How Tall Alan Ritchson Is (& What Height Jack Reacher Is Supposed To Be)
Jack Reacher’s height has been a topic of interest because of its importance in his identity – here’s how Alan Ritchson’s height compares to Reacher’s
SUMMARY
Alan Ritchson’s height is around 6 feet 2 inches, while Jack Reacher in the books is described as 6 feet 5 inches.
Previous iterations of Jack Reacher, like Tom Cruise’s portrayal, received criticism for not matching the character’s tall and imposing stature described in the novels.
Jack Reacher’s height is a significant aspect of his identity in Lee Child’s novels, emphasizing his physical prowess and contrasting his calm demeanor. Amazon’s adaptation acknowledges and portrays this crucial detail.
Since Jack Reacher’s monumental stature is crucial to his characterization, it is hard not to wonder what Alan Ritchson’s height is and how it compares to his titular character in Reacher.
In its opening scene itself, Amazon’s Reacher establishes that Alan Ritchson’s Jack Reacher is an intimidating behemoth of a man. He gives one look to a goon, which alone enough for him to send shivers down the man’s spine.
Even in other moments throughout its runtime, Amazon’s Reacher portrays how his stature and military training allow him to easily stand his ground against several enemies.
Amazon’s adaptation of Lee Child’s books puts Reacher’s physical prowess on full display by showing how he single-handedly takes down an entire group of men in prison when they try to jump him.
Later in Reacher, he easily beats three men at once without flinching an eye. Jack’s size also becomes the source of many running gags in Reacher, where he seemingly orders an entire buffet of a meal when he goes out for lunch at Jolene’s Chicken Shack.
With so many details in Amazon’s Reacher revolving around the titular character’s height, it is not surprising that many viewers are curious about Alan Ritchson’s real height.
Alan Ritchson Is Around 6’2″ – And Jack Reacher Is 6’5″ In The Books
According to several sources, Alan Ritchson’s height is around 6 feet 2 inches. Lee Child describes Jack Reacher as a 6’5” ex-US Army Military Police Corps investigator, making him close to 3 inches taller than Alan Ritchson.
While three inches can make a significant difference in the real world, Amazon’s Reacher effectively makes him appear about 6 feet 5 inches through creative camera angles and other enhancements and adjustments.
Alan Ritchson may not be the exact same height as Lee Child’s Jack Reacher, but the fact that he is close to it seems good enough, given how previous iterations of the character have ignored this detail.
Why Jack Reacher’s Height Is Such A Big Deal
Tom Cruise’s casting as Jack Reacher in 2012’s Jack Reacher and 2016’s Jack Reach: Never Go Back was heavily criticized by many Lee Child readers because Cruise is not even close to being as tall as the character.
Although Tom Cruise does a decent job at portraying Jack Reacher, he just does not fill his big boots because Lee Child describes Reacher as a tall and powerful man who easily stands out in a crowd of average men.
Although Reacher does not say much in Lee Child’s novels, his imposing presence alone is enough to draw everyone’s attention toward him when he enters a room.
Even during hand-to-hand combats, Jack Reacher’s ability to overpower multiple enemies at once usually seems to be an outcome of him literally embodying the built and physical strength of many men.
Lee Child’s Jack Reacher novels lay so much emphasis on his height that it nearly becomes synonymous with his identity, contrasting his introspective and calm demeanor. Therefore, Jack Reacher’s height is a big deal, and it is good that Amazon’s Reacher does not try to ignore this detail about his characterization.
