While I saw a few trailers for this film I did know have a clear idea of the storyline. I was intrigued by the unusual pairing of Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan. If Brosnan was Bond maybe, but how else could this work. It turned out to be perfect.
A terrorist bombing at a London bank kills 12 people including a Chinese teenage girl shopping for a prom dress, while her father (Chan) is nearby in the car. Chan immediately shifts into revenge mode determined to find the killers.
At 63 Jackie Chan still has his martial arts chops, and he delivers great action in several thrill ride scenes. More than that, this film displays his excellent acting skills. This may go down as his best performance as an actor to date.
Pierce Brosnan is stellar in the role of Liam Hennessey, former IRA leader and terrorist who did prison time. Fast forward and he is a fairly powerful government official who prides himself in making sure that “The Troubles” don’t return and that peace reigns in England and Ireland. He has deep ties with former IRA operatives and as such is valuable to the British government. Brosnan absolutely shines in this role. It is tailor made for him. It’s a far cry from his comic relief turns in “The Matador” and “Mama Mia”. He is pure tough guy here with a hard and violent edge.
The supporting cast is excellent as well, with special mention of Charlie Murphy who plays his girlfriend and Orla Brady who plays his wife. There are enough twists and turns in this thriller to keep you thinking and plenty of action to satisfy.
Do yourself a favor and treat yourself to this solid effort directed by New Zealander Martin Campbell. He knows how to do action having brought “GoldenEye”, “Casino Royale” and “The Mask of Zorro” to the big screen. Here’s hoping he and some of this crew team up again in the future.
