The
Foreigner ** ½ / *****
Directed
by: Martin
Campbell.
Written
by: David
Marconi based on the novel by Stephen Leather.
Starring:
Jackie
Chan (Ngoc Minh Quan), Pierce Brosnan (Liam Hennessy), Michael McElhatton (Jim
Kavanagh), Charlie Murphy (Maggie), Liu Tao (Keyl Lan), Orla Brady (Mary
Hennessy).
The Foreigner is one of those
movies that would have benefited from either taking itself more seriously or
less seriously – as playing things as they did means the film cannot be the
fun, goofy action movie that you may expect from a Jackie Chan film, but also not
a serious exploration of the cycles of violence the film obviously strains for.
It’s an odd action movie in that it is one without a true hero – everyone in
the film exists moral gray areas, and are more than a little compromised. But
it’s almost as if the movie doesn’t quite know that – and tries to elevate Chan’s
character into a hero, which he really isn’t. Neither is Chan really up for
some of the sad, subtle dramatic scenes the movie asks of him. It’s a film that
left me more frustrated than anything else – because I think there’s a good
film in here somewhere.
The film stars Chan as Ngoc Minh
Quon – who came in England in 1984, after fleeing his native China. He has
already had to bury a wife and two daughters – and when a terrorist attack
takes from him his last child – a teenage daughter – he pretty much snaps. A
group calling themselves the “Authentic IRA” takes credit for the bombing –
which leaves a total of 12 people dead – although what precisely they’re asking
of Britain is not entirely clear. The bombing places pressure of Liam Hennessy
(Pierce Brosnan) – the highest ranking Irish member of the government, a former
IRA and Sein Fein member himself, who has tried to go fully political in achieving
his goals. One of the people who isn’t convinced Liam has completely left that
side behind is, of course, Quon – who doesn’t know anyone else in the IRA, so
he starts to target Liam himself. All he wants is the names of the bombers he
warns – and has the skills to back up his silent threats.
I admired parts of The Foreigner
to be sure – especially how it really didn’t really depend on false villainy at
any step along the way. The movie makes it clear just what a horribly awkward
position Liam is in – and while it is of his own design – it would have been
hard regardless. Things started so simple – but that got bigger than he could
have imagined. He has pressure from the Brits, from his fellow Irishmen, and
from inside his own family. Brosnan doesn’t often get good roles anymore – but here,
he shows why he should – it’s a fine performance. Chan doesn’t fare quite as
well. He is, of course, aging – and not quite the physical performer he once
was. There was a time, when Chan was as gifted at that as we’ve ever seen in
movie history – but time marches on. As a man suffering from grief and perhaps PTSD,
Chan doesn’t really do much other than sit and look morose. The extended middle
section – where I almost felt like I was watching a remake of First Blood – was
probably the nadir of this. I’m not sure if the filmmakers – or Chan himself – didn’t
realize that Quon really isn’t a hero here – he’s as morally compromised as
anyway – but the films confusion over this, doesn’t help.
The film was directed by Martin
Campbell – a fine director of action movies – his best being Casino Royale, but
it’s a solid, sturdy resume. This isn’t his best work - it’s even more
workmanlike than usual for him – but it’s decent. But what the movie really
needed to do is either embrace the action movie clichés it exhibits, and go
wholly over-the-top fun, or else become a more serious exploration of terrorism
and the cycle of violence. Because it tries to be both, it doesn’t really work
as either.
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