DVDs

THE FOREIGNER

Action thriller. When a UDI (think IRA) bomb goes off in London, killing the daughter of ex-soldier Quan (Jackie Chan), authorities place pressure on Irish leader Hennessey (Pierce Brosnan), a former UDI member, to find the culprits. But as weeks pass with no arrests the grief-stricken Quan goes after Hennessey – whom he’s convinced knows more than he’s letting on.

The Foreigner would’ve made two good films – an action flick and a political thriller – but instead we’re left with a single mediocre one.

While its premise is interesting and the entire cast deliver strong performances, it tries to fit too much into too little time, with the audience often being told what’s going on instead of shown – something that could’ve been avoided had the story been given time to breathe. – BIANCA LAMBRECHTS 2017. 111 MIN. 16LSV. ALSO ON DSTV BOX OFFICE.

CROOKED HOUSE

Crime drama. Private eye Charles Hayward (Max Irons) gets a visit from a former flame (Stefanie Martini), who asks him to look into the death of her grandfather, business tycoon Aristide Leonides, whom she believes was murdered by a member of her eccentric family who all live in a sprawling mansion. Suspects includes Aristide’s widow, an American showgirl (Christina Hendricks), his imperious sister-in-law (Glenn Close) and his daughterin-law, a fading theatre star (Gillian Anderson).

This second adaptation of an Agatha Christie novel to be released in 2017 is unfortunately not a patch on Murder on the Orient Express. The cast is impressive, but most of them give stilted, melodramatic performances; only Irons’ Charles seems like a real person but the character is so bland and incompetent it’s difficult to root for him.

The production design and costumes are exquisite, recreating the ’50s in detail, but too much time is spent on Charles and Sophia’s pointless back story and there’s no sense of tension or danger.

Though the killer’s identity is unexpected your only response will likely be relief that this drawn-out movie is finally at an end. 2017. 135 MIN. 13LV.