Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Brutal
- tense
- grim
- mournful
- action movie night
- political thriller marathon
What critics said
Critics found the film a lean, tense political action thriller elevated by Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan's committed dramatic performances, despite formulaic and occasionally convoluted plotting.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Quan's search for his daughter's killers transforms private mourning into a campaign against terrorists and political power brokers.
Jackie Chan plays Quan as a grieving, taciturn father and dangerous former operative instead of a primarily comic action hero.
Quan's hunt for the bombers runs alongside Liam Hennessy's efforts to contain threats connected to his political past.
Quan's fights stress age, falls, exhaustion, and vulnerability while Martin Campbell stages the violence with an unfussy style.
Films like The Foreigner, and why
Taken
Shares revenge thriller momentum, politically motivated terrorism, and a grieving parent driven toward violent justice.
Vantage Point
Combines an aging action star's restrained performance with clandestine political intrigue and cross-cut investigative plotting.
The Kingdom
Features morally compromised political figures, terrorism, and a tense cat-and-mouse structure in contemporary Europe.
Casino Royale
Shares Martin Campbell's lean action direction, conspiratorial plotting, and veteran-star gravitas.
Movie Details
- Director
- Martin Campbell
- Release Date
- 2017-09-28
- Runtime
- 114 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (3042)
Cast
- Pierce Brosnan
- Jackie Chan
- Rory Fleck-Byrne
- Ray Fearon
- Charlie Murphy
- Orla Brady
- Michael McElhatton
- Lia Williams
- Dermot Crowley
- Stephen Hogan
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Foreigner about?
- A grieving London restaurateur wages a covert war against the terrorists and political conspirators linked to his daughter's death.
- What is The Foreigner like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Foreigner as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Foreigner violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Foreigner as brutal.
- What did critics think of The Foreigner?
- Critics found the film a lean, tense political action thriller elevated by Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan's committed dramatic performances, despite formulaic and occasionally convoluted plotting.
- Which films are like The Foreigner?
- Films with a similar feel include Taken, Vantage Point, The Kingdom, and Casino Royale.
- How long is The Foreigner?
- The Foreigner runs 114 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Foreigner?
- In United States, The Foreigner streams on Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
