Jack Reacher: Never Go Back Review - 3 Ups & 6 Downs

4. Not Enough Action

In fairness, the first Jack Reacher wasn't exactly dripping with action sequences, but it did serve up a few thrilling set-pieces. While Never Go Back is directed by the talented Edward Zwick (The Last Samurai, Blood Diamond), there's a curiously low amount of action, and the little that is there is directed with utter, anonymous indifference.

Sure, there are a few entertaining scenes of Cruise running, but the brief bursts of violence are mostly just by-the-numbers and visually flat, meaning the movie can't even really be excused as a hollow but explosive action extravaganza.

Given how game Cruise always seems to put himself in harm's way for the sake of a movie, it just feels like a wasted opportunity not to take advantage of that.

Simply, there's nothing even close to the electrifying car chase from the first movie here.