Jackie Chanis a prolific actor with nearly 150 titles under his belt. With a background in martial arts and a history of classic films likePolice StoryandKarate Kid, he isn’t often associated with serious thrillers. However, Chan has dipped his toe into the dramatic pool occasionally — most recently with Martin Campbell’sThe Foreigner. In the movie, Chan teams up with action flick veteranPierce Brosnan, known for his celebrated portrayal of James Bond in four of the franchise’s films from 1995 to 2002, astar whom many would like to see return as 007. The surprising duo managed to mesh well, and the result was a financially and critically successful project.
The film is based on the 1992 novelThe Chinamanby Stephen Leather and was a joint American, British, and Chinese production. It focuses on London-based Vietnam War veteran and restauranter Ngoc Minh Quan (Chan), whose daughter is killed in a terrorist attack committed by an off-shoot of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). When he feels like Scotland Yard is dropping the ball with the investigation, he turns to Liam Hennessy (Brosnan) for answers; he’s a former IRA leader who has supposedly gone straight and is now the deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland. Chan believes Hennessy is responsible for the attack, and when he plays dumb, Chan becomes set on revenge.
What follows is an action-packed back-and-forth between the two men, complete with stalking, hand-to-hand combat, explosions, and plenty of gruesome deaths.
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The Foreigner Was Warmly Received
The Foreignerwas a box office success, grossing $145 million against a $35 million budget, and became one of the most-watched Netflix original films in the UK in 2018. Though some critics chastised the film for its formulaic action thriller plot, most found it to hold its own among others in the genre.Underrated director Martin Campbellwas commended for creating gripping action sequences, which isn’t surprising given he was the force behind the Bond thrillerGoldenEye, among many other celebrated movies, and teamed up with two masters of the craft forThe Foreigner.
Watch The Foreigner
Jackie Chan Delivers With His Performance
The Foreigner
Both Chan and Brosnan were admired for their performances, with the martial artist being especially applauded for taking on his most dramatic role yet.Rolling Stone’s Peter Travers described Chan as portraying Quan with “coiled intensity and raw emotional power,” while Clarence Tsui ofThe Hollywood Reportersaid in his review, “It’s good to see Chan swapping his happy-go-lucky personal for two hours for some gravitas as a tragic rogue with a marked past.” Even Brosnan shouted Chan’s praises, tellingThe Guardian, “He’s just so committed, emotionally. He’s exemplary, an icon, a classic, a man of his time on the cinematic stage. A clown, an acrobat, a hero.” With a drooping face befitting a grieving father and no attempt to hide his 63 years, Chan fully embodies the reality of his character while still highlighting his ability to kick ass.
When the movie was first released, Chan hinted at a possible sequel, which could hold some weight as his company, Jackie & JJ Productions, co-produced it. However, no follow-up project has been announced. As it stands,The Foreignercan exist on its own merit as a well-executed, if not unique, action movie that’s just as worthy of a watch as any of its contemporaries. If you can overlook the slightly anemic storyline in favor of A-list acting and convincing thrills, you won’t be disappointed. The next time you’re jonesing for something with big bangs and bad guys during your late-night Netflix scroll, giveThe Foreignera shot.
When you’re done, check out the streaming service’sbrutal action movie topping the global chartsorTom Hardy’s long-awaited thrillerhitting the platform in early 2025.
