The Foreigner

Ngoc Minh Quan (Jackie Chan) is the owner of a Chinese restaurant in London, but he is most happy and visibly proud to be his daughter’s father. One horrific morning, a terrorist organization called the “Authentic IRA,” ostensibly trying to free Northern Ireland from British influence, plants a bomb that puts an end to Quan’s daughter’s life and that of dozens of others.

Northern Ireland based Deputy Minister Liam Hennessy (Pierce Brosnan), a former member of the IRA, is called to task by Britain’s Prime Minister to find the culprits responsible. Trying to balance Liam’s old ties to the violent IRA, while not losing the support of the Irish people he will need if he is to win re-election, he faces a new problem with the grieving 60-year old Quan.

Quan insists that Liam secure him the names of those responsible, but when Liam denies any such knowledge Quan wages a one-man war against the Deputy Minister that will continually escalate until the only thing certain is that justice, whether by Liam or Quan’s hand, will be served.

“The Foreigner” splits its focus between the two major players, Quan and his nemesis by proxy, Liam. For Liam, it’s a question of political survival, but for Quan it is all about revenge. Light on character development, but heavy on action, the film continually bogs down during Liam’s profanity-laced verbal tirades—before picking up again during Quan’s fights with the Deputy Minister’s security forces.

In addition to the violent backdrop and theme, the film has a great deal of material one should know about before viewing.

Objectionable Content

Violence: Very Heavy. The violence begins with the initial bombing of a store, which kills and maims many youngsters, but continues throughout as people are killed or injured by knives, guns, broken glass bottles, wood planks, spikes through their feet, and shot by arrow. A character is seen cauterizing his open wound with a heated knife. A neck is broken during a struggle, and several people are shot point blank through the head (one instance off-camera), as well as through the legs several times. The humiliating torture of a woman is implied, but not seen or heard. Fire engulfs one victim briefly, and a bus load of people die in yet another bombing. Blood is seen on body parts of the injured and the dead—several of which are shown. The over-the-top violence may well be the most discussed aspect of this film, but it is not the only thing to be wary of.

Language: Very Heavy. The Lord’s name is taken in vain numerous times and in various forms; J*sus (8), Chr*st (6), J*sus Chr*st (3), G*d (5), Bej*sus, h*ll (2), and d*vil.

Curses are likewise prevalent as follows; f-word (18), c*nt, sh*g, sh** (2), cr*p (2), b*stards (2), and b*lls. As compared to other R-rated action films, the curse count may have be only an ‘average’ high, but it is more than made up for by the high number of abuses of God’s names.

Sex/Nudity: Moderately Heavy. Both incest and adultery take place. Kissing and the lead up to sex (clothed) is shown, but not the act. The sounds of sex are heard, with emerging sweaty bodies attesting to the fact. A woman’s bare back is shown, as she gets up from the bed, and another is shown in her panties, covered only by a man’s long shirt.

Lessons

Aside from Quan’s daughter, who displays the proper respect and love that children are to have for their parents (Exodus 20:12 — “Honor your mother and father…”), there is little else redeeming about the remaining characters—giving ample opportunity for examining their sinful behavior under the light of Holy Scripture. Examples in the forefront include adultery, incest, and justice.

ADULTERY: From the start, Liam is shown in an adulterous relationship, and there is some question as to how this has affected his own marriage. The Word of God tells us how we are to elevate our marriage partner above all, as well as the price we will pay in this life or the next, if we defile it.

“Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.” —Hebrews 13:4

“For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.” —Ephesians 5:5

“…For the lips of a forbidden [adulterous] woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil, but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death…” —Proverbs 5 ESV

INCEST: There is an incestuous relationship in the film similar to the kind that the Apostle Paul had to contend with in the church at Corinth. Although the relationship is never explained in the film, often the level to which the sin is forbidden makes it all the more desirable. God’s Word clearly established laws against this at the time of Moses and clearly condemned such wickedness from that time on (Deuteronomy 27:22-23; Leviticus 20:17; Lev. 18:6-18; Lev. 20:11-12; Ezekiel 22:11).

JUSTICE: The question audiences might find themselves asking is whether or not Quan is seeking justice or personal revenge. Our Lord Jesus Christ gave us the answer that would please Our Father in Heaven most when He proclaimed,

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” —Matthew 5:38-39

Quan, in his mind, is only trying to exact revenge because the authorities cannot bring the criminals to justice, but this does not explain why he intervenes at one point to deal with the terrorists himself, when the authorities could instead have done it. God is in control, and no matter how it pains us to see unfairness, we should know that ultimate justice is never in our hands, nor should it be.

“Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” —Romans 12:19

Pierce Brosnan (Liam) does well for a character that is fleshed out barely more than Jackie Chan’s one dimensional Quan. The film’s consistent flaw is a script that dedicates far too much screen time to Liam and the body politic, while occasionally leaving only enough for Chan’s choreographed fight scenes—impressive as always. Regrettably, there is nothing left for the audience to better get to know the character of Quan, the hero of the film.

In his earlier film “Casino Royale” (2006), director Martin Campbell took the whole movie to transform James Bond into the cold, emotionless, efficient killer he was by the end. In “The Foreigner,” he does that to Chan’s character almost immediately. This leaves us with a simple revenge flick with uneven pacing, that is marred by unnecessary and at times obscene content. It has little new to offer the discerning film goer, let alone Christians—whom I recommend avoid the film for all the reasons given.

• Violence: Very Heavy
• Profane language: Very Heavy
• Vulgar/Crude language: Very Heavy
• Nudity: Moderate
• Sex: Moderately Heavy

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.

• Neutral
• Negative
• Critics