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In crime thrillers, it is common for the villain to be known as Mr. Big. However, this also applies to Alan Ritchson, the muscular star of Reacher, the Prime Video adaptation of Lee Child’s popular novel series. Playing the noble ex-military giant Jack Reacher, Ritchson appears capable of defeating a silverback gorilla in an arm-wrestling match. This was seen as a major advantage when the series premiered in early 2022. The actor’s impressive ability to open beer bottles with his biceps seemed to win over fans of the books who were disappointed by Tom Cruise’s smaller portrayal in the film adaptation.

In the second season, Ritchson appears to have an even larger upper body, with his extremely muscular shoulders resembling heavy beach balls. Despite a few years passing, Reacher continues to attract trouble as he wanders around the United States with only a toothbrush. He is brought back into the story in a small town in Arkansas, where he impressively stops a random carjacking with ease.

Next, the situation becomes more personal. A faithful member of his military team has passed away under questionable conditions. Is it an isolated incident or a deliberate act of revenge against Reacher’s previous military police unit? This season, which is based on the 11th book in the Reacher series, “Bad Luck and Trouble,” follows the story of reuniting the band, with the retired major joining forces with some of his former squad members to seek retribution.

His sidekicks include capable investigator Neagley (Maria Sten, returning after an extended cameo in season one), forensic accountant Dixon (Serinda Swan) and smart aleck knife man O’Donnell (Shaun Sipos). Surrounding the laconic loner with a chatty Scooby gang is a smart move. They can also make fun of Reacher’s eccentric life choices without fear of injury.

Reacher’s unsanctioned inquiry will ultimately result in the discovery of Robert Patrick’s irritable corporate boss. It is evident that he is the antagonist as he had Reacher’s friend thrown out of a helicopter in the beginning. However, as conflicting clues are sorted out and unremarkable henchmen are subjected to violence, the true storyline – which involves shady technology deals, corrupt law enforcement, and a casually deadly intermediary – remains unclear.

The issue is that Reacher is a highly active individual. In order to extend the length of a series or a novel, you must keep the main character occupied because once he has a goal, he goes after it directly (which, admittedly, adds to the excitement). In the first season, the episodes were supplemented with flashbacks to Reacher’s upbringing as an army child. In this installment, we are shown snippets of how he trained his carefully selected group of squabbling recruits into a formidable team. There are scenes of team-building through bar fights, hints of forbidden attraction, and possibly more sing-alongs to Elton John songs than one might anticipate.

In a memory, an experienced soldier is teased by a new and young soldier with the words: “Aren’t you missing a CBS drama?” Reacher, with its strong language and intense action scenes, is definitely more extreme than shows like NCIS or Blue Bloods. However, it is not significantly more complex. What makes it captivating to watch is Ritchson’s commanding presence and quirky charisma. The overly confident Reacher can switch from being heroically chivalrous to fighting dirty in the blink of an eye.

In the novels, the action scenes are quick and violent, but they play out over several pages as Reacher carefully plans his combat strategy. Although this level of focus is not portrayed on screen, Ritchson’s movements still convey Reacher’s purposeful nature, showing that he is more than just a brute force. For example, when he stomps on a car bumper, it is purposely to activate the airbag and break the driver’s nose. And when he head-butts an aggressive biker during a confrontation, it is to gain the upper hand in the fight. As for when he hurls a breeze block at an assassin’s head… well, perhaps it was just a convenient object, but it certainly gets the job done.

The first season was released all at once, similar to the tradition of quickly reading Child’s latest book. The second season, however, has changed to three episodes initially, followed by weekly releases of new episodes. (A third season has also been confirmed.) However, the wait for the season finale in early 2024 will likely only add to Reacher’s reputation as an unbeatable badass. Each episode ends with Ritchson delivering a cool one-liner about his upcoming revenge, which will linger in the audience’s mind until the next episode. It may be a bit cheesy, but it’s also highly entertaining.

Source: theguardian.com