These 5 things make Alan Ritchson's Jack Reacher better than that of Tom Cruise

Jack Reacher is one of those book characters whose pure physicality, stoic nature, and no-nonsense mind are as important as the adventures in which he finds himself. When Tom Cruise initially portrayed him in Jack Reacher (2012) and its second outing, the reaction was ambivalent, not due to his acting but due to the way his interpretation seemed different from Lee Child's invention. Years after, Prime Video's Reacher, with Alan Ritchson at the helm, produced a version that made people exclaim, "Finally, that's him."

Alan Ritchson's Reacher being a better adaptation of Lee Child's books than Tom Cruise's movies can sound like a generalization, but it attests to a larger agreement among reviewers, viewers, and even Child himself. Whereas Cruise imported Hollywood gloss and intensity, Ritchson's Reacher is physically truer to the novels, psychologically correct, and more narratively true.

These are five fundamental reasons why this iteration of Reacher connects on a deeper level with die-hard fans.

1. Physical accuracy in the novels

Lee Child's Reacher is a giant—6'5", 250 pounds, and formidable from the instant he enters a room. Tom Cruise, despite being a veteran action star, is only 5'7" tall and does not quite fit that same physicality. This disconnect was not lost on viewers—or Child himself. According to Independent, he said,

"Working with Tom was a pleasure and a privilege – he’s a really smart guy, he’s a smart filmmaker, he’s real fun. But you cannot escape the fact that Reacher is a huge guy.”

He continued,

"I mean, that is a component in his entire approach to the world and the world’s approach to him. He’s huge, he’s implacable, he’s scary, and for all Tom’s ability in getting the internals of Reacher out, he is not huge and he’s not scary. So the readers were terribly upset about it and I think, ultimately, the readers were right.”

Alan Ritchson, 6'2" and with a heavyweight build, immediately moves closer to the written character. His presence feels organic, not hyperbolic, and it works with the way Reacher's size impacts all interactions—intimidation, physical fights. The disparity isn't merely cosmetic; it influences the narrative itself.

2. Closer alignment with Reacher's personality

The Reacher in Child's books is not merely a fighter—he's strategic, reserved, and intensely perceptive. Cruise's take emphasized swift action and bristling intensity, but in doing so, too often neglected Reacher's cerebral aspects. The internal monologues and tactical considerations that mark the literary Reacher were hardly ever translated onto film.

Ritchson's interpretation, though, puts those characteristics front and center. The Prime Video series takes its time to demonstrate how Reacher solves problems in his mind, deals with individuals on his own terms, and handles confrontation with a combination of intellect and brawn. That adjustment of tone makes him seem like the character readers have known for decades.

3. Storytelling format increases character depth

One of the Reacher series' greatest strengths is its format. With several episodes per season, the show gets to explore Reacher's past, motivations, and relationships in depth. The show isn't rushed, and it doesn't compromise on character development for shock value.

Conversely, the movies were confined to two-hour blockbusters and were forced to focus on action and plot. This left less space for delving into Reacher's investigative style or emotional depth. Ritchson gets room to maneuver by having a long-form format that mimics the slow-building mysteries of the books.

4. More gritty, more grounded action

In the books, Reacher's battles are raw, effective, and frequently brutal. They're not flash-oriented—they're results-oriented. Cruise's Reacher battled with precision and flashiness characteristic of big-budget action films, which created thrilling scenes but didn't always translate to the gritty realism of the books.

Ritchson’s action scenes are different. They’re unpolished in the best way: practical, heavy-hitting, and realistic. The camera lingers on the damage, not the choreography. It’s the kind of violence you’d expect from someone with Reacher’s military background, and it fits the tone of the source material much more closely.

5. Faithful adaptation of plotlines

A second significant difference is the way that each version tells Lee Child's tales. The Reacher series begins with Killing Floor, book one of the series, and follows it word for word. The characters, the plot trajectories, and the investigative minutiae are all left mostly intact.

On the other hand, Cruise's movies, particularly the second, took significant deviations from the books' narratives. The characters were changed or eliminated, and the tone frequently diverged from the realistic grounding of the original work. Although the movies were fun, they did not provide the simulating fidelity that the series currently does.

Tom Cruise's take on Jack Reacher provided stylish action and box-office draw, and Lee Child even praised him for his commitment. But when it comes to adhering to the books—physically, emotionally, and in terms of narration—Alan Ritchson's portrayal checks all the boxes.

It's not that one actor is superior to the other; it's whether whichever is more in line with what Lee Child wrote in the first place.