Quick Info
Have you ever seen Jackie Chan in a purely serious, gritty role? "The Foreigner" was a real surprise to me, honestly. Set in London and featuring Pierce Brosnan alongside Chan, the film centers on a father’s desperate quest for justice after his daughter is killed in a terrorist attack. It's not the standard Chan action-comedy — instead, it broods, burns slow, and has this simmering undercurrent of political intrigue involving the IRA.
What stood out most was Jackie Chan's performance. He plays broken, grieving, and quietly determined so convincingly, you forget his usual on-screen persona. There's very little comic relief here; his pain feels raw and genuine, and it adds layers to what could have just been a straightforward revenge thriller. Brosnan, playing a former IRA leader tangled in murky politics, holds his own too, and their scenes together are charged with tension.
The action itself is tightly choreographed but realistic. It isn't a non-stop barrage — when violence happens, it feels sudden and impactful. Some sequences channel old-school "mission" energy: think home-made traps and gritty hand-to-hand fights, but all with a more grounded, brutal edge rather than stylish spectacle. The cinematography leans grey and cold, which really amplifies the bleakness without feeling cheap or generic.
A minor letdown is the film's pacing; the middle sags a touch, especially as it leans into the political subplots. These moments are ambitious, but sometimes muddy the focus away from Chan's central arc. Also, a few supporting characters feel thinly sketched, which can make the story’s stakes wobble a bit. But by the finale, it recovers its intensity and doesn't shy from the consequences.
You would enjoy this if you like tough, revenge-driven stories that aren't all shine and heroics. If you’ve wondered what a grimmer Jackie Chan movie might look like — or if you’re drawn to thrillers where the emotional weight feels just as potent as the action — "The Foreigner" is a solid pick that delivers more than just fists and explosions.
