Blu Tuesday: Jack Reacher 2 and More

Every Tuesday, I review the newest Blu-ray releases and let you know whether they’re worth buying, renting or skipping, along with a breakdown of the included extras. If you see something you like, click on the cover art to purchase the Blu-ray from Amazon, and be sure to share each week’s column on social media with your friends.

“Jack Reacher: Never Go Back”

The first Jack Reacher movie may have underperformed at the box office, but it would’ve been a shame if that had marked the end of the character’s cinematic adventures. Granted, “Never Go Back” isn’t as much fun as its 2012 predecessor, but the film still succeeds thanks to Tom Cruise’s charismatic turn as the badass ex-military man. Though the family dynamic between Reacher, Cobie Smulders’ framed army major and Danika Yarosh’s feisty teenager allows Cruise to explore the character’s emotional side, this particular story would have been better saved for a future installment. After all, Jack Reacher is at his best when he’s working alone, and while “Never Go Back” features some great Reacher moments, it fails to make a strong enough case for continuing the series.

Extras include six featurettes that cover topics like shooting on location in Louisiana, filming the rooftop battle, on-set photography and more. FINAL VERDICT: RENT

“Queen of Katwe”

Disney loves a good inspirational story, and “Queen of Katwe” certainly fits the bill with its fascinating tale of Ugandan chess prodigy Phiona Mutesi, who rose from poverty to become a chess champion and national hero. But while the studio’s latest true-life drama ticks all the usual boxes, it doesn’t do enough to truly stand out, unable to balance Phiona’s journey with the stories of those around her. Though “Queen of Katwe” ultimately gets by on the strength of its performances, namely David Oyelowo, Lupita Nyong’o and newcomer Madina Nalwanga, the movie isn’t quite as compelling or memorable as it probably should be.

Extras include an audio commentary by director Mira Nair, interviews with the cast and crew about making the movie, deleted scenes and Nair’s documentary short film, “A Fork, a Spoon and a Knight.” FINAL VERDICT: RENT

“Pinocchio”

While there’s no denying that it broke new ground in the field of animation, Walt Disney’s “Pinocchio” is one of the studio’s weakest movies. Not only does the film’s moral lesson fall flat due to its protagonist’s inherent naivety (a product of Geppetto’s bad parenting), but the story is boring and the characters are thinly sketched. Revisiting the movie for the first time in many years, it’s also hard to believe that it didn’t traumatize me as a kid, because “Pinocchio” is surprisingly dark for a Disney film; it contains some pretty adult material, including allusions to child trafficking and scenes where Pinocchio smokes and drinks. Though the movie isn’t without its charms, they’re too few and far between to salvage this overrated classic.

Extras include an audio commentary by film critic Leonard Maltin, animator Eric Goldman and historian J.B. Kaufman, a making-of documentary, archival recordings of Walt Disney discussing the movie, a behind-the-scenes look at the Pleasure Island sequence and much more. FINAL VERDICT: RENT

“Masterminds”

Director Jared Hess has surely used up all the goodwill he earned from “Napoleon Dynamite” by now, and yet for some reason, studios keep giving him money to make awful movies like “Masterminds.” Though loosely based on the 1997 Loomis Fargo bank robbery, Hess’ latest comedy wastes its stranger-than-fiction true story on a bunch of overly eccentric characters (what in the world is going on with Zach Galifianakis’ hair?) and stupid, lowbrow gags. It’s no surprise that the film’s release was delayed for so long, because despite a talented cast that includes Kristen Wiig, Owen Wilson and Jason Sudeikis, “Masterminds” is so focused on making its characters look ridiculous that it forgets to give you a real reason to laugh.

Extras include a behind-the-scenes look at making the film. FINAL VERDICT: SKIP