Campbell famously resurrected the James Bond series not once but twice with 1995’s “Goldeneye” and 2006’s “Casino Royale” – the latter of which single-handedly set a new standard for the series with its opening parkour chase – and under his direction, the film is less “ Drunken Master” and more “Jason Bourne”. While the film is a political thriller first and an action movie second, director Martin Campbell knows that no Jackie Chan movie would be complete without some kung fu, and like the rest of the film, the action is a departure for its leading man. Using his skills from his special forces days, Ngoc’s takes an almost guerilla warfare approach to getting the answers he seeks from Hennessy, and while he takes care not to inflict unnecessary harm to any pursuers unconnected to his daughter’s death, his methods of planting bombs in Hennessy’s office or laying “Rambo”-esque traps for his bodyguards in the woods arguably makes him a domestic terrorist himself, even if we’re rooting for him every step of the way. With its revenge theme and terrorist elements, “The Foreigner” often harkens back to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s “Collateral Damage” (indeed, with some surely unintended parallels, given recent tragic events in the UK).The film is a government conspiracy thriller, first and foremost, which leaves a lot of Ngoc’s revenge mission to be more tracking and tactical planning before actually getting the chance to settle the score with his foes. Hennessy tries to keep London under control after the IRA returns Ngoc lays a trap for his foes A British version of “ Rush Hour” this I assure you, is not (though that certainly wouldn’t be an objectionable prospect)! Brosnan is equally strong in his portrayal of Hennessy as a man seemingly trying to restore the peace after the IRA’s nineteen-year absence, while simultaneously trying to keep the lid on the dark secrets he’s sitting on.Īs you can easily infer from the trailers, this is certainly one of the darkest outings of Jackie’s career – not quite as bleak and depressing as “ Police Story 2013“, but certainly up there and even beyond the darkness of “ New Police Story“.
When you see the expression he wears on his face for most of the film, it’s convincingly the look of a man who’s got nothing at all left to live for, definitely not the kind of guy you’d want to see coming your way for payback of any kind. Rarely, if ever, has Jackie been this sullen or downtrodden in his entire career. It’s certainly unusual to praise a Jackie Chan movie not primarily for the very elements that made him the megastar he is today, but the strongest attribute of “The Foreigner” really is seeing the performances of Jackie and Pierce Brosnan’s, both individually and alongside one another.
Ray Fearon rounds out the cast as the dedicated Commander of London’s police force HQ (New Scotland Yard) Richard Bromley. Dermot Crowley assumes the villainous role of IRA leader Hugh McGrath, while Charlie Murphy portrays his fellow urban terrorist Maggie. Rory Fleck Byrne assumes the role of Hennessy’s nephew Sean, while Liu Tao portrays Keyi Lan, an employee at Ngoc’s Chinese restaurant who desperately tries to provide him some moral support. Michael McElhatton portrays Hennessy’s associate Jim Kavanagh, while his wife Mary is portrayed by Orla Brady.
Playing opposite Jackie is former 007 James Bond, Pierce Brosnan as Liam Hennessy, a British government official who once fought in the Irish Republican Army (IRA). The living legend that is Jackie Chan steps into the role of Ngoc Minh Quan, and the expression he carries on his face throughout the film is probably the most weathered and world-weary look you’ll see anyone give all year. With plenty of atmospheric tension and just enough action for audiences to feel like they’ve gotten the proper Jackie Chan experience, the film also sees Jackie give easily one of his best dramatic performances to date… Trailer Based on Stephen Leather’s 1992 novel “The Chinaman”, “The Foreigner” is a dark and morose, explosive revenge thriller of one man pushed to the breaking point that embarks on a quest for vengeance. When the clown prince of kung fu that is Jackie Chan dips his toes into darker waters, you know that he intends to leave a lasting impression of his versatility.
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