Upamanyu Biswas
In Edward Zwick’s action thriller film ‘Jack Reacher: Never Go Back,’ the titular protagonist uncovers a conspiratorial plot within the ranks of the Military Police after both he and Major Susan Turner become known fugitives on the run from the law. While hiding from their pursuers, the two investigate the workings of a private military organization named Parasource, which seems to be the root of their problems and the instigator of their current predicament. The rogue independent contractor becomes a vital player as the narrative progresses, causing mayhem for the central characters while also maintaining a low profile that keeps them away from public attention. Therefore, it becomes Reacher’s responsibility to bring their actions to the light!
Parasource is a Fictional Private Military Organization
Parasource in ‘Jack Reacher: Never Go Back’ is a fictional private entity that does not exist in real life. It was created by Lee Child, who wrote the 2013 novel of the same name that became the film’s basis. The military corporation is operated by General James Harkness, who uses it to build a militant force of his own and profiteer through an illegal drug trade that he establishes without the knowledge of the higher-ups in his pocket, who are already paid. While the organization has its connection to the novel, it does not feature as heavily as it does in the film’s narrative. Edward Zwick and his co-writers Richard Wenk and Marshall Herskovitz worked on Parasource’s prominence and impact in the narrative while drafting the screenplay.
Private military companies, or mercenary groups, are entities that offer military services in exchange for commercial gain. Similar to any type of business, PMCs’ commodity is whatever logistical, combat, military, or security aid they can offer their clients. Consequently, problematic discussions surrounding accountability arise from the work done by most PMCs. In 2007, a convoy operated by the Academi private military group in Iraq, then known as Blackwater, allegedly opened fire on a car containing a couple and a child, inciting a firefight between the Iraqi military and Blackwater forces. Conflicting reports exist regarding who was culpable for the chaos, but the incident illustrates the nature of the grey area occupied by these private entities.
Today, many of these firms are reported to be much better trained and armed than national military forces. This inadvertently impacted the changing dynamics within the military landscape. It also becomes a pivotal aspect of the narrative in the action thriller film. In an interview, Herskovitz elaborated on the genesis of Parasource, saying, “Parasource is a stand-in for some of the very large companies that are contractors for the military right now. I think most people don’t realize that the majority of work done in Afghanistan is done by civilian contractors. We think it’s done by our military, and our military does an amazing job there, but we actually spend more money on contractors and it’s a huge part of our effort, and there’s very little oversight over these companies.”
Herskovitz continued, saying, “As we’ve seen with Blackwater and other companies, sometimes bad stuff happens because it’s not the part of the normal military command structure, and a lot of the funds that go into them are Black funds that we can’t really follow.” Therefore, the illegal and sinister activities of Parasource, which have gone under the radar of most people, are inspired by real-life accounts of irresponsibility and lack of oversight involving PMCs. However, while the situation presented in the narrative may be drawn from reality to some extent, the company is a fictional entity confined to ‘Jack Reacher: Never Go Back’ and its source material.
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