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Action thriller

The Foreigner (2017): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

The Foreigner (2017) movie poster

The Foreigner is a 2017 action thriller directed by Martin Campbell, starring Jackie Chan as Quan Ngoc Minh, Katie Leung and Rufus Jones. It is based on The Chinaman by Stephen Leather. It runs 1 hour 53 minutes and earned $145.4 million worldwide on a $35 million budget. Critics gave it 55 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.0/10.

IMDb rating
7.0/10
worldwide gross
$145.4M
Echo Score
70
Metascore
55
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The Foreigner (2017) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 53m (113 min)
Director
Martin Campbell
Genres
Action , Drama , Mystery , Thriller
Original language
English
Budget
$35M
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Foreigner About?

The premise of The Foreigner without spoilers, adapted from The Chinaman by Stephen Leather. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

After a tragic terrorist attack claims the life of his daughter, London businessman Quan embarks on a relentless pursuit of justice. Driven by grief and rage, he targets a British official suspected of involvement, disrupting his own meticulously built life. His quest for retribution forces him to confront painful truths and long-buried secrets from his past, leading him down a dangerous path of revenge.

The Foreigner Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • gun
  • cat and mouse
  • justice
  • terrorism
  • explosion
  • london england
  • handgun
  • death
  • death of daughter
  • mistress
  • restaurant
  • belfast northern ireland
+38 more
  • northern ireland
  • female terrorist
  • thrown from height
  • hidden camera
  • eavesdropping
  • cauterization
  • coming out of retirement
  • glass in face
  • martial arts
  • violence
  • gunshot
  • teenager
  • bullet
  • car
  • bomb
  • attack
  • driving a car
  • water
  • boat
  • ship
  • teenage daughter
  • two word title
  • asian
  • computer
  • fire
  • chinese man
  • flame
  • flames
  • campfire
  • teenage girl
  • murder
  • shot in the head
  • shot in the forehead
  • fight
  • battle
  • loss of daughter
  • bribe
  • piece of paper
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Cast & crew

The Foreigner Cast & Characters

Jackie Chan leads the cast as Quan Ngoc Minh, with Katie Leung as Fan and Rufus Jones as Ian Wood. Directed by Martin Campbell; 18 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in The Foreigner

· 14 more
From the director

More from Martin Campbell

More films directed by Martin Campbell, best-rated first: Casino Royale, GoldenEye, Edge of Darkness and The Protégé.

Full filmography
Ratings

The Foreigner Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave The Foreigner 55 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.0/10. Our Echo Score gives it 70/100, strongest in art & craft (75) and weakest in story & flow (55).

70 /100

The Foreigner Echo Score Breakdown

Overall, The Foreigner offers a sturdy blend of taut action and committed performances, though its narrative structure and pacing undercut its full potential. Viewers applaud Martin Campbell’s efficient direction and the grounded cinematography, alongside Jackie Chan’s surprising dramatic turn and Pierce Brosnan’s measured gravitas. However, critics note an uneven plot that interweaves political intrigue in a sometimes disjointed manner, which limits engagement. In sum, the film yields a dependable action thriller experience that merits caution for those seeking a tightly cohesive storyline.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 75

    In terms of art and craft, the film benefits from Martin Campbell’s assured direction and a functional editing rhythm that sustains tension. The cinematography adopts a muted, realistic palette to suit the story’s tone, though it rarely produces standout visual moments. Production design and set work effectively ground each sequence. Overall, the aesthetic execution remains solid and serviceable.

  • Character & Emotion 70

    When it comes to character and emotion, Jackie Chan delivers a notable dramatic turn alongside Pierce Brosnan’s composed gravitas, lending depth to their opposing motivations. Performances maintain credibility in both intimate and intense scenes, though some critics found moments of emotional resonance uneven. On balance, the cast’s work raises the film’s stakes without fully anchoring its narrative weight.

  • Story & Flow 55

    When evaluating story and flow, the film’s complex blend of personal revenge and political conspiracy yields intermittent engagement, supported by periodic twists that add intrigue. Nevertheless, critics and viewers alike cited uneven pacing and narrative splices that disrupt coherence. Originality in thematic ambition is evident, but execution falls short of forming a consistently compelling arc.

  • Sensory Experience 70

    In terms of sensory experience, the film delivers impactful action sequences marked by brutal realism and careful sound design that heightens suspense. The score and soundtrack maintain appropriate tension but lack memorable motifs, and visual effects stay grounded rather than stylized. Overall, the sensory components align with the thriller’s tone but stop short of leaving a lasting aural or visual impression.

  • Rewatch Factor 65

    When considering rewatch factor, the intricate plotting and intermittent twists suggest potential for rewarding repeat viewings as details unfold. However, the film’s fluctuating pace and occasional narrative disjunction may lessen its appeal on subsequent viewings. While solid action and performances can draw viewers back, the uneven storyline limits the overall longevity of the viewing experience.

Plot

The Foreigner Plot Summary

What happens in The Foreigner from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In London, England, Ngoc Minh Quan (Jackie Chan), a Vietnam War veteran, is on a seemingly normal day picking up his daughter Fan (Katie Leung) from school. Their excursion takes them to a dress shop in Knightsbridge, where things quickly spiral into tragedy. As Quan struggles to park his car, a man on a motorcycle parks haphazardly between the dress shop and a neighboring bank. When Quan confronts another driver aiming to steal his parking spot, a bomb suddenly detonates, obliterating both the bank and the dress shop. The explosion claims the lives of his daughter Fan and eleven others, with many more left injured.

Full summary

The whole story of The Foreigner, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

The Foreigner Box Office & Budget

The Foreigner grossed $145.4 million worldwide on a $35 million budget, 4.2 times what it cost. $34.4 million came from the US and Canada and $111 million (76%) from the rest of the world.

2017 box office

Worldwide gross

$145.4M

4.2× its budget

US & Canada
$34.4M
International
$111M
Budget
$35M
US & Canada 24% Rest of the world 76%
Videos

The Foreigner Trailers & Videos

The trailer of The Foreigner.

Official Trailer
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Foreigner?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who plays the lead character Ngoc Minh Quan?

Cars

Cars in The Foreigner

64 cars on screen, including the 2000 Ford Mondeo MkII and the 2010 Jaguar XJ X351.

All 64 cars
  • 2000 Ford Mondeo MkII in The Foreigner 2000 Ford Mondeo MkII Important role
  • 2010 Jaguar XJ X351 in The Foreigner 2010 Jaguar XJ X351 Important role
  • Land-Rover Defender 110 Pickup in The Foreigner Land-Rover Defender 110 Pickup Important role
  • 2006 Toyota Hiace in The Foreigner 2006 Toyota Hiace Important role
Details

The Foreigner Also Known As

31 alternative titles, including “龙震天下” and “El Implacable”.

Also known as
  • 龙震天下
  • El Implacable
  • The Chinaman
  • L'Étranger
  • El extranjero
  • O Estrangeiro
  • The Foreigner - Rache für meine Tochter
  • Чужденецът
  • Иностранец
  • الأجنبي
  • 英伦对决
  • İntikam
+19 more
  • 英倫對決
  • נקמה זרה
  • Іноземець
  • Kẻ Ngoại Tộc
  • Εκδικητής
  • Cudzoziemiec
  • Az idegen
  • Stopy spravedlnosti
  • Stranac
  • 더 포리너
  • Străinul
  • Ārzemnieks
  • 2 โคตรพยัคฆ์ผู้ยิ่งใหญ่
  • Svetimšalis
  • Tujec
  • Cudzinec
  • ザ・フォーリナー/復讐者
  • L'estranger
  • Странац

Seen The Foreigner?

FAQ

The Foreigner FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, the book behind it and post-credit scenes of The Foreigner, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Foreigner?

The Foreigner runs 1 hour 53 minutes (113 minutes).

When was The Foreigner released?

The Foreigner was released on October 13, 2017.

Who directed The Foreigner?

The Foreigner was directed by Martin Campbell.

More films by Martin Campbell

Who is in the cast of The Foreigner?

The Foreigner stars Jackie Chan as Quan Ngoc Minh, Katie Leung as Fan and Rufus Jones as Ian Wood, among 18 credited actors.

How much did The Foreigner make at the box office?

The Foreigner grossed $145.4 million worldwide ($34.4 million domestic, $111 million international) on a budget of $35 million.

How is The Foreigner rated?

The Foreigner has 7.0/10 on IMDb, 55 on Metacritic, 70% on TMDB and 3.2/5 on Letterboxd.

Is The Foreigner based on a book?

Yes. The Foreigner is adapted from The Chinaman by Stephen Leather.

Does The Foreigner have a post-credit scene?

No. The Foreigner has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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