Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		0.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

Reacher: Season Two 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman September 29, 2024

Paramount has released the second season of the popular TV series 'Reacher' to the UHD format. This release follows the series' first season UHD (there's a Blu-ray as well). As with season one, the video and audio presentations are stellar, but unlike season one, there are no extras of any kind on season two. Besides a menu screen on both discs and a few audio and subtitle options this is as bare-bones as they come.

Reacher's second season begins with a brief recap not just of season one but of the character, lining up what to expect of him and the show in general. And season two follows the musclebound military man once again traversing the nation and using his skillset -- military know-how and intense investigative work -- to good use. And his latest mission is very personal. His ex-military teammates are turning up dead, killed in brutal fashion, often tortured to within an inch of their lives. Now, with the clock ticking and the bodies of his best friends piling up, he has no choice but to put his life -- and everything he holds dear -- on the line to stop the killing before all are gone. Season two comes complete with all of the over-the-top action, crime scene and puzzle solving skill, and storytelling chops of the first season, but polished and amplified.

It's interesting how they're making Reacher. Rather than simply make up fresh tales or throw bits and pieces from character and franchise lore around the screen, each season is based on single novels from Lee Child's Jack Reacher canon. Season one was based on the book "Killing Floor," which was the debut novel for the character, while this second season is based on Child's "Bad Luck and Trouble," which is not the second Jack Reacher novel, but rather the eleventh (season three is said to be based on "Persuader," the seventh book in the series). So, the producers are not simply going through a chronological exploration of the character through Child's novels but rather focusing on what might work best for the character, on the small screen, in around eight episodes, and to satisfy the needs of a TV show while also satisfying new fans of the show and also longtime book fans. In other words, the writers and producers have a lot of material to sift through and a lot of decisions to make, and it appears that, so far, they are making the right ones. While season one was a no-brainer to start at the beginning, season two does make a logical progression despite the jump forward in the novel series. This is largely due to Child writing the series in such a way that it can be enjoyed in any order (so go pick up book one...and why not, go grab book 11 from the local library, too). So, season two certainly offers a satisfying second chapter to the Reacher saga, even if this was a story Child told later in the series.

It works because the beauty of the series, unlike most others that build layer upon layer and are really necessary to enjoy to their fullest, is that Reacher's stories are more episodic. And, here in season two, Reacher finds himself in an all-new adventure, certainly with some ties to season one, but it does work quite well as standalone content. My memory of season one was not great, and I felt no discomfort in simply sliding into season two with only minimal recollection of season one. The story is a logical followup to the establishing beats of season one considering this season's focus on further building on Reacher's backstory with a focus on his military career: the men he served alongside and the friendships and trials that shaped him into the man he is today. Season two does some hoop-jumping to build up the story then and now, but the show never feel disjointed. It sheds plenty of light on the character, and maybe more than was necessary considering the character's status as something of a mysterious sojourner, but it works here and will hopefully carry the character into season three without losing that mysterious magic. Of course, the action is excellent here in all of its shapes and sizes, and the season's technical merits are everything a high end contemporary TV should should offer.

And, finally, no review of Reacher: Any Season, even and especially season two, would be complete without praise for series star Alan Ritchson who may be mistaken, at a glance, for John Cena but who is every bit as good an actor as Cena and who fits the character far better than did Tom Cruise Cruise on the silver screen, who was obviously cast more for star power than for accuracy to the hulking muscleman depicted in Child's novels. Ritchson just inhabits the part with incredible screen presence, obviously, but he's not just a pile of muscles. He's an actor who can deliver his dialogue and shape a character with a real sense of heart and soul. It helps that he physically fits the character's requirements, but it also helps that he is capable of building a human being on the inside, even if he's well beyond the norm for a human being on the outside. In season two, he shows more polish and maturity as an actor, especially through the dramatic currents that run through the season and the heart that is necessary to sell the particular plot points here. Of course, he's excellent in the physical demands as well, but it's the character building and actor maturity that are the takeaways here, even if the action is the highlight.

Reacher: Season Two 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc.

This is not a typically common observation on a UHD release, but my gut reaction to Reacher's second season is to say that I like the look of the Blu-ray a little more than the UHD. To be sure, Paramount's 2160p/Dolby Vision presentation looks rock solid, mostly, with ample detail and deep color. But there are some areas where I felt the Blu-ray was superior. There are times when the deeper colors and slightly darker tone almost overwhelm the image, giving it a muddier look than the Blu-ray. Look at the 3:50 mark of "ATM" for example where Reacher is line for, well, the ATM machine in town. An A-B comparison reveals, to my eyes, a picture with deeper colors and more detail overall on the UHD, but also a face that looks bronze and maybe a little burnt where the Blu-ray shows a more even, clear, and balanced image that looks like a small town exterior rather than a sun-scorched day at the beach. To be sure, though, the majority of the picture really does look excellent, with high impact detail down to the finest fabric and stitch, facial hair stubble, and skin wrinkle and pore. Most times, color balance is very good. Blacks are deep (if not at times teetering on crush...look at Reacher's attire in a low light hotel scene in episode one at the 52:39 mark) and white balance is very good. I like it, but I don't love it. That said, just watching rather than getting down to nitty gritty comparisons (like most viewers will), there's no mistaking that the picture is excellent. I think fans will be very pleased with either version, with the caveat, in my opinion, that both the Blu-ray and the UHD have their advantages, and both will satisfy most any viewer. Like the Blu-ray, noise is minimal here and the encode appears just about perfect. I did not detect anything more a little noise in low light, and I spotted no egregious examples of banding or other artifacts.

Reacher: Season Two 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Paramount releases Reacher on both Blu-ray and UHD with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack, and it's quite good. The track makes extensive use of the surrounds, no surprise given its action nature and the military learnings of the season. Just in the opening minutes of the first episodes, listeners will enjoy a helicopter fly through that delivers powerful stage presence while including some excellent directional effects that really bring the listener right into the moment. A few minutes later, Reacher beats the snot out of a carjacker who has abducted a mother and her son for some quick cash, and the shattering window, punches, and slams deliver satisfying oomph and impact. Such holds true throughout. Every bit of action content is absolutely first rate. Surround bonanzas are regular, hefty yet balanced bass is second nature, and general stage fullness is the norm. Musical engagement is likewise wonderful, offering superb definition, excellent front space, and ample yet very balanced surround content. Light environmental cues are nicely integrated, especially ore subtle effects but also including moderate mood and location elements which may not be vital but that working together with everything else, and in perfect balance, really bring every shot, scene, and sequence to highly satisfying life. Not to be outdone is the rich, clear, and lifelike dialogue which is always centered. TV show audio really doesn't get any better at the 5.1 configuration.

Reacher: Season Two 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Most unfortunately, this UHD release of Reacher: Season Two contains no supplements on either UHD disc. The first season set included about 30 minutes of extras spread between two features. On this release, the main menu screen is static, showing Reacher from the back, looking over his right shoulder, dog tags clenched in his right fist, against a yellow backdrop; it's similar to the cover art in overall style. Menu options only include an option to play all episodes, choose an episode, and select from several audio and subtitle options. No Blu-ray or digital copies are included with purchase. This release does not ship with a slipcover (the Blu-ray does). Unlike the Blu-ray, the case artwork does not include an inner print with episode synopses on the left and a photo on the right. So, in a sense, there are more "bonuses" with the Blu-ray than there are with the UHD, even if those bonuses are physical only.

Reacher: Season Two 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Between seasons one and two, Reacher has certainly not ascended to the top of the TV ranks, but it has proven itself quite the respectable effort that has only matured nicely here in season two. That maturation is less a product of major plot growth (which is not exactly what the series, either on the page or on the screen, is about), but it has certainly matured in its performances (Ritchson is Reacher through-and-through), in its style, in its craftsmanship, and in its writing. It's a polished show that is a product of a polished writer, and with a good source, an excellent lead, and a generally satisfying (though maybe not compelling) season arc, this is very good TV that delivers a hearty blend of action and characterization that should satisfy fans of the page and screen adaptations alike and bring in newcomers who will want to go back for season one, come back for season three, and hit up the books, too. Paramount's two-disc UHD set is disappointingly featureless, but the studio does produce solid video and and an excellent audio presentation, which are expected for a new release TV product. Highly recommended.