Edward Zwick's "Jack Reacher: Never Go Back" - Bone Crackin' Adrenaline Yarn

There are modern day nomads and there's Jack Reacher.

Culled from the imagination of author Lee Child, Jack Reacher, 50's, is once again resurrected in the author's 18th novel where the former major in the U.S. military police corps finds himself a fugitive of the law. Upon his return to Washington DC, he learns that his friend Major Susan Turner (Cobie Smulders) has been apprehended for sharing privileged information.

Heusinger hunts.

Before long, Jack uncovers a plot involving private contractor Parasource that sells used US military weapons (rocket launchers, etc.) to militants in war-torn Iraq and Afghanistan. He must follow the trail to exonerate himself and Susan Turner. Caught in the middle is 15 year old Samantha (Danika Yarosh) who is being pursued by an assassin called The Hunter (Patrick Heusinger). The latter is out to get Sam to get to Jack who must fly to New Orleans to follow the trail.

Unlike other Tom Cruise potboilers, "Jack Reacher: Never Go Back" has a grounded narrative. The protagonist doesn't hang on mid-air planes nor is he performing seemingly insurmountable odds. Just ordinary stuff that extraordinary humans do. Reacher’s demeanor is occasionally too staged; even his supposed similarity to Samantha too orchestrated. The scenes are driven by formula but this isn't saying that it's is a bore. What we see instead are bare-knuckle fist fights and fast reflexes you can hear bones cracking. You don’t wonder. Lee Child "designed" his action hero as one proficient in the martial arts technique called Keysi Fighting Method, utilized even by the eternally brooding Dark Knight in Christopher Nolan’s “Batman Begins”. 

It isn't a stretch to root for a guy who always fights for the underprivileged, particularly if he can predict the succeeding events... like clockwork. Phone rings in 10 seconds; handcuffs in 15 minutes; jail in 30. How convenient. If he could only count those forehead lines he'll be wearing in the next five years, he might do something about it.

Edward Zwick returns to helm the sequel.  

When Tom was more beautiful than the rest of humanity. 

#jackreacher

chat america

Anthony, 20, is a chat buddy who lives in West Virginia. For the past 3 months or so, he has been living in a tent, “hicking around the states”. We have chatted before; heated debates and intensive treatise on American politics. I am not anti-American but for the sake of discussion concerning America’s electoral choice for president, we have agreed on the premise that “Americans are stupid”. I agreed with him after several points were raised, so do NOT crucify me on statements concerning this conversation. Several months back, we both predicted Obama's win against Hillary Clinton. It is interesting though how a relatively young American perceives his country’s electoral process. Last night, I caught up with him. Read on from an insider’s insight. C is for cathy; pretty me.

anthony: oh, so John McCain is definitely going to be elected president now
C: who says
anthony: I know my people
anthony: going to europe
anthony: big no-no
anthony: we as americans have this weird european inferority complex
anthony: its already hurn obama in the polls
anthony: hurt*
C: ur people are once again showing ur brand of intelligence
anthony: lol
anthony: no doubt
anthony: its just sad
anthony: he might recover from you know, looking intelligent and diplomatic
anthony: i hope he does
C: he should, otherwise, ur going to the dogs... and pull down with you all the other countries dependent on america
anthony: you know, he might make it if he rides a bull, kicks back a beer, and says something vague about nuking another country, we are setting our sights on iran... or pakistan
anthony: then he could win
anthony: lol
C: or say nucular
anthony: nuke-e-lur
C: america loves mediocrity
anthony: yes we do
C: must be the water ur drinking
anthony : right now, our media is saying that a man of mixed blood, a goat herder father from africa, a single mother, who paid off his college debt in his 40's
anthony: is elitist
anthony: and haughty
anthony: and McCain, whose father was an admiral, who got a free ride to West Point, and whose wife was an heiress to tens of millions of dollars
anthony: represents middle america and the working class
C: i think it's also too much big mac
anthony: how the hell does that add up?
anthony: lol
C: ur cows are diseased, mad cow, and they all go to ur brain processes
anthony: probably
C: ur all going mad
anthony: i think we have
anthony: I pray Obama can win this
anthony: for the good of the world
anthony: oh, I was watching the news, and they were debating whether or not Obama was the antichrist
anthony: and compared him to hitler
C: i rely on americans' knack for the bizarre
anthony: i wish i were making this up
C: a black guy is the new hitler?
anthony: apparently
anthony: arroring to rupert murdoch’s news corps
anthony: according*
C: and what? have him eradicate all the white guys...lol
anthony: who knows
C: except brad pitt and tom cruise, please...
anthony: but yeah, right now I'm worried
C: lol
anthony: and david beckham, we like him here in america
C: well u also like jerry lewis
anthony: no some of us like jerry lewis
anthony: lol
C: jerry springer
anthony: not a personal fan
anthony: so yeah, the polls show McCain closing in
anthony: im depressed and wish I were drunk
C: drink up then
anthony: i will later

Conversation later turned to iconic actor named Jerry Lewis. Here's what Anthony shared with me:a classic clip from youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7ySmnxy29Q

John McCain (left) & Barack Obama (sea merman, right)

I thought it would be interesting to see Obama on the beach...lol

Guess the two other ocean mammals and you might get an apple from me.