Gimly
Dec 29, 2017
5/10
Jackie Chan just keeps fuckin' bringing it doesn't he?
The serious tone of The Foreigner fits him well, but the role he plays seems oddly shoehorned in. I understand that the movie is in actual fact based on a novel called The Chinaman, which I assume unfolds more or less as the film does. But the Troubles-themed Political Drama makes up most of the runtime in The Foreigner, and the Action/Revenge Thriller element seems almost like at some point in pre-production the crew went "Holy shit, did you know we can put Jackie Chan in this? Quickly! Write him a role!". Although I'm sure that it's not the case, that is how it feels, and while the Action/Revenge Thriller element is the best part of the movie, its failure to mesh with the piece at large does bring it all down a bit.
Still a worthwhile watch if you're a fan of the Chan.
Final rating:★★½ - Had a lot that appealed to me, didn’t quite work as a whole.