and John Cusack.

Silent Trigger

• Released : 1996
• Directed by : Russell Mulcahy

Silent Trigger is an action-packed movie about a soon-to-be-retired sniper, Waxman. Not only does Silent Trigger provide suspenseful entertainment but it also paints a picture of the emotional toll being a sniper can take on someone. It gives us insight into what soldiers go through in high-stakes situations and provides viewers with thought-provoking reflections on morality and justice.

• Released : 1952
• Directed by : Edward Dmytryk

Two-Minute Warning

• Released : 1976
• Directed by : Larry Peerce

Two-Minute Warning is a 1976 thriller directed by Larry Peerce that follows the story of a sniper who takes hostages at a crowded football stadium. It's an intense, suspenseful movie with plenty of twists and turns. All in all, Two-Minute Warning is an excellent film about a sniper that should be seen by anyone interested in thrillers or crime dramas.

D.C. Sniper: 23 Days of Fear

• Released : 2003
• Directed by : Tom McLoughlin

D.C. Sniper: 23 Days of Fear is a gripping movie that follows the real-life story of two men responsible for a serial killing spree in 2002, which left ten people dead and three others injured throughout the Washington D.C. area over three weeks. The film does an excellent job of highlighting the fear and tension felt by residents as they lived in constant worry of becoming victims to these snipers during this time while delving into the complex psychological profiles of both shooters.

• Directed by : Olivier Megaton
• # 159 of 474 on The Best Black Movies Ever Made, Ranked
• # 13 of 48 on Great Movies About Furious Women Out for Revenge
• # 10 of 52 on The Most Exciting Movies About Female Assassins

The Ravine is a gripping war drama about a special ops sniper on the front lines of battle. It follows his journey as he works to complete his mission and defend his country from the enemy forces. Despite being a movie about warfare, it has many aspects that people can relate to in their own lives, making it an emotionally engaging film with great performances from its cast. The beautiful visuals and intense action sequences make this movie engrossing to watch.

Sniper: Ultimate Kill

• # 193 of 193 on The Best Movies For Men
• # 71 of 97 on The 90+ Best Manhunt Movies
• # 65 of 123 on The 95+ Best R-Rated Action Movies

Sniper: Special Ops

• Directed by : Fred Olen Ray

• Released : 2016
• Directed by : Fabio Guaglione and Fabio Resinaro

• Directed by : Keith Maitland

Tower is an American documentary that tells the story of the 1966 mass shooting at The University of Texas at Austin. It follows several survivors as they recount their experience, while also exploring how a single shooter can devastate a community in such a short amount of time. Tower is an excellent film about this devastating event and serves as a reminder to never take our safety for granted. With its mix of archival footage, interviews with survivors, and expert analysis from experts on gun violence, Tower is essential viewing for anyone interested in learning more about the impact these shootings have had on our society.

William Kelly's War

• Directed by : Geoff Davis

Assassination Games

• Directed by : Ernie Barbarash

Assassination Games is a great movie about a sniper and his unique skills. It follows the story of two assassins, each with their own motivations but both of them seeking revenge on the same target. The sniper's character arc is especially interesting as he begins to question why he does what he does and how far will he take it in order to get his revenge. The movie has some intense action sequences that really show off the power of a skilled shooter.

Elephant White

• Directed by : Prachya Pinkaew

• Released : 2019
• Directed by : Ken Sanzel

The Deadly Tower

• Released : 1975
• Directed by : Jerry Jameson

Fortress: Sniper's Eye

• Directed by : Josh Sternfeld

Sharpshooter

• Directed by : Armand Mastroianni

• Released : 1988
• Directed by : Dominik Graf

Also known as Die Katze , this sniper film will keep you entertained with its constant plot twists, as not everything is as it seems. A classic German action flick from the ‘80s, you won’t want to miss this one, especially if you are into bank heist movies as well as movies about snipers.

Straight Shooter

• Released : 1999
• Directed by : Thomas Bohn

Sniper's Ridge

• Released : 1961
• Directed by : John A. Bushelman

Love and a Bullet

• Directed by : Michael McCants, Ben Ramsey

Love and a Bullet is an action-packed movie about a professional sniper named Tariq. He leads a double life as an assassin while also trying to find love in the midst of all the chaos. The film has excellent cinematography, great acting performances , and a thrilling plot that keeps viewers on their toes! In addition to being entertaining, Love and a Bullet serves as an example of how one can survive difficult circumstances with courage, resilience and integrity.

D.C. Sniper

• Directed by : Ulli Lommel
• Entertainment
• Watchworthy

Looking closer at some of the best, most realistic, most brutal depictions of war in the history of entertainment.

Screen Rant

Tom cruise was "losing his mind" watching top gun: maverick star's new action movie.

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10 Most Exciting Things To Expect From Twisters

Top gun 3 wishlist: 10 things we need to see in tom cruise's sequel after maverick's $1.5bn success, twisters' budget & box office explained: how much it needs to make.

• Tom Cruise is a big fan of Twisters , as seen at a recent screening where he was " losing his mind " with excitement over his Top Gun: Maverick co-star's new movie.
• The disaster thriller sequel is receiving better reviews than its predecessor, with an early 79% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
• Between the early reviews, Cruise's enthusiasm and box office opening projected higher than the original, Twisters could follow in Top Gun: Maverick 's footsteps to beat its predecessor in more ways than one.

With critics also proving thrilled by it, Twisters has found a new fan in Tom Cruise. The upcoming disaster thriller serves as a standalone to the Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt-led 1996 movie, revolving around a scientist teaming up with a group of social media-savvy storm chasers to test her new tornado tracking system amidst one of Oklahoma's worst systems in years. The Twisters cast is led by Glen Powell, fresh off of his Top Gun: Maverick success, and Daisy Edgar-Jones, who star alongside Anthony Ramos, Brandon Perea and Sasha Lane.

During a recent interview with PEOPLE at the premiere event for the movie, Ramos reveals that Cruise was in attendance of the Twisters screening in support of his Top Gun: Maverick co-star. Ramos goes on to reveal that during the showing, Cruise was " losing his mind " in excitement for the disaster movie sequel, frequently patting Ramos on the back in reacting to the movie's various set pieces. See what Ramos shared below:

Glen was sitting behind me, my brother was next to me, and Tom was behind my brother. Tom just kept hitting me the whole entire movie. After the third time, I turned back around, like, "Yo, Tom Cruise is bugging out right now!" He keeps hitting me. He keeps hitting me because he's excited about different moments, and he's laughing. He’s just laughing out loud the whole entire film. He wasn't afraid to express himself. I was super grateful about that. We hugged it out [after the movie]. He's like, "Yo, bro, good man, good stuff." So shout out to Tom Cruise, man. It was really cool.

Cruise Isn't The Only One Loving Twisters

The sequel is currently getting far better reviews than its predecessor..

With how busy the actor generally is, Cruise's opinion on major new releases is rarely heard, with the few major exceptions of late being the viral Barbenheimer release, which Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning had to compete with, and Christopher Nolan's Tenet . Interestingly, though, Powell recently revealed that Cruise had a major influence on his performance in Twisters , with his Top Gun: Maverick lead explaining that the key to making a global hit is to capture " the human instinct " in the midst of any story, be it one about naval pilot training or storm chasers.

Twisters is set to become a major summer box office hit, promising numerous thrilling elements in this blockbuster disaster movie.

While it remains to be seen whether Powell's approach proves as effective for viewers as it did for Cruise in the hit Top Gun sequel, it certainly looks to be working for critics. Following its London and Los Angeles premieres, Twisters ' early reviews have secured the movie an early 79% approval rating from critics based on 38 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, including an average rating of 7.1/10. Much like Top Gun: Maverick before it, this establishes the movie as being far better received than its predecessor, which holds a narrowly Fresh 63% from critics, who gave it an average rating of 6.2/10, and Rotten 58% from viewers on the review aggregate.

Though there may have been some initial reservations about the movie's development and lack of major connections to the original, the early positive reviews combined with Cruise's enthusiasm are sure to create further anticipation for the upcoming Twisters release . The sequel is already projected to gross $45-50 million domestically in its debut weekend, roughly $10 million above its predecessor's $41 million opening. Given the 1996 Twister went on to become the second-highest-grossing movie of its year with over $495 million, this kind of opening could definitely see the sequel soar beyond the original the same way Top Gun: Maverick did.

Cruise's Support Of Powell Is A Promising Sign For His Top Gun 3 Return

With Cruise taking the time to show his support to Powell by attending the Twisters showing, it proves a promising sign for both of their returns in Top Gun 3 . After plenty of discussions about a third movie coming along, it was reported in January 2024 that Paramount was officially entering the early stages of development on the action threequel, with the intent to once again have Cruise return as Maverick. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer previously confirmed to Screen Rant that the story is ready to go, though Cruise's schedule will determine when it happens:

It will be Tom Cruise. Tom is amazing. We spent time with him. We have a story. Joe Kosinski had a wonderful story idea for it, and he (Tom Cruise) said I really like that, so we’re developing it. But you never know when it’s going to get made because Tom is so busy. He’s doing Mission: Impossible right now, he’s got a picture after it. Hopefully, we’ll get a screenplay that he loves, and we’ll be back in the air again.

While Cruise is confirmed to be back, the threequel's early development has made it unclear which of the newer pilots of the Top Gun: Maverick cast will be back for the next movie beyond Powell and Miles Teller, whose returns were included in the January report. Payback's Jay Ellis and Fanboy's Danny Ramirez have eagerly expressed their desires to come back, while Cyclone's Jon Hamm also previously confirmed to Screen Rant that while he has not had any " official talks ", he is friends with Bruckheimer and " would certainly love to be back ".

Top Gun 3 is reportedly in the works, and here are 10 things that need to be in the film in order to properly follow up on Top Gun: Maverick.

Should Twisters prove to be the box office smash it's on track to be, bringing Powell back for Top Gun 3 would make sense from a financial perspective. Having more than just one household name in the movie could go a long way to the action threequel surpassing the record-breaking heights of its predecessor, namely it going on to become Cruise's highest-grossing movie yet. With Cruise currently busy getting Mission: Impossible 8 ready to release, though, only time will tell when Top Gun 3 may finally take off.

Source: PEOPLE

A follow-up to the 1996 original film Twister, Twisters is a sequel set years after the original, said to be fast-tracked by Steven Spielberg and Mark L. Smith, with Frank Marshal as producer. Little details exist about the film, but Helen Hunt is expected to reprise her role as Jo, with the film likely to pay homage to the late Bill Paxton. 

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Stanley Kubrick made incredibly x-rated demands to Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman for very controversial movie

Director stanley kubrick was known for being a perfectionist.

Lucy Devine

When Stanley Kubrick's 1999 movie was released, it was one of the most talked-about films of the time.

It starred Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise who played married couple, Alice and William.

The movie was particularly fascinating to fans, due to the fact that Kidman and Cruise were actually married in real life at the time.

The pair married on Christmas Eve 1990 before splitting in 2001.

The flick - called Eyes Wide Shut which turned 25 this year - was pretty controversial, not least because of Kubrick's directing style.

It took a whopping 15 months to make, which set the Guinness World Record for the amount of time shooting a film.

During this period, it's reported that Kubrick - known for his perfectionism - insisted on Kidman and Cruise shooting approximately 50 takes of different scenes.

According to Vanity Fair, he even sat with the pair for hours and asked them to divulge their fears, thoughts on commitment and details about their relationships.

"Tom would hear things that he didn’t want to hear," said Kidman.

"It wasn’t like therapy, because you didn’t have anyone to say, 'And how do you feel about that?' It was honest, and brutally honest at times."

In one scene of the movie, William imagines Alice having sex with another man.

Although the scene was short, Kubrick reportedly demanded that Kidman shot six days of sex scenes with a male model and posed in various 'erotic positions'.

During this time, Cruise reportedly wasn't allowed on set and Kidman was apparently told not to tell him anything about what had happened.

As the filming continued, it seemed that the lines between fiction and reality were becoming hard to distinguish.

Not only did Kidman and Cruise sleep in their characters' bedroom, but Cruise even left loose change on the bedside table, just as he did at their home.

“As an actor, you set up: there’s reality, and there’s pretend,” said Kidman.

“And those lines get crossed, and it happens when you’re working with a director that allows that to happen. It’s a very exciting thing to happen; it’s a very dangerous thing to happen.”

After Eyes Wide Shut was released, Cruise - who apparently had a stomach ulcer during filming, but didn't want to tell Kubrick - was criticised for his performance.

But the actor never blamed Kubrick, who died shortly before the film aired.

"There were rumours out there about how Stanley was going to make a pornographic picture. But that wasn’t the movie he was making," he said .

"You can see that they didn’t quite grasp what the movie was, even when they saw it, because they carried the baggage in.

"You have to understand: it’s Stanley Kubrick. It’s not going to be what you think it is. And he’s not going to tell you everything. So even the people who think they know Stanley Kubrick’s movies, missed it.

"Because whatever preconception you have, you’ve got to take it on its own merits and not the surrounding elements."

Topics:  Film , TV and Film , Tom Cruise

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