Examining a hit TV show action sequence using introductory mechanics

In an early second-season episode of the TV series “Reacher,” the titular protagonist apprehends a villain sitting in a parked car by kicking the front grille, triggering the airbag. While it’s certainly a dramatic stunt for TV, how possible would it be to pull it off in real life?

DiLisi and Rarick employed the principles of introductory mechanics to analyze the forces involved in the interaction and determine whether they would be possible or realistic.

“For the past 25 years, we have been compiling case studies of instances where basic principles of physics can be used to cast skepticism on assertions made by celebrities, politicians, or professional athletes,” said author Gregory DiLisi. “Likewise, our repertoire of case studies includes examples where simple physics or engineering principles can cast doubt or debunk outlandish scenes occurring in movies and television programs.”

Based on the deployment criteria for a modern airbag, the authors calculated the amount of force a person would have to exert to trigger one. They then compared this value with realistic estimates of a human’s kicking force, concluding that the scene in “Reacher” is impossible. Further, they determined that producing anywhere near enough force would almost certainly lead to broken bones.

As teachers, the duo sees moments like this as opportunities to bring pop culture into the classroom. They intend for this scenario to be an exercise for introductory physics students and as a tool for educators.

“We have a book coming out this spring that assembles all the lessons learned, best practices, and case studies of using this type of pedagogy to teach introductory physics,” said DiLisi.

Source: “Jack reacher and the deployment of an airbag,” by Gregory Anthony DiLisi and Richard A. Rarick, The Physics Teacher (2025). The article can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1119/5.0199008 .