Jack Reacher: Never Go Back

When it comes to action sequels, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back unintentionally offers some worthwhile advice in its title.

With this second film adaptation of the books from author Lee Child, the Reacher series is only the second best ongoing vigilante franchise starring Tom Cruise. And while trafficking in the same tough-guy bravado, it doesn’t hold up well alongside Jason Bourne, either.

As the film opens, Reacher (Cruise) already is on the run, both from his former military colleagues and from henchmen and assassins tied to a rogue crime syndicate tied to incidents of weapons smuggling and international terrorism under the guise of a security company.

Reacher starts by weeding out corruption among the good guys, and that starts by freeing an officer (Cobie Smulders) being falsely imprisoned on an espionage charge. Of course, Reacher has other, more personal, incentives for helping her.

As the duo tries to sort through the truth behind the criminal enterprise, they’re accompanied by a recalcitrant teenager (Danika Yarosh) who’s rumored to be Reacher’s long-lost daughter.

The broader mystery takes a back seat to smaller moments of Reacher getting into tight spots with the authorities or anonymous bad guys, then figuring out how to get out of trouble.

At least the first film had the benefit of introducing the lead character and explaining how he acquired his physical prowess, confrontational attitude, and unique investigational skills. That freshness is absent here, and Never Go Back isn’t compelling enough to compensate.

As directed by Edward Zwick (Blood Diamond), the uninspired screenplay too often detours into personal dirty laundry, which diminishes the number of adrenaline-fueled set pieces. The sporadic fireworks generally consist of generic series of shootouts and chases that might disappoint genre aficionados.

The charismatic if diminutive Cruise effortlessly slides back into a role in which his character is much better at making enemies than friends. He’s always remarkably calm under pressure, but hardly a patient man. Cruise makes things watchable, and Smulders is a spunky sidekick.

However, despite some mild intrigue and taut action sequences — including a fight scene in a kitchen involving a meat tenderizer — this potboiler is inferior to an original that was mediocre to begin with. It’s all brawn and no brains.

Rated PG-13, 118 minutes.