MOVIE REVIEW - Unleashed (2005)
AKA Danny the Dog
Director: Louis Leterrier
Writer: Luc Besson
Starring: Jet Li, Morgan Freeman, Bob Hoskins
Danny (Jet Li) is a dog, well a man raised like one. Caged and trained to be an unstoppable martial-arts machine when unleashed. He escapes his life when an attempt on his owner/boss (Hoskins) leaves his shot but alive. He ends up in the home of blind piano tuner (Freeman) and his step-daughter (Kerry Condon). Trying to start a new life with a family his past catches up with him all too soon.
Luc Besson wrote the script of this movie for Jet Li and as in previous movies from the French auteur the character of Danny fills a familiar posisiton. Much like The Professional's 'Leon' (Jean Reno) and to some extent La Femme Nikita's Nikita (Anne Parillaud), Danny is childlike in nature, an innocent corrupted to do evil things just because that is all he knows. Then he finds himself in a place where he can escape all the past and start anew or so he thinks. At it's bare bones it is a film anout family and finding your place in that family.
Definately more dramatic than the trailers and advertisements would have you think and this isn't bad, unlike when Van Damme started trying to act with Nowhere to Run, Jet Li has some acting muscle to flex. His character lacks any facial emmotion but his eyes tell a different story and this is where Li excells he carries himself so well you often forget he is an action star. In fact he even outshines the always great Freeman and Hoskins.
Then comes the action. And boy is it action. Jet Li IS an animal and the martial arts choreography courtesey of Yuen Wo Ping is sublime. The bathroom fight between Danny and 'The Stranger' (Michael Ian Lambert) is a particular high point. Fast, viscious and insane.
The Good: Jet Li's best Hollywood work to date.
The Bad: Kerry Condon as the daughter seems a little out of place.
The Ugly: Bob Hoskins isn't a very nice person.
Overall: Action Unleashed. 9/10
Director: Louis Leterrier
Writer: Luc Besson
Starring: Jet Li, Morgan Freeman, Bob Hoskins
Danny (Jet Li) is a dog, well a man raised like one. Caged and trained to be an unstoppable martial-arts machine when unleashed. He escapes his life when an attempt on his owner/boss (Hoskins) leaves his shot but alive. He ends up in the home of blind piano tuner (Freeman) and his step-daughter (Kerry Condon). Trying to start a new life with a family his past catches up with him all too soon.
Luc Besson wrote the script of this movie for Jet Li and as in previous movies from the French auteur the character of Danny fills a familiar posisiton. Much like The Professional's 'Leon' (Jean Reno) and to some extent La Femme Nikita's Nikita (Anne Parillaud), Danny is childlike in nature, an innocent corrupted to do evil things just because that is all he knows. Then he finds himself in a place where he can escape all the past and start anew or so he thinks. At it's bare bones it is a film anout family and finding your place in that family.
Definately more dramatic than the trailers and advertisements would have you think and this isn't bad, unlike when Van Damme started trying to act with Nowhere to Run, Jet Li has some acting muscle to flex. His character lacks any facial emmotion but his eyes tell a different story and this is where Li excells he carries himself so well you often forget he is an action star. In fact he even outshines the always great Freeman and Hoskins.
Then comes the action. And boy is it action. Jet Li IS an animal and the martial arts choreography courtesey of Yuen Wo Ping is sublime. The bathroom fight between Danny and 'The Stranger' (Michael Ian Lambert) is a particular high point. Fast, viscious and insane.
The Good: Jet Li's best Hollywood work to date.
The Bad: Kerry Condon as the daughter seems a little out of place.
The Ugly: Bob Hoskins isn't a very nice person.
Overall: Action Unleashed. 9/10
posted by Ozark at 6:06 PM
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