What Fool Cast Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher?

Okay, I'm just going to come out and say it: Who is the blithering idiot who cast Tom Cruise in the role of Jack Reacher in the upcoming film "One Shot." Wait, I know; it was the movie's producer Tom Cruise.

Only an arrogant nincompoop like the 5'7" Cruise could possibly read a Reacher novel with its 6'5" 250-pound protagonist and think to himself, "Hey, that's me!"

Only Cruise himself could think that somehow his intense, over-fidgety on-screen persona could somehow translate into the laid-back, lumbering Reacher.

Reacher is not a kung fu fighter, he's a brawler, and that's part of his charm.

Even the miscast Harrison Ford as Jack Ryan in a few of those films, doesn't hold a candle to this train wreck.

Obviously they are making this movie for an audience that has never heard of Jack Reacher.

I'm sure what we are basically going to get is "Mission Impossible" Three or Four or whatever that series is up to. Of course with Cruise's character's name changed to Jack Reacher.

I have yet to speak to one fan of the books who hasn't been totally mystified by the casting, as I was until I did a little research, discovering Cruise is the producer. Oh, so he's the fool who hired himself.

Apparently Cruise managed to put most of the budget earmarked for the cast and crew into his own pocket. Outside of Robert Duvall, I didn't recognize a name among the cast; although, I might recognize a face or two.

He choose a basically unknown to direct. Christopher McQuarrie received some writing credit for the Mission Impossible films, but I can't find much else he's done.

I would normally be very enthusiastic about this movie, but not as it is shaking out.

Will I see it?

I'm sure it will be in a Red Box near me at some point. I'll roll the dice and spend $1.50 renting the Blu-Ray disc.

Cruise as Reacher: You've got to be kidding.