Here Comes Reacher!

 

With the Reacher films still a polarising topic the anticipation for the Amazon Prime Video eight episode adaptation of Reacher has been high on many a fans list since the adaptation was first announced. The will it won't it erase the image of Tom Cruise question has been vying with speculation as to who would play the iconic character. Suggested names have been rife online. 

The one very important point everyone has been making is that whoever it is has to be taller than Tom Cruise's 5'7 and in Alan Ritchson they have certainly found in my opinion Reacher. Not only in height (he is slightly shorter) to Reacher's 6”5 but he fits the bill in build as well. Fans of the books will no doubt be relieved. One hopes that this will also stop the constant complaints about Tom Cruise as well. Enough! It has been over 10 years ago (actually 2012) since the first Reacher film based on One Shot was released. 

Based on Lee Child's debut novel Killing Floor (1997) the adaptation has clearly been done to allow for the story to be told in a much more expansive way. November last year I had the privileged of being one of the few who got to watch the first two episodes at a private preview. Needless to say having had a sneak peek it certainly whetted my appetite and I have been on tenterhooks waiting for Reacher to be formally released. I certainly have not been disappointed. Watching the first two episodes again did not take anything away from binge watching the complete series. I have to admit that the only other series that I have sat down and binge watched at one go is Witcher. 

Personally I think Ritchson will win over fans, not solely because of how he physically looks but also because of his acting as well. He has this quietness about him that epitomises the way in which Reacher is in the books along with his confidence and at times weary patience. I'm not going to go into the storyline but suffice to say that if you have read Killing Floor then it will all come back and you know what happens. If you haven't read Killing Floor then don't worry as this can easily be watched as an action film that will draw you in. The tone and pacing has this cinematic presence that has certainly done it justice. There are moments that made me smile wryly and moments that had me thinking that Reacher is hopefully here to stay. Now we have everything and of course look out for the Lee Child cameo. 

This is a rollicking adaptation and Amazon Prime will be foolish if they do not adapt anymore of the books. I hope that they do. Netflix are doing great things but this will surely give them a run for their money. Amazon please don't let us down. Fans of the books have waited a long time to see Reacher come to life and so far with this first series I can wholeheartedly say that there is no disappointment to be found. 

I'm going to let in all sink in before I settle down to watch it all over again.