I discovered Lee Childs Jack Reacher stories about 10 years ago, what a great read. Usually we find Reacher hitch hiking, as he wanders the USA, somebody will eventually pick him up despite having a hulkish look at 6-6 260ish. And our story begins.
When I heard there was going to be a movie, yep, excited. But........Tom Cruise? How can the 5-8 170 (guessing) sell the huge Jack Reacher? In the stories the size of Reacher is a constant, we get it.....big bad hombre. Tom Cruise a big bad hombre......nay!
X pro rassler/current actor Dave Batista.....perfect.
If a movie is based on a literary character why not stay as close as possible to the story?
I guess the worst casting job ever was John Wayne as Ghanghis Ghan, What were they thinking? [Reply]
That was pretty funny but to be honest this first episode isn't giving me warm fuzzy vibes about the writing. The writing was just plain shitty... quick, we need a password guessed but you can only use three guesses in 2 minutes before it is erases... wtf? That was probably the worst but there was plenty of stinkers. [Reply]
Originally Posted by BigRichard:
That was pretty funny but to be honest this first episode isn't giving me warm fuzzy vibes about the writing. The writing was just plain shitty... quick, we need a password guessed but you can only use three guesses in 2 minutes before it is erases... wtf? That was probably the worst but there was plenty of stinkers.
nah, they follow the way it is in the books. It's fiction. I can enjoy Superman movies knowing people really can't fly. [Reply]
Originally Posted by IowaHawkeyeChief:
nah, they follow the way it is in the books. It's fiction. I can enjoy Superman movies knowing people really can't fly.
Shows having good writers are required even when they are trying to follow a book. They need to change stupid shit and make it better for an audience. That wasn't much better than having some guy show up that could fly in the show with Reacher. It would be just dumb to do that. So was that part with the guessing the password bit. Just dumb. Another one was the dumb ass thing about the mail box. Oh... you are so smart cause he guessed that he would store something in the post office across the street herpa derpa... Oh he would have a box on the right side because his penis hangs that way... herpa derpa. [Reply]
The show is fun to watch, but yeah the writing is just outright awful in some parts. Too much goofy cliched nonsense.
Like when he was a kid, his entire family called him by his last name? LOL. The constant "Big guy" references. The absurd way he makes a bunch of assumptions in tracking down people and things. Definitely a lot of cringe. [Reply]
Originally Posted by UteChief:
I believe he left Scientology.
Originally Posted by Buehler445:
He did?
I thought that would be pretty big hollywood news. At least if I was his publicist I'd make it big news.
Originally Posted by BigRichard:
Yeah, I mean... he was the face of Scientology.
Edit: I am saying yeah, I agree with you on your statement. Not yeah, he left Scientology.
That report stems from him not going to the UK branch of Scientology. Clearwater is a big Scientology town. He’s been spotted around here this summer. [Reply]
Originally Posted by BigRichard:
Shows having good writers are required even when they are trying to follow a book. They need to change stupid shit and make it better for an audience. That wasn't much better than having some guy show up that could fly in the show with Reacher. It would be just dumb to do that. So was that part with the guessing the password bit. Just dumb. Another one was the dumb ass thing about the mail box. Oh... you are so smart cause he guessed that he would store something in the post office across the street herpa derpa... Oh he would have a box on the right side because his penis hangs that way... herpa derpa.
Reacher's whole persona, if you have read the books, is his intuitiveness and ability to access a situation quickly and determine what most likely took place. On the mailbox, with hundreds to choose from he deducted the general area and size of the box that he would have used, eliminating most of the boxes. The writers would have put that in to show a pattern to folks who haven't read the books and are new to the series. I enjoyed the 3 episodes out as I can suspend reality for action movies. Sounds like you didn't. [Reply]
Originally Posted by IowaHawkeyeChief:
Reacher's whole persona, if you have read the books, is his intuitiveness and ability to access a situation quickly and determine what most likely took place. On the mailbox, with hundreds to choose from he deducted the general area and size of the box that he would have used, eliminating most of the boxes. The writers would have put that in to show a pattern to folks who haven't read the books and are new to the series. I enjoyed the 3 episodes out as I can suspend reality for action movies. Sounds like you didn't.
You don't have to suspend reality with good writing. And you can write in intuitiveness and the ability to access a situation quickly and not have dog shit writing. It is the difference between good writers on a show and shit writers on a show.
The next two episodes were a bit better than the first but the first one was horrible. [Reply]
Originally Posted by BigRichard:
That was pretty funny but to be honest this first episode isn't giving me warm fuzzy vibes about the writing. The writing was just plain shitty... quick, we need a password guessed but you can only use three guesses in 2 minutes before it is erases... wtf? That was probably the worst but there was plenty of stinkers.
Spoiler!
That was just as bad as the old man watching them blow up and kill all the hitmen in that house then driving off in a big hurry. Then Reacher catching up to him on foot. JFC The guy must have continuously drove 10 mph around and around the same block. :-)
It's shit like that that just kills a show/movie for me. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Fish:
The show is fun to watch, but yeah the writing is just outright awful in some parts. Too much goofy cliched nonsense.
Like when he was a kid, his entire family called him by his last name? LOL. The constant "Big guy" references. The absurd way he makes a bunch of assumptions in tracking down people and things. Definitely a lot of cringe.
Yeah - this isn't a show that needs an Academy Award winning screenplay or anything, but boy - this is pretty rough.
It's doing that network television detective show shit where they are just WAY too omniscient in their guesswork. I hate that shit. "Well he has gin in his fridge {insert 7 degrees of nonsense}...HE'S HIDING IN A YURT IN ANTARCTICA!!!"
Too many massive stretch plot devices so far. It's dumb even by dumb entertainment standards. I hope it improves. [Reply]
Originally Posted by IowaHawkeyeChief:
Reacher's whole persona, if you have read the books, is his intuitiveness and ability to access a situation quickly and determine what most likely took place. On the mailbox, with hundreds to choose from he deducted the general area and size of the box that he would have used, eliminating most of the boxes. The writers would have put that in to show a pattern to folks who haven't read the books and are new to the series. I enjoyed the 3 episodes out as I can suspend reality for action movies. Sounds like you didn't.
Did you ever watch Sherlock?
The difference here is the difference between good episodes of Sherlock and bad ones.
Obviously Holmes intuition is essentially the entire character. And when they had a great episode (Reichenbach) they demonstrated it in a fairly natural manner; definitely gripping if nothing else. But when it's bad, they just hammer it in there (His Last Vow).
I understand the need to do it as that's part of the character. But there's a way to do it well and better written shows have. Hell, this one did it better last season. Thus far it's just been forced in, IMO. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DJ's left nut:
Did you ever watch Sherlock?
The difference here is the difference between good episodes of Sherlock and bad ones.
Obviously Holmes intuition is essentially the entire character. And when they had a great episode (Reichenbach) they demonstrated it in a fairly natural manner; definitely gripping if nothing else. But when it's bad, they just hammer it in there (His Last Vow).
I understand the need to do it as that's part of the character. But there's a way to do it well and better written shows have. Hell, this one did it better last season. Thus far it's just been forced in, IMO.
As, I said before, I think they are spoon feeding it early, but I still find it entertaining, like most action movies. I still remember Mel Gibson chasing Gary Bussey in a car on foot in Lethal Weapon for blocks and catching him entering the freeway, yet it was still entertaining. [Reply]
This latest episode was as bad as a 70's cop show or the old westerns.
Spoiler!
So many guys shooting at Reacher and friends with automatic weapons and just can seem to score a hit. And the detective whose car just can't be stopped.