![]() Letter Grade A- 8 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank (ofMarquis) Be warned - this film is not all action - Campbell spends much of his time on the political maneuvering of Brosnan with Chan jumping in (literally) to spoil plans time and again, so be ready for that type of film, not a RUSH HOUR fun romp. It is good to see the practiced eye and steady hand of a veteran Director at the helm. Campbell hasn't directed a Major Motion Picture since the 2011 flop, THE GREEN LANTERN. Also making a comeback, of sorts, is Director Martin Campbell - who Directed Daniel Craig as James Bond in CASINO ROYALE and Brosnan himself as Bond in GOLDENEYE. ![]() Brosnan has aged gracefully, post-James Bond, and he continues to surprise me with the depth of his performances. Since Chan is silent and dour, the lion's share of the emotion, plotting and energy of this film falls to the chief antagonist - Pierce Brosnan's Liam Hennessy - who just might know more than he is letting on about the bombing. It was great fun to see him jumping around, beating up the bad guys and flying down drainpipes and over vehicles. Chan, now 63 years old, seems to be doing most of his own stunts and age hasn't slowed him much at all. His character has a minimal amount of lines and - as we expect from a Jackie Chan film - he is a man of action and not words. But be aware - this is a dour, serious Chan - I don't think he breaks a smile throughout the course of this film. Chan is a welcome sight back on the big screen. Part TAKEN, part PATRIOT GAMES and part RAMBO, Quan gets caught up in a much larger game of political intrigue and terrorism as he seeks to bring to justice those that harmed his daughter. When his daughter is killed by an IRA terrorist bomb (this is not a spoiler, it was shown in the trailers and happens in the first 5 minutes of the film), Quan turns out to have a "certain set of skills" that will help him identify and hunt down those responsible. Jackie stars as Quan Ngoc Minh (he's called Quan throughout the film) a father of a teenager who is overly protective of her. ![]() Jackie Chan is back, ladies and gentlemen! And the political/action/revenge thriller he has chosen as his comeback is a wise choice - action packed, exciting but very, very serious. not that most countries laws would allow that. The movie works on a few levels and you totally understand the motivation Jackie Chans character has - some might even wish they could act like him. Yeah I know with friends like these, right? Who do I mean? Well that is not too much of a secret, but still good intentions are not always translated into something. But it works, especially with someone like Pierce Brosnan being his "opponent"/ally. Still this is a taking justice in ones own hands that may feel a bit over the top for some. Be it the enviroment (check) or in this case the aging process. Jackie Chan was always good utilizing and embracing certain things. And stunts that will showcase the age of our main character. So why not do a Drama - but with a lot of action. Comedies are not considered a standard for acting. He is such a good (and fun) martial artist, that many did not recoginze his acting ability or talent therefor. Jackie Chan had a perception problem, maybe still has. This is not merely an action film it's a tense drama about conflicting causes. The direction of Martin Campbell and the editing keep the action moving and tight. The story is complex, but totally comprehensible. He wants to identify the bomber(s) for political reasons, and to hold together a fracturing 19-year accord that was never accepted by some. Pierce Brosnan plays Liam Hennessey, an Irish politician who is a former IRA member. He employs stealth and intimidation to discover who the terrorists are, then goes after them. Adapted from a book called "The Chinaman", the story allows Chan to use his martial arts in service to a personal cause. With little left to live for, he commits him self to revenge/justice. Jackie Chan plays Quan, a small, unassuming Asian man whose daughter happens to be a casualty in a politically motivated London bombing. But what if a victim had unusual abilities that would permit him to take action? This is the basic premise of "The Foreigner". The terrorists don't consider reprisals from the victims or their families they only expect government agencies to retaliate. Terrorists routinely take out civilian targets, killing innocents who just happen to be in the wrong place.
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