Film Preview: The Foreigner (2017)

Page Revisions:

(July 16, 2017) Original
(October 8, 2017) New Trailer (#2) / New Posters (#2-#12)

Release Date:

October 13, 2017

Synopsis:

From IMDb: “A humble businessman with a buried past seeks justice when his daughter is killed in an act of terrorism. A cat-and-mouse conflict ensues with a government official, whose past may hold clues to the killers’ identities.”

Poster Rating: C+ / D / C (2) / D / C+ (3) / C- / C- / C / D+

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Review: (#1) Either the lighting really does make him look younger or foul PhotoShop work is at play. That’s up to the viewer to decide, but the overall design is only modestly interesting.

(#2) I think it’s time to be done with the black-and-white-and-red action poster motifs. This is dreadfully dull. (#3-#4) These two character posters, depicting old and young versions of the same character are done with a visual flair, but are otherwise lifeless. (#5) A scene from the film turned sideways infused with tacky red and blue opposing elements punctured with bullets is cheap and visually offensive.

(#6-#8) There’s a lot of splatter detail, but they are infused with nice colors and mystery assailants, though what purpose any of them serve is the bigger problem. (#9) A less oppresive version of poster #5, but one that doesn’t improve much on the concept. That and there are no primary characters featured make for a weak design. (#10) Too cluttered with colors that don’t work well together. (#11) Two forces diametrically opposed. It’s well represented, but once again too busy. (#12) This French poster has weakly infused action elements mixed with an attempt to make these two actors giants in the medium. Perhaps it’s true, but it doesn’t work in a poster design.

Trailer Rating: B- / B

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Review: (#1) There’s something unbearably commonplace in this trailer. It’s a formulaic construction that suggests a film of limited quality. That it looks vacantly interesting is its only salvation.

(#2) This action-heavy trailer does just what it needs to thrill action fans as well as fans of Jackie Chan. It doesn’t give any idea that it’s more than just a revenge drama, but it will work as it needs to.