The Foreigner Blu-ray Review
The phrase, “you can’t beat a classic,” is usually used when referencing ones nostalgia, like their childhood pop-culture, a material good they fondly remember or a car that is no longer made, or when talking about an idea or person that has managed to stand the test of time. It’s something true that can be said about several action stars that enter their golden years, and instead of retiring or doing a deep meditation in much more serious roles, end up reprising their roots in a more gritty fashion. It’s good to see Jackie Chan back on the big screen, even if THE FOREIGNER isn’t about to stand amongst elite action films.
Moments after dropping off his daughter so she can see some friends, Quan Ngoc Minh (Chan), watches an act of vicious terrorism take her away. The restaurant chef, who escaped with only his life from Vietnam, is now without family and friends in the aftermath of a car bomb. The only thing he’s focused on now is cold vengeance to the terrorists behind her murder. It’ll lead him on a bloody trail that starts in Belfast and ends with a mysterious political figure, Liam Hennessy (Pierce Brosnan).
THE FOREIGNER legitimately wastes no time killing Minh’s daughter. It’s a shocking moment in the first few minutes of the film. Likewise, it wastes no time pointing the finger at Hennessy. This should equal a straight to point flick, but the politics behind the alleged perpetrators, a fringe sect of the IRA, are muddied to the point where Hennessy is more of a middle man between Minh’s rage and the unpredictability of the terrorists. It puts Hennessy in a tight spot as he tries to handle Minh’s creative attacks on his home and work, and tries to keep his allegiance with the IRA intact.
Despite what the advertising, and the film itself, would have like to have you believe, Minh is sometimes relegated to a supporting role in this movie. THE FOREIGNER spends a lot of time with Hennessy and whether or not he’s double crossing his cohorts or vice versa. Brosnan’s usual charm has been turned off for this role and he’s not made to be a sympathetic bad guy. So it’s bizarre when the movie spends copious amount of times in his study or with him while he’s on the phone, instead of with Minh, creating clever bombs and stalking through the woods outside of Hennessy’s hideaway.
THE FOREIGNER works best when tapping into Chan’s inherent talents, by having him throw around henchmen and blow up buildings. Even on a secondary level, it still works when Chan has to convey a lot of emotions and despair through his aged, beaten face. The years of fun, slapstick Chan are an afterthought as he puts on a performance of a lifetime. He seemingly has no problems being a protective soul who lost the last semblance of hope in his life. Chan certainly didn’t take this role just to show he still is an immovable force and stuntman extraordinaire, but also to showcase his engaging acting chops.
THE FOREIGNER fails as a political thriller, but works exceptionally well as a no-holds barred action. There may have been an attempt on the filmmaker’s end to make something unique instead of having audiences say that this film is Chan’s version of TAKEN. THE FOREIGNER yearns to be better, but it’s a suitable role for a performer who’s been cherished for decades. Let’s just hope this is a sign that Jackie Chan isn’t afraid of a few scrapes and bruises, as well as a role that not only challenges him physically, but emotionally.
BLU-RAY REVIEW
Video: (1080p HD Widescreen 2:39:1) The grisly faces of some of our favorite actors stand out more than the background or set design. In that regard, the blu-ray succeeds as evidence that Father Time affects us all.
Audio: (English DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1) The balancing act between explosions and dialogue is flawless, as the audio blends seamlessly from scene to scene.
The Making of THE FOREIGNER (2:17): A short promotional feature that condenses the plot, characters and actors.
Interviews (28:00): There are three interviews on this feature, one with Director Martin Campbell and the other two are with Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan. The feature shows the questions before each subject answers them. It can get a little old because this is an interview feature without on-set footage or film footage shown to break up the monotony of the single camera view. Outside that complaint, the questions are well thought out and sometimes the answers shed a lot of light on why these three took on this movie.
Trailer #1