Jack Reacher (2012)

Jack Reacher plays like a gritty 1970s detective story that somebody handed a Tom Cruise action figure. The trouble with that action figure is he’s never wrong. Reacher reads every room, wins every fight and explains every clue before anyone can ask, so there’s no real danger anywhere. Rosamund Pike spends much of the movie just reacting to him, and the actual conspiracy is a dull pile of construction money. Christopher McQuarrie runs a car chase through Pittsburgh with barely any music, just engines and tires, and it’s tense in a way most chases forget to be. A bathroom brawl turns into slapstick when two thugs keep getting in each other’s way. Werner Herzog plays the villain with a voice like a cold basement. Robert Duvall rolls in late as a gun range owner and takes over. It made $218.3 million worldwide. A 6.2 because the craft is sharp and the hero is bulletproof in the boring way. $613 says you walk into a restaurant this week and grab the seat facing the door.

What works: The car chase and the close-quarters fights are staged with real clarity, and Herzog and Duvall are terrific late additions.

What doesn’t: Reacher is so flawless that nothing feels risky, and the conspiracy behind the shooting is dull once it’s explained.

Who it’s for: People who like a lean, old-school thriller and don’t need their hero to ever break a sweat.