The Foreigner

release year: 2003
genre: action/suspense
viewing setting: home DVD, 3/1/03

synopsis: Mercenary/spy gets contracted to deliver a sealed package that people are killing and dying for.

impressions: I thought this would be okay since it was a Steven Seagal movie. Problem is, Seagal is paunchy now, and doesn't do his aikido like he did fifteen years ago. In fact, during this entire movie he only fought twice in hand-to-hand combat. Also, some scenes just start with a guy holding a gun to someone else's head - no sneaking up, nothing like that. The director also favored sudden sped-up scenes accompanied by loud music, which isn't "style" as much as stupidity. Far worse than all of this, however, was the movie's main weakness: an overly-complicated, impossible-to-understand plot. I never did figure out what the hell was going on, or who all of the different package-wanting parties were, or why they wanted it. For me to not get the plot of an action movie and then criticize it ought to tell you something.

acting: I have to say this: Seagal's acting may actually be getting a little better as he ages and does less fight scenes. All of the bad guys were sufficiently evil and tough, and the government types sufficiently sinister and sneaky.

another review: Check out this review - he pretty much sums it up in a different way than I did here.

final word: Worth seeing, but far from one of his best.

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