Reacher: Season One (Blu-ray) review

[David Vaughn]

Studio: Paramount
Release Date: December 13, 2022
Rating: Not Rated
Film:  4.5/5

Plot
REACHER follows Jack Reacher, a veteran military police investigator who has just recently entered civilian life. Reacher is a drifter, carrying no phone and the barest of essentials as he travels the country and explores the nation he once served. When Reacher arrives in the small town of Margrave, Georgia, he finds a community grappling with its first homicide in 20 years. The cops immediately arrest him and eyewitnesses claim to place Reacher at the scene of the crime. While he works to prove his innocence, a deep-seated conspiracy begins to emerge, one that will require Reacher’s keen mind and hard-hitting fists to deal with. One thing above all is for sure: They picked the wrong guy to take the fall.

My Thoughts
Most of us were probably introduced to Jack Reacher through the Tom Cruise movies or through Lee Child’s popular books. While I enjoyed the Cruise movies for what they were, the stories were a bit rushed and although Cruise did his usual bang-up job, he didn’t fit the characters as described in Child’s books. Reacher is of menacing size and that doesn’t fit Cruise’s physical build. That’s definitely been corrected here with Alan Ritchson cast in the lead role—he’s a massive human being who also does a commendable job of acting.

The story is a slow burn based on Child’s “Killing Floor” bestseller, and the episodic narrative is a much better fit for revealing the story. It’s told over eight episodes and during the 384 minutes of runtime we really get to know the characters, their back stories, and it allows the audience to connect with them on a personal level. While Ritchson is the key focus of the story, I like how co-stars Malcolm Goodwin and Willa Fitzgerald get plenty of screen time and the chemistry between the three is excellent.

The presentation on the Blu-ray is a step-up than what I experienced when streaming the show from Amazon. Backgrounds have a bit more detail and the DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio track has a bit more snap and sizzle. 

Video 4.5/5 (AVC)
Audio 4.5/5 (DTS-HD MA 5.1)

Special Features:

• Realizing Reacher
• Novelistic

 

Conclusion
This is one of the better TV/Streaming shows I watched in 2022 and I’m happy to see it come to Blu-ray and 4K UHD. Unfortunately, the studio only made the Blu-ray available for review which I guess is better than nothing. Regardless, if you enjoy this genre of film, you should enjoy the TV show as well. My wife and I really enjoyed the characters and I’m sure this isn’t the last we’ve seen of Reacher in a long-form format. Recommended. 


Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS2000 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
(Calibrated with Portrait Displays CalMAN color calibration software & C6-HDR Meter from Portrait Displays)
Stewart Filmscreen - Firehawk 88” 16x9 Fixed Screen
Trinnov Altitude 16 Audio/Video Processor
ATI AT527NC Powering Bed Channels
ATI AT524NC Powering Atmos Speakers
Panasonic DP-UB820 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
System Controller: URC MX-990
M&K S-150 THX Ultra (R-C-L Speakers)
M&K SS-150 x4 (Surround Speakers)
Atlantic Technology IC6-OBA x 4 Overhead Speakers
SVS PC-Ultra Cylinder Subwoofer
JL Audio F110 (X2 co-located and bridged as one sub)
HSU VTF-15H MK2 Subwoofer
M&K Sound X15+ Subwoofer
Mini DSP HD controlling all subwoofers
Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
PureAV PF60 Power Conditioner

[bmoney]

First Jack reacher movie was awesome. The second was Terrible. 

Might check this out. Thanks!

[tripplej]

I think the wrong trailer was added by mistake here.

[David Vaughn]

I think the wrong trailer was added by mistake here.

Thanks for catching that! Forgot to insert the new one into my Word template

[Paul Heroy]

Really enjoyed watching this earlier in the year. Honestly, my only complaint might be that they made Reacher almost too competent, almost a superman. It's sure fun to see though.

[David Vaughn]

Really enjoyed watching this earlier in the year. Honestly, my only complaint might be that they made Reacher almost too competent, almost a superman. It's sure fun to see though.

Supposedly, he's a genius (180+ IQ) or something like that. A friend told me this who has read all of the books...I personally haven't read one.