Reacher

Amazon scores with a surprise series right off the turn of the year. Reacher seemed pretty unremarkable, but it's a hit and noteworthy for fans of gritty stories. Jack Reacher with Tom Cruise was just OK to me, but this is a different cup of tea. Alan Ritchson is a B-list actor, but you have to admit that he handled this role very well; he has charisma, he's a buffed up dick who commands respect, he has great lines and almost no weaknesses, so the viewer can easily forgive him for his acting ineptitude. The series probably reminded me most of Banshee and maybe that's what won me over. A small town, one police station with a new backup, murders and a well-built story that never gets boring and is spiced up with excellent action. For me the first episode remained unbeaten (the fight in the restroom had me screaming until my living room walls were cracking – prison scenes are always the best), and over the course of the series there were probably only two or three decent fights and a couple of shootouts, so in the end it isn't that action packed, but the nasty murders that have a touch of Se7en (a crucified guy with his balls in his mouth!), a great central likeable trio and a decent bad guy make this a fine affair that isn't about dead bodies or a decent twist by a long shot. Decent stuff for me, after all those crime-drama series this is downright something for me. Story 4/5, Action 4/5, Humor 3/5, Violence 4/5, Fun 4/5 Music 3/5, Visuals 4/5, Atmosphere 4/5, Suspense 4/5, Emotion 3/5, Actors 3/5. 8.5/10. (14.02.2022)

Tom Cruise is a better actor, but Alan Ritchson is better as Reacher. Let everyone choose their own. (02.03.2024)

S01: Reacher is, in the end, a fine action romp that, against the backdrop of a crime detective story, works very well and, more importantly, functionally throughout its eight episodes. It has to be said that the first episode set the bar so awfully high that it probably wasn’t surpassed any further, and it's a bit of a personal disappointment that in the first episode Reacher was in a head-to-head brawl, whereas in the later episodes things slowed down a bit and went more on the detective line, but fortunately it all balances out solidly in the finale, where we get to see both the conclusion of the whole rather convoluted investigation and an action-packed scene. The characters are entertaining, the violence is uncompromising, the plot is quite complex, and so even fans crime dramas will find something to enjoy, but the whole series is clearly driven by Alan Ritchson, who as a 100 kg swole animal was born for the role. I'm more than satisfied and for fans of the genre, this is almost a must-see. S02: Finally, another dose of manly action as it should be. Alan Ritchson is for me one of the best actors of this genre and I wouldn't want to meet such a monster. It's a fact that compared to the first season, Reacher doesn't go solo and doesn't take place in a small town, but instead he goes with a team and in a slightly broader story, so he loses his "main role" a bit and shifts more attention to the whole, but that's definitely not a bad thing (even if it might be a bit of a bummer). His whole team is ultimately a great bunch with great actors, the story also moves along at a decent pace, and Reacher still steals most of the limelight for himself. What I dislike a bit, on the other hand, are those ills of the genre that unfortunately haven't escaped Reacher. The fact that a 120 kg mountain is beats the crap out of guys, I get, but when there's a 50 kg girl beating them up too, I'm not so buying it. At times the action is drawn out and the team has it too easy with no collateral damage or injuries, many logical details don't make sense and what I regret the most is that there are too few brutal and violent scenes as we only see brutal limb breaking once, which is reprehensible. Otherwise, of course, apart from these "details", this is still an extremely entertaining, gritty and action-packed ride that benefits especially from great main characters and unrelenting tension, so I wasn't bored for a minute and it's simply exactly the kind of series that grabs you and doesn't let you go. Great satisfaction. (18.02.2022)

A perfect blast of testosterone! Alan Ritchson absolutely excels in the role of his life, which fits him like a glove. Excellent casting choice, great supporting cast, and a meticulously crafted script. Overall, I appreciated the depth, character psychology, and plot dynamics. The action scenes are brilliantly executed, offering adrenaline-packed moments, and the direction demonstrates a high level of professionalism. I admit, I did not expect such high-quality production from Prime, especially in a TV series format. Thanks, and I look forward to the next episodes! (31.05.2024)

Reacher is, for me, the series surprise of the year. A rather unassuming eight-episode series that leaves most of its competition far behind. I haven’t read the books, so I can’t compare much, but most people say that the casting in the series was spot-on. Alan Ritchson, who was unknown to me before, surprised me; he's not just a two-meter-tall muscle giant you wouldn’t want to challenge to a fistfight, but he also showed that he has acting chops, delivering emotionally charged scenes without coming off as wooden. I thoroughly enjoyed the setting in a small American town. The rest of the cast didn’t disappoint either, and the abundance of humorous situations was delightful. I especially enjoyed the action, whether it was physical combat or shootouts. On top of that, Reacher didn’t shy away from delivering some pretty brutal scenes, which I didn’t expect even in my wildest dreams. I’m eagerly looking forward to the second season; this project definitely has a bright future ahead. For me, it’s 8/10. (05.05.2022)