This movie is about an old Chinese man, named Quan Ngoc Minh (Jackie Chan), with a troubled past who is emotionally shattered after losing his daughter to terrorist bombings in London. Meanwhile, Irish Deputy Minister Liam Hennessy (Pierce Brosnan) founds out that the bombing was claimed by a group who calls themselves the Authentic IRA. Liam immediately goes to angrily confronts his subordinates over the bombing, demanding who was responsible for killing civilians.
Quan, desperate to seek revenge, sees Liam on an interview on TV and decides to confront him. He goes to Belfast and manages to get a talk with Liam, demanding the names of the bombers. Liam says he doesn't know who they are and Quan is kicked out but not after he leaves a small bomb in the place... After this attack, Quan starts threatening Liam more and more to give him the names of the bombers. But Quan is not Liam's only problem because his hands are getting dirty with the recent bombings and his IRA past...
The best this movie has to offer are the two main stars. Jackie Chan is excellent as an older man with a troubled past. And he still can kick some butt to, even in his 60's! His switch from silent old man to guerrilla fighter was a bit sudden but well done. Pierce Brosman is also great as an ex-IRA member who's slowly drowning in the political problems and the new IRA that start to get out of control. The action scenes are few but when the action get's going it is great. There is also a lot of political thriller elements that are also well done, but now we also get in the problems I have with the movie.
My main issue is that it struggles with what it wants to be. On the one hand you have Jackie Chan's character seeking revenge and turning into a 'Rambo' character, including setting traps and fighting in the woods. And on the other hand you have Pierce Brosman's character up to his neck in a political swamp with lot's of backstabbing and shady business going on. The two stories and scenes (action vs. tense political drama) are so different that it feels like two different movies that clash with each other constantly. Add to that the weak supporting cast and the not so interesting story of Chan (we all have seen 'father-takes-revenge' stories, right?) and you have a movie that is a bit 'meh' at times. The constant switch from cool Jackie Chan action to intense political drama is a bit abrupt for me, making it difficult to follow at times.
It's not a bad movie and I recommend it if you like political thrillers, but don't go in expecting to see a 'standard' Jackie Chan beat 'm up flick.
The best this movie has to offer are the two main stars. Jackie Chan is excellent as an older man with a troubled past. And he still can kick some butt to, even in his 60's! His switch from silent old man to guerrilla fighter was a bit sudden but well done. Pierce Brosman is also great as an ex-IRA member who's slowly drowning in the political problems and the new IRA that start to get out of control. The action scenes are few but when the action get's going it is great. There is also a lot of political thriller elements that are also well done, but now we also get in the problems I have with the movie.
My main issue is that it struggles with what it wants to be. On the one hand you have Jackie Chan's character seeking revenge and turning into a 'Rambo' character, including setting traps and fighting in the woods. And on the other hand you have Pierce Brosman's character up to his neck in a political swamp with lot's of backstabbing and shady business going on. The two stories and scenes (action vs. tense political drama) are so different that it feels like two different movies that clash with each other constantly. Add to that the weak supporting cast and the not so interesting story of Chan (we all have seen 'father-takes-revenge' stories, right?) and you have a movie that is a bit 'meh' at times. The constant switch from cool Jackie Chan action to intense political drama is a bit abrupt for me, making it difficult to follow at times.
It's not a bad movie and I recommend it if you like political thrillers, but don't go in expecting to see a 'standard' Jackie Chan beat 'm up flick.
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