The Foreigner (2017)

in CineTVlast year

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This is a British-Chinese production whose script is based on the novel The Chinaman.

The Chinaman by Stephen Leather, the same was made by David Marconi, known for having written those of the films Enemy of the State, Live Free or Die Hard, the latter which catapulted Bruce Willis to fame.

It takes place between London and Belfast and shows the adventures of a sexagenarian father, a retired Vietnam War special forces soldier named Ngoc Minh Quan, after the death of his daughter in an attack perpetrated by a guerrilla group that claims to be the authentic IRA, this role is played by Jackie Chan, who has a long career in the genre.

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Pierce Briosman plays the role of Liam Hennessy, an old leader of the Irish guerrilla group IRA, who now works for the British government and is the one to reveal who perpetrated the attack on the bank where Quan's daughter died.

The film depicts the false world of relationships between politicians, as well as showing original action scenes featuring modern subversive methods.

It shows a Chan with less intensity than in his other films but with a dramatic charge that he executes very well and a more mature Brosman, away from his role as Agent 007.


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The direction was in charge of Martin Campbell, who brought to the big screen the two Zorro films and also the last two James Bond films.

It was released in China in September 2017 and in the United States a month later, receiving mixed reviews, there are those who praised the good role of Chan and Brosnan and those who pointed out that the film was a copy of Taken, starring Liam Neeson and screened in 2008.

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The film cost 35 million dollars to produce and grossed over 145 million dollars, giving reason to the viewers who thought it was a well-crafted Thriller and praised its plot.

Personally I agree with the viewers as the story is concise and has plot twists that make it interesting.

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This movie is such an underrated gem. It was not only refreshing to see Jackie in a non-comedic role, but also seeing his acrobatic style fit into a serious world. He was so could, I could picture him fitting right into a Mission Impossible or even John Wick universe. I totally wish this got a lot more ratings and viewership. To compare it to Taken is an over simplification of its plot. This in my opinion was a much more nuanced story deserving of praise on it's own merit.