THE FOREIGNER

US/UK/China, 2017, 114 minutes, Colour.

Jackie Chan, Pierce Brosnan, Orla Brady, Lia Williams, Charlie Murphy, Rufus Jones, Dermot Crowley, Michael Mc Elhatton, Ray Feely.
Directed by Martin Campbell.

The Foreigner is a fairly generic title. It depends on which country you are in and who is coming into the country. In this particular case it is both the UK and Northern Ireland and the person coming in (although he has lived there for 30 years) is Chinese. In fact, The Novel on Which This Film Is Based, by Stephen Leather, is called The Chinaman.

And, The Chinaman is Jackie Chan. The screenplay indicates that he is age 61, as he was when the film was made. But that does not mean that he has lost all his agility. While he might not have the martial arts movements of years gone by, he can still put up a fairly good fight – and his past training, as we find out, is in surveillance tactics, tracking tactics, trapping tactics.

When we look at the cast list, we see it is Jackie Chan versus Pierce Brosnan.

We find out the situation at the opening of the film, Jackie Chan’s Mr Quan picking up his daughter from a London school and a sudden explosion, an IRA bomb. This means that we are back in the stories of the 20th century, updated for the 21st-century. Mr Quan’s daughter is killed. What he quietly grieves, he becomes intent on righting the wrongs, on unmasking the killers, on wreaking justice.

This means that he has to confront the UK government, the UK police – who, while momentarily sympathetic, see him as a nuisance and something of a crank. So, off he goes to Belfast, to confront a deputy minister there, Pierce Brosnan, who also tends to dismiss him, declaring that he does not know who detonated the bombs.

What is a grieving father, an outsider, foreigner, to do?

This is where the plot becomes explosive, literally. Mr Quan is an expert at using fairly ordinary materials to create bombs and sets off a few, to the deputy minister’s detriment and fear. This is especially the case when he retreats to his country house and there is a huge explosion. The minister has quite a number of aides, more along the thuggish lines and diplomats, but have no chance against Mr Kwon and his fighting abilities.

There is also diplomacy. The minister sent his nephew secretly to make deals with the London police, has contact with government minister.

It all builds up to a confrontation when there is a second bomb explosion of a London Bridge, a bus being destroyed with many deaths. And there are a number of twists involving old IRA stalwarts, betrayals, twisting of information.

Clearly, there is going to be a confrontation between Mr Quan and the IRA cell. And, this does happen, Mr Quan being very shrewd as well as being very active – and, really, able to solve all the problems single-handed.

This is a kind of story that Jack Higgins used to write many decades ago, the IRA, the British, individuals who have courage and a knack for solving problems with brawn and brains. director Martin Campbell has directed two James Bond films, one with Pierce Brosnan, as well as some significant television series, including Edge of Darkness.

A contemporary entertainment in the old vein.


1. An interesting political thriller? For the 21st century? Yet harking back to the 20th century? The UK, IRA, bombings? Memories of the US and Vietnam?

2. The London settings, the landmarks of the city, life of the city? Government, surveillance operations and police? The Belfast locations, the city itself, offices? The Irish countryside, mansions, the woods? The seedier sections of London, apartments and streets? The musical score?

3. The title, the original novel called The Chinaman?

4. Jackie Chan versus Pierce Brosnan?

5. The setting, the school, Knightsbridge, Quan picking up his daughter? Her joy, the bomb, her death, the injuries, his grief?

6. Quan, Jackie Chan at 61, his screen presence, as a parent, where he lived, the Chinese cook? His character, the grief and his persistence, going to the government offices, the various interviews, his being put off? His continuing to return? His going to Belfast, the reaction there, discussions with the minister? Rejection? The gradual revelation of his American background, in Vietnam, his skills and special training? Going to the UK?

7. The British contacts, the police, the interview with Bromley, the answers and lack of answers? Wanting the government to help? His demand for some kind of vengeance? The surveillance on Quan? Everybody underestimating him?

8. His going to Ireland, Liam as the deputy minister, his personality, his affair with the young woman, her being a plant? His past, IRA activities? The tension in relationship with his wife? Relying on his nephew? His tough assistance? Quan’s visit, Liam not knowing, and wanting to be rid of Quan?

9. Liam, the contacts in London, political, his own reputation, collaboration with the UK? With the police? His nephew coming from New York, sending him to London to discuss the situation with Bromley? The irony of his nephew and his relationship with Liam’s wife? Her going to London, the apartment? Her betrayal and giving of information?

10. Quan, the effect of people ignoring him, collecting the material for the bombings? The setting up the explosion in the office in Belfast? Liam and his wife going to the country, the aids, increasing in number? The clash with Quan, the revelation of his fighting skills, martial arts? Blowing up the farm? Into the woods, setting the traps, stalking the men? His survival skills?

11. The nephew, his personality, in the US? Liaising with the British authorities, Bromley? Liam asking him to return, his hunting and confronting Quan?

12. The old IRA man, Liam summoning him, the hostilities, the old man hanging onto the past, the ideology? Stances? The connection with the wife, the information? The using of codes for information to governments after bombings? The changing of the codes, the information?

13. The further work of the group, in the apartment in London, their personalities, young, ideology, interactions? The significance of Maggie and her relationship with Liam? Her being part of the group? On the bridge, the car, the explosion, the deaths?

14. Maggie, the relationship with Liam, his being exposed?

15. The buildup to the confrontation, Quan and his return to London, disguised as the worker to look at the gas meter and repairs? Using the landlady? His being allowed in? His motivations, the vengeance on those who set off the bomb? The confrontation, the fights, the attacks, the British and their surveillance, the team ready? The defeat of the IRA gang? And the irony of Quan’s disappearance?

16. Liam, the confrontation with the old IRA man, shooting him? The shooting of his wife?

17. The bomb, the journalist, the affair with Maggie, are using his computer, for the flight? His going to Rome? The politicians on the plane? The information, the search, the chase, the split second throwing out of the bomb?

18. Liam, his ambitions, facing exposure? His IRA background and his encouraging the group to make demonstrations but not to kill?

19. Quan, his return, his being welcomed, the surveillance and the gun on him? The British, Bromley and the decision to let him live?