Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I went into this second chronicle of Jack Reacher at the theater with even expectations. I didn't expect it to outdo the first film (which exceeded my expectations) and I also didn't think it would be a bust like countless other Hollywood sequels. So I tried to view this from the onset with an open mind and eager to see where this story would go since I have not read yet the corresponding story in book-form. Overall, I was very impressed with the film! In many ways, I believe it exceeds or even is better than the first Reacher film. From reading some of the initial reviews it looks like others don't share that sentiment, but I disagree. Frankly, too many reviews are colored with the typical criticism of "Cruise doesn't physically match up with the Reacher in the books....blah, blah, blah....". That talking point is way beyond overused at this point. I start to tune out when I read it anymore and skip the review. In my mind, it's a non-issue because 1) It's Hollywood: with any cinematic experience we're expected to suspend disbelief and maybe more importantly, 2) Tom Cruise's performance of Jack Reacher, especially in this sequel, is PERFECT! It is. Piss off, haters. Cruise nailed the nuances, demeanor, attitude and presence of Reacher in every way and I thought he outdid his performance in the first film. Never Go Back seemed to demand more dialogue and character development and Cruise had me believing in his performance. Yeah, he's not blonde. Yeah, he's not 6'5". It doesn't matter. And it's too bad so many (most?) won't give him and these films a chance and always allow "the talking point" to prejudice their reviews. Aside from Cruise's performance, the action and storyline were also great. The bad-guys may have been stereotypical, but that's to be expected in many ways. And the fight scenes once again are the most realistically depicted compared to what Hollywood usually offers. They were awesome! I challenge the viewers to go into this film with an open mind; I think you will be pleasantly surprised.