Jack Reacher: Never Go Back - Ultra HD Blu-ray

Immediately, in the opening moments of 'Jack Reacher: Never Go Back,' the filmmakers take a few minutes to demonstrate the hero's badassery. You know, just in case anyone wanders into this by accident, they know the titular character is exceptionally good at what he does, which is never directly expressed or actually explained. At least, not outside of him repeating to everyone he encounters throughout this decently satisfying, 118-minute actioner that he's an ex-Major and people should really stop addressing him as such. Don't you hate it when strangers greet you with the respect you deserve and earned, which is also mentioned a few times? Joking aside, however, the whole affair quickly establishes Reacher's calculating über-coolness under pressure and when everything seems stacked against him. After single-handedly assaulting four men outside a roadside diner, he calmly informs the sheriff arresting him how the next couple minutes will end for him, which happens exactly as predicted.

The sequence is meant to not only bring a smile to those already familiar with the character, who was first introduced back in the 2012 adaptation of the Lee Child crime thriller, but also to remind them of his efficiency at serving justice. At the same time, director Edward Zwick, working from a script he co-wrote with Richard Wenk and filmmaker Marshall Herskovitz, takes this as an opportunity to hurriedly relate the events with the film's true plot, which is essentially again solving a murder mystery to prove the innocence of a fellow soldier. The twist, this time around, is Reacher (Tom Cruise) being incriminated with similar charges and dragged deeper into a larger conspiracy involving drug-trafficking and the selling of weapons to insurgents. The filmmakers also give the decorated military investigator some depth with the possibility of a daughter (Danika Yarosh) he never knew existed. Sadly, other than proving a pest or a handy device for moving the plot, nothing of real significance or substance comes of this subplot.

That's because our attention is intently fixed on completing the mission. That is until somebody suddenly remembers a certain paternity issue needing a swifter resolution than the actual task at hand, which it does in the most convenient brushoff imaginable. It's near deus ex machina quality writing, folks! Nevertheless, the daughter is ultimately a pawn for injecting both the plot and our hero some gravitas, and I must admit it worked to a small degree. Further revealing Reacher as a complex individual is the reason for taking on this dangerous operation. And as if often the case, he risks it all for a woman in Major Susan Turner (a pleasing enough Cobie Smulders), who now does the job Reacher left. Some mild over-the-phone flirtation warrants their first meet-and-greet, but when he arrives in DC for a possible love connection, he learns she's been arrested on espionage charges. Do military prisons allow conjugal visits, or must Reacher whip out his particular set of skills to get this romance going? And the latter it is!

Things quickly escalate from there because asking questions about the Major's impending trial draws the attention of some very powerful people who don't like strangers snooping around their business. Those people, the shadowy company Parasource run by General James Harkness (Robert Knepper) and a coldblooded mercenary (Patrick Heusinger), are made known pretty early on. At first, this seems as though taking away much of the film's thrill and purpose. However, that's not the point of 'Never Go Back.' It functions very much like a standard police procedural where the fun is not so much in revealing the culprits as it is in simply piecing the whole thing together. Zwick and company don't bring anything new to the table or stray from the basic blueprint, but they make it an enjoyable popcorn movie. It's not quite at the level of its predecessor, but it's good to see Reacher vulnerable against a formidable foe. And the final shots of our drifter hero — homage perhaps to 'The Incredible Hulk' TV series — adds a nice touch to the character's mythology while leaving the door open to future installments.

The Blu-ray: Vital Disc Stats

Paramount Home Entertainment brings 'Jack Reacher: Never Go Back' to Ultra HD Blu-ray as a two-disc combo pack with a flyer for an UltraViolet Digital Copy. At the moment, we are unable to verify if the correct size of the content, but the dual-layered UHD66 disc sits comfortably opposite a Region Free, BD50 disc inside a black, eco-cutout case with a glossy slipcover. At startup, the UHD goes straight to a static menu with music and options along the bottom.

The ex-Major turned vigilante rides into Ultra HD territory with a gorgeous HEVC H.265 encode in HDR10, making it a marked improvement over its Blu-ray counterpart.

Shot entirely on 35mm cameras, the freshly-minted transfer reveals extraordinarily sharp, detailed lines in the clothing, surrounding foliage and along the buildings. The tiniest wrinkle and crease in Reacher's jacket is distinct while individual threads and fabric of other clothing items are meticulously rendered. Most impressive are facial complexions exposing the most minute, negligible blemish, the faint five o'clock shadows in the male actors and amazing lifelike textures of all the cast during close-ups. Also, various items in the background are plainly visible while the lettering on signs, books and vehicles are very well-defined.

Presented in a 2.39:1 aspect ratio, the picture is awash with a consistently thin structure of natural grain, providing it with an appreciable film-like appeal. Oliver Wood's beautiful cinematography displays pitch-perfect contrast, making this UHD version noticeably brighter than the BD. Crisp, clean whites pop off the screen with brilliant luminosity and daylight exteriors often dazzle while poorly-lit interior still shine as various light sources comes with a realistic glow. Specular highlights provide an enthusiastic, true-to-life radiance in computer screens, along the edges of random metallic objects and the light shining off the faces of the cast.

Brightness levels are equally outstanding and terrifically dynamic, most notably during nighttime sequels. With excellent gradational differences between the various shades, blacks are richer with deep, penetrating shadows that allow for the finer details to remain distinctly visible, providing the 4K presentation with a lovely three-dimensional feel on a few occasions. Primaries, particularly the blue in the sky and the red in blood and signs, are fuller with a bit more pop, showering the frame with life and energy. Warm secondary hues provide the mornings and late afternoons with vivid reddish oranges and light hints of violet while providing everyone in the cast with a healthy, photorealistic rosy complexion. 

Ready to save the day, Reacher steadily marches forward armed with a determined and excellent Dolby Atmos soundtrack. It doesn't really measure up to expectations for an action thriller or go toe-to-toe against some of the best we've heard in the format. However, the object-based mix stands its ground, delivering justice with expertise and efficiency.

The whole thing is a front-heavy affair with a majority of the action spread across the entire front soundstage. Surprisingly, this is where the movie really shines and takes advantage of the new surround sound codec, as a variety of effects fluidly and convincingly move between channels. Many of those same noises trickle discretely into the front heights for creating a half-dome wall of sound that's just as overwhelming as it is highly engaging. The mid-range is terrifically dynamic and extensive, exhibiting room-penetrating clarity during the loudest segments, while a powerfully robust low-end provides each punch, gunshot and explosion with potent weight. In the midst of the mayhem and chases, vocals remain distinct and precise with outstanding intonation in the more emotionally-driven moments.

Interestingly, neither the rears nor the ceiling channels display a great deal of activity, which is not to say that there isn't any. Only, that those channels don't appear to be utilized as effectively as would be expected. Of course, there is the occasional bits of debris and echoing effect, all of it coming from specific action sequences, sprawling in every direction for generating a mostly satisfying soundfield. The music, too, bleeds into the sides and above along with a few subtle atmospherics, like the bustle of city traffic, helicopters flying overhead, the loud shaking inside an airplane, the cheering celebration in New Orleans and the blasts of firework bursting high in the sky. And in spite of these positives, the lossless track never fully immerses the listener in a truly spectacular way that compares to some of the best object-based soundtracks. 

Also worth noting is that I experienced a few minor audio dropouts since downloading the latest firmware update on my Oppo player.

• Relentless: On Location in Louisiana (HD, 26 min) — Exactly as the title suggests, the featurette comprehensively discusses shooting locations and their particular fit in the story while also touching on the decision to shoot in the state with plenty of BTS footage.
• An Unexpected Family (HD, 15 min) — A piece on Reacher's relationship with the female characters, especially the way in which they provide our military hero more depth and humanity.
• Take Your Revenge First: Lethal Combat (HD, 13 min) — Focusing on the fight and stunt choreography, and the amount of prep training the cast went through for each of their roles.
• Reacher Returns (HD, 12 min) — A series of interviews talking about their fascination and attraction to the character, along with his evolution and where this story fits in the series.
• Reacher in Focus (HD, 9 min) — Something out of the norm because the discussion is all on the photographs taken while on set, the stills often used for promotional material or as a supplement.
• No Quarter Given: Rooftop Battle (HD, 8 min) — A closer look at the final fight sequence and the prep work that went into making it as realistic as possible.

Though not as good or satisfying as its predecessor, 'Jack Reacher: Never Go Back' is nonetheless an enjoyable action thriller. With Tom Cruise and Cobie Smulders, the sequel is a decent follow-up that adds nicely to the character's mythology and future installments. The Ultra HD Blu-ray arrives with an outstanding 4K video presentation that's an improvement over the standard BD and accompanied by the same excellent Dolby Atmos presentation. Though the supplemental material is light, the overall package is recommended for fans and early adopters.