By: John M Jerva

I’ve had one long day today as I’m preparing to go under the knife on Monday to repair a torn rotator cuff. It’s not bad enough that every day is a battle dealing with a neurological disorder but now I have to have surgery which will have me in a sling for six to eight weeks followed by months of physical therapy. My life isn’t dull, I’ll give you that.

Anyway, enough of all that reality. Today sees us celebrating the birthday of the king of martial arts action cinema. That’s right. Today is Jackie Chan’s birthday.

It’s customary on this site to share a particular favorite scene when an action star has a birthday so I felt I would end the day with one of the Chan Man’s best fight sequences. At least in my eyes.

A lot of bloggers out there will certainly share one of Chan’s epic altercations from one of his Hong Kong classics but for me, I like to be the black sheep and share one that most people won’t even think of.

To honor Chan on this special day, I have chosen a collage of brutality from The Foreigner. This is probably my favorite film from the master of adrenaline fueled fight action and it’s probably the most low key, unnerving and unapologetic.

It doesn’t have cray stunts or nonsensical humor but what it does have is some of Chan’s most brutal and stripped down fight choreography ever captured on screen. This is CQB style action Jackie Chan style.

I’ve said for a long time that in Chan’s older years of filmmaking, he should play things more seriously and The Foreigner is the perfect example of this. Yes it’s sort of depressing but Chan gives one of his best and most emotional performances ever and that comes across in the film’s cutthroat sequences of unforgiving violence.

So it’s time to enjoy one of Chan’s most underrated movies and fights from his storied career.

Happy Birthday Jackie. Thank you for risking your life throughout the decades with your unbelievable and jaw dropping action and fight choreography so we as an audience could simply be entertained. They’ll never be another one like you.

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