Jackie Chan has returned to our screens again with his new movie The Foreigner but is it worth the watch?
I have always been a fan of Jackie Chan since his early movies, so I was looking forward to watching this, but honestly I did not think it would be that good of film given that the last few Jackie Chan films I have watched have been spoilt with bad story lines and even worse CGI. I should have known better than to make a judgement before actually seeing the film in the first place… read on to find out why this was a surprising hit with all the right ingredients.
The movie stars two well know actors; Jackie Chan of course, and also previous “007” Pierce Brosnan, who has not really made any notable films since leaving the Bond franchise (unless you count Mamma Mia!) Chan plays Minh Ngoc Quan, a businessman living in London after leaving a dark past in 1980’s China behind him. His only family is his daughter, who tragically dies in a terrorist attack after he drops her off to shop with her friends. The plot literally gets going from the moment the film starts. There is no waiting about for half an hour here, you really get hooked in immediately. The ride is an edge of your seat rollercoaster with Jackie Chan’s acting absolutely at it’s best! His portrayal of a man in total anguish, despair and emotional breakdown after the loss of his daughter and seeking revenge at any costs, this truly is one of his best performances in any of his movies.
After the authorities fail to find the people who were involved in his daughter’s death, he takes it up on himself to seek revenge. He finds out that an Irish government official Liam Hennesy (Brosnan) is holding back information and he had previous ties to the terrorist group involved. It is here where we see the best acting from Jackie Chan of his career, stealing every second of limelight in a superb performance.
The movie is excellently pieced together with its thrilling storyline and Jackie Chan’s performance. There is of course Jackie’s martial arts prowess showcased in a few scenes for his loyal fans in a fighting and action style reminiscent of the Bourne film series, with excellent fight choreography. What makes this film great is it’s not like the Taken franchise, with just a guy simply seeking revenge. There are multiple storylines in this film, with a political side of the story full of manipulation and uncertainty of who can be trusted. It’s certainly is a film with many twists and turns along the way, with multi-dimensional characters.
What I also enjoyed is that at no point was the film ever boring, and with a running time of 2 hours, that’s no easy task! Director Martin Campbell (who directed the James Bond films Casino Royale and Golden Eye) makes an excellent return to form here, executing a timely pattern and just the right ingredients to offer up an exciting thriller with an excellent storyline to hold everything together. This is not one to be missed, you won’t be left disappointed!
Author: Paul, York Store
