Just finished binge-watching the first season of "Reacher" which is based on the Jack Reacher novels by British author Lee Child. This is the same character that Tom Cruise played in two movies. However, readers of the novels have pointed out that Cruise is physically the wrong size and that size is an immense factor of the character from the novels. In the book series, Reacher is 6ft 5 inches and built like a tank. While the Cruise movies were popular and well accepted, he is still only like 5ft 7in. The Amazon Prime 1st season is entirely based on the very first book that Child wrote called "The Killing Floor". The actor playing Reacher in the series is Alan Michael Ritchson. While only 6ft 2inch, he is still solid muscle and stands out in a crowd.
Anyway, it was 8 episodes of 53 minutes each and it covered the first novel "The Killing Floor" completely. I couldn't stop watching after the first episode. The character of Reacher is portrayed as a former decorated US Army military police special unit officer who has superior hand-to-hand combat skills, total weapons proficiency, and the deductive reasoning and crime-solving abilities of Sherlock Holmes. All of that and he simply wanders the world living like a "Hobo" (a word Reacher uses) solving crimes, and putting an end to bad guys in spectacular ways. What's not to like. I'd give it a solid B+ as an entertaining action/suspense/crime mystery series.
According to Wikipedia, there are 26 novels in all, so there's plenty of material for more seasons if Amazon renews the series. Of course, I doubt they would repeat the two Tom Cruise episodes, but I still hope they do more seasons based on other novels in the series.
Prior to that, I rented "The Last Duel" directed by Ridley Scott---starring Matt Damon and Adam Driver as two main protagonists along with Jodie Comer as the wife of Damon's character. It is set in late 14th century France and is based on true events leading up to a judicial duel to the death fought by two noblemen--one of whom was accused of raping the other's wife. It tells the story in 3 chapters--each one retelling the story from the perspective of each nobleman and then the wife who was assaulted. Ben Affleck who co-wrote the screenplay along with Damon and Nicole Holofcener, also play a supporting role in the movie.
It was quite well done IMHO and was also well received by most critics and audience reviewers. However, it bombed at the box office--probably partially caused by the pandemic and the fact that most audiences today would rather watch a brainless superhero movie than a well-acted historical drama. I thought it quite good and would give it at least a B+ to A- but then I generally like most any medieval-based historical movie. Unlike Ridley Scott's other two movies set in the early medieval period---"Kingdom of Heaven" and "Robin Hood", this one stayed grounded in a believable reality.
Cheers
Artillery adds dignity to what would otherwise be a vulgar brawl.
