kentwarrenmcdonald

After short Tom Cruise version of Reacher left me cold, it was a relief to see Jack Reacher come into a room and actually FILL the doorway with intimidation by just being himself. In Lee Childs' series Reacher's physical size was a dominant presence. If that simple aspect had been ignored I wouldn't have lasted thru episode one. I can see how some of these reviewers don't appreciate what they are watching. Anyone who has read and followed the Jack Reacher books fills in the nuances because you already are familiar with what drives the character. That being said, any screen adaptation of established characters lacks the background that the novels provide. I still give the writers (of whom Lee Childs was one), passing marks on the adaptation. I hate to keep comparing to the Tom Cruise versions but the threat of violence from Reacher should instill a little fear in his opponents. With Tom's version it simply wasn't believable. Having read every Reacher book I could find, obviously I had certain expectations about how Reacher should come off. I was not disappointed.

I saw The Magus in 1968 in Tokyo, Japan where I was stationed in the Air Force. I was with four other airmen who were bored looking for something to do in one of the world's largest cities.

One of the guys in our group had apparently read the book and suggested we go see it. "It will be a wild ride!", he said. By the time we walked out of the cinema we were,

1. In love with Candice Bergen.

2. Totally confused what point the movie was trying to convey.

The guy who had read the book? "I, uh, didn't really understand the book either. I was kinda hoping the movie would clear up my confusion."

It failed.