(Credit: Netflix)

Netflix is such an unpredictable platform because one minute you might plan on watching something light, and suddenly an old action movie starts staring back at you from the Top 10? That is exactly what Jack Reacher is doing right now.

So if you have been wondering why Tom Cruise is suddenly all over Netflix again, you are not alone. You might click on the movie thinking to watch it for ten minutes, and the next thing you know, you are with Cruise, chasing the cars.

The film is based on Lee Child’s wildly popular book series, and if you already know the character from the novels, you probably have opinions about Cruise playing him. Let us get that part out of the way. No, he does not look like the Reacher described in the books. The literary version is nearly a wall. Cruise is… not that. But if you can keep the two separate, the film is a great watch.

The plot starts with a sniper attack that feels shocking because of how ordinary the day looks before it turns violent. A man is arrested almost immediately, but instead of defending himself, he simply asks for one person: Jack Reacher. That is where the suspense begins, and this is where Cruise gets to play the character who walks into a room already knowing he is ten steps ahead of everyone else. He has that cool, silent confidence of fictional detectives who know everything before anyone else in the room does.

Rosamund Pike plays the defence attorney who is trying to make sense of the case, and she is the emotional anchor of the film. The moments between her and Cruise give the story some warmth. You will either enjoy that energy or roll your eyes at it. Maybe both.

Now, let us be real. Jack Reacher is not a masterpiece. It takes its time getting to the good bits, and the tone can be a little self-serious. You can feel the film trying to convince you how intelligent every conversation is. And some twists are easy to spot if you have watched even two crime thrillers in your life.

But here is the thing: once the film picks up the pace, it becomes surprisingly fun. The car chase through Pittsburgh is filmed with a believable rawness. No overdone music or edits, just a steady build of tension. These scenes will definitely remind you why Cruise is still one of the most reliable action stars in Hollywood.

By the end, the film slips into that perfect weekend-watch category. Not too heavy, not too complicated, just pure entertainment. It might not be the version of Reacher that book loyalists wanted, but it works in its own way.

If it has made its way back to Netflix’s Top 10, it is because people love a familiar action movie that gets the job done. And honestly? Sometimes that is all you need when you are scrolling on Netflix and can’t decide what to watch.