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225 out of 290 people found the following comment useful :-
What a difference from Li's previous Films!!!, 8 February 2005

Author: MasterMogli from Luxemburg

But I mean that in a very good Way. Well first off all of you going into this Movie expecting a Martial arts festival, I have to disappoint you. This Movie focuses More on the dramatic Storyline, then rather on spectacular Fights. Nonetheless very impressive Fights are in the Movie, it is the Storyline between Danny (Li), Bart (Hoskins), Sam (Freeman) and Victoria (Condon) that keeps you in the Movie. This Movie is mainly a Drama/Martial Arts Movie and no Crime/Action/Thriller like IMDb shows you. Honestly I haven't seen much Hosking's movies in the past, but believe me the main Reasons that keep you into the Movie are very fine Performances from Jet Li and Bob Hoskins. Both of em are wonderful. Another plus to this Movie are the Sound effects. They are realistic as Hell. In most of the Fight Movies you hear some weird sounds coming when they hit one another; well this one were so brutally real that I thought wow they are killing each other out there. The Fights are few but very spectacular and somewhat brutal. The first two Fights are excellent because they are shot very realistic and with a fast paced camera, the last Fights are more graphical and slowly filmed. But as I watched the first two Fights I was impressed how everybody involved in the Fight Sequences, did such a wonderful Job on letting them look brutal and realistic. Every time Li hits somebody I sat there feeling the brutalized Hits, which let's you get the feeling that you're in the Fights (Not Literally but it lets you feel the Hits). Louis Leterrier did a very good Job filming this Movie. The Fight Scenes are not too quick, so that you can see everything and the Dramatic Scenes are shot with the right Amount of Heart to keep the Spectator engaged in the Movie. But be Aware after the first two Fights, is a great Hole which is filled with 40-50 Mins of Storyline, which didn't bother me, but I can imagine that People will go into this Movie expecting something like Romeo must die, Twin Warriors or Fist of Legend they will be heavily disappointed, because this Movie focuses more on it's engaging Storyline. So please enter the Theater with this in Mind and you will LOVE this Movie. One Thing actually bothers me that is the American way of promoting the Movie. As always they will promote the Movie as one of Li's new Martial Arts Festival, with non-stop ass kicking from Li but Please always keep in Mind, Li is more acting than fighting in this Movie!! It is a Drama with Martial Arts Elements in it. Don't be fooled by American Distributors!!!!!!!!

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168 out of 210 people found the following comment useful :-
Surprises never cease, Unleashed is the best action film I've seen in years., 15 May 2005
Author: Li-1

Rating: **** out of ****

If I'm always skeptical of Jet Li's English-speaking films, it's for good reason. They're usually crap. Too often, he's either been put in the hands of incompetent directors who couldn't properly film or edit his impressive martial arts abilities and/or he's teamed alongside a cast that includes one rapper too many. It also didn't help that these movies were poorly written and acted, failing to work as either a showcase for Li's moves or his charisma. So it's all the more satisfying that Unleashed goes through its entire running time without succumbing to any single one of these flaws.

Jet Li stars as Danny, a fully grown man with the mind of a child who is a literal slave/pet to Bart (Bob Hoskins), a Glasgow mob boss who keeps Danny in a cage and uses him as a form of "persusasion" to those who owe him money. Like a dog, Danny wears a collar, shy and seemingly dumb whenever it's clasped around his neck, but a ferocious killer once he's unleashed.

After a mishap with another criminal, Bart and Danny are left for dead, leaving an injured Danny to crawl to a warehouse where he's taken under the wing of kindly blind piano tuner Sam (Morgan Freeman) and his stepdaughter, Victoria (Kerry Condon). Starting over with a clean slate, Danny comes to enjoy his new life and loving family; no longer is violence or cruelty something he must face everyday. But fate hands him an unlucky turn when he's forced to confront Bart, finding no choice but to give in to his violent side one last time.

The film's premise, that of a violent man finding a better life, is nothing new but rarely have I seen the simple but effective premise delivered so well and with such genuine heart. To my immense surprise, it's Jet Li's performance that anchors the film, showing us a side of corrupted innocence and child-like enthusiasm that is sweet, moving, and occasionally even quite humorous. The transformation and natural maturity Danny undergoes is engaging, and it's to no small measure of Li's performance that we hope Danny can entirely shed his former life even when we know it'll inevitably catch up with him.

Li is surrounded by a fantastic cast with great actors Morgan Freeman and Bob Hoskins pulling their own weight. Freeman delivers as always, playing the kindly authority figure with firm but gentle resolve. Hoskins is over-the-top but suitably so as Bart, whom we're quite sure is complete scum, yet one can't dismiss the fact that he holds Danny in a certain esteem, and that he may actually be the only person in the world Bart cares for, however twisted a manner he chooses to show it. Relative newcomer Kerry Condon is cute and appealing, although she could just as easily have won me over with that great smile of hers.

As a kick-ass action film, Unleashed is superb. The ratio of action to story might be a bit less than hardcore martial arts fans desire, but there's no question every facet of the plot bolsters the fight scenes, giving every battle a palpable and underlying current of emotion that adds to the thrills of the spectacle. And spectacular action this is; every fight scene-most especially the brutal opening sequence and the thrilling, almost emotionally exhausting climax-is brilliantly filmed and edited, wisely emphasizing Li's natural abilities in favor of quick-cuts and wirework. There are a few instances of Matrix-style slow motion, but the spare usage works to the film's advantage. There's even a terrific fight scene inside a tiny bathroom that far outdoes a similar scene in The Matrix.

An absolute winner on almost every conceivable level (the exception being that the title should be changed back to Danny the Dog, but I'm not going to hold that against the movie), Unleashed delivers some of the best action scenes I've seen to go hand-in-hand with memorable characters I adored and a story that riveted me from start to finish. I should also not slight director Louis Leterrier, who puts it all together with the right mix of strong style and natural storytelling. Why can't all action films be this good?

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156 out of 204 people found the following comment useful :-
Drama, not an action movie, 12 May 2005

Author: Scotchorama from Paris & NYC

Unleashed is the touching story of Danny (Jet Li) who as a young boy was brought harshly by a loanshark (Bob Hoskins) and was trained to kill once his dog collar is removed. Although Danny was brought up as a dog, he is human, and through the intervention of music and the care and love of a blind piano tuner (Morgan Freeman), and his stepdaughter (Kerry Condon), Danny discovers another side of life.

Unleashed is not an action movie. There certainly are some spectacular fight scenes, but the emphasis is put on the relationship between Morgan Freeman and his stepdaughter, and Jet Li, and on the development of Danny's "humanity". Danny yearns for more than just killing; he discovers music and is saved by it. Music also plays a key role in his self-discovery as it awakens long-lost memories of his childhood.

For the first time, the audience are treated to Jet Li's true acting capabilities. Jet Li seems genuine and earnest--perhaps this is because the actor openly acknowledges that this film is close to his heart: as a Buddhist, Jet Li is against violence, and this film portrays the fight between humanity and violence.

This drama is a surprising break from usual martial arts movies. The fact that the number of action scenes is limited is counter-balanced by Yuen Wo Ping's masterful choreography; do not expect a fight-fest. Do however expect an unpretentious touching story featuring good actors with a few spectacular action scenes.

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101 out of 130 people found the following comment useful :-
"Unleashed" - Unleashing the dragon on an unsuspecting public, 14 May 2005

Author: dee.reid from United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

"Unleashed" (formerly titled "Danny the Dog"), the new action flick that was written by Luc Besson (La Femme Nikita, The Professional) and directed by Louis Leterrier, aims to be the star-making vehicle its star Jet Li has been looking for, and in many ways, it could be right on target.

I left the theater after seeing "Unleashed" with a cloud of good feeling looming over me. I've been eagerly waiting to see this movie for quite some time, as lately I have watched a number of Li's past films, Asian and American, and have come to realize that since being in the United States, his film career has been quite uneven; but things may be set straight with this new action film.

Ever since making his American debut as the main villain in "Lethal Weapon 4" (1998) and then receiving his first English-speaking leading role alongside late singer/actress Aaliyah in "Romeo Must Die" (2000), Li has quickly become the screen's most electric and sensational martial arts star. (In a few closed quarters, some even dub him as being the new Bruce Lee, but that's a wholly different matter.) His American projects have been wildly unfocused and undisciplined, being that his best effort in the United States so far is 2001's "Kiss of the Dragon," which is where Li first teamed with Besson and their partnership was on that film's screenplay.

As I sat in the darkened theater, I closely observed other people's reactions to the events unfolding on screen, which were for the most part, quite positive. Not only does this film serve the purpose of rocketing Li into American stardom, but it's also a showcase for his acting talents. (He CAN act, you know.) And it was this element that I focused on in the film, aside from the brutal fight sequences.

In "Unleashed," Li plays Danny, the human pitbull for Bart (Bob Hoskins), a particularly cold and ruthless debt collector operating in a rundown section of Glasgow. Danny does not have what we would call a "normal" human life, being that when he's not with Bart collecting debts, he spends his days living in a cage underneath Bart's office reading children's books, eating cold, canned spaghetti, and wondering why he even exists.

Danny is also Bart's #1 enforcer, his only restraint being a metal collar that he wears around his neck as a symbol of the mental prison he's confined to. If a client wishes to pay Bart, the collar stays on; if the client doesn't wish to pay, the collar comes off, and Danny is +unleashed+, attacking any and all with the primal ferocity of any caged animal, which many times leaves a room and its occupants in shambles, and eagerly willing to pay up to Bart.

When Bart is attacked by a group of unnamed thugs and presumed killed in the fray, Danny is left to fend for himself. Lacking normal survival skills, he eventually finds room and board with a kind and blind piano-tuner named Sam (Morgan Freeman) and his musically-talented and young stepdaughter Victoria (Kerry Condon).

Danny is at first afraid of his new surroundings, but given enough time and patience, he eventually warms up to his "family." He finds solace in piano music, and Victoria shows him the side of his personality that was uncorrupted by Bart's greed. But soon enough, Bart comes around looking for his "pet," but by then Danny has grown quite attached to his new family, which he's not leaving without a fight.

Hollywood loves formula; that's a fact. But Hollywood has not seen an action movie quite like "Unleashed" in a long time, especially an action movie with such a masterful blend of good performances, action, drama, and light-hearted humor. Three brutal fights occur within the first 20 minutes, but then we move into lighter territory for a good chunk of the film, which is where Danny begins to open up and understand that there's more to life than just fighting. But we must remember that first and foremost, this is an action movie.

Jet Li puts on a performance that exercises a level of restraint and passiveness that's been noticeably lacking in his past American roles. He's first presented as a mute, possibly handicapped mentally, and unable to function outside a life of violence. But there is a human soul trapped underneath that seemingly calm facade, rugged face, and raggedy clothing.

The supporting roles are excellent, with Morgan Freeman doing what he does best as the blind man Sam, and Kerry Condon is excellent as well, with both performers able to provide a welcome counter to the film's brutal and bleak premise. Bob Hoskins is perfectly vile and sadistic as the brutal hoodlum Bart, who thinks that he may have this "dog" under wraps, but by film's end, is proved dead wrong in his arrogant assumptions about Danny.

Lastly, the fights in this movie are spectacular, if incredibly brutal and realistic. There's wirework here and there, courtesy of Yuen Woo Ping, but like Li's past films such as "Fist of Legend" (1994), it's not that easily noticeable, and some may be disappointed that the RZA/Massive Attack-produced soundtrack doesn't blast away in the background of most of the film's action scenes.

"Unleashed" is the best film of Jet Li's that I've seen yet – of any past movie he's done. This will surely get him the credit he solely deserves since he has been in America and I hope that he gets it.

10/10

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97 out of 125 people found the following comment useful :-
One of the best movies I've seen recently, 13 May 2005

Author: rrburdge from United States

This was a breakthrough performance for Jet Li. It was nice to see him get away from just being the amazing fighter, and seeing him in a little bit more of a serious role. Of course Morgan Freeman was simply brilliant, and Bob Hoskins did an amazing job as the villain.

This movie had a lot less action than I had anticipated, but the story behind it makes it much better than any amount of action/violence could have. The theater was full of people laughing, gasping or being COMPLETELY silent as one. It was the perfect mix of action and comedy within a heartfelt story.

I recommend this movie to any fan of any movie EVER!

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52 out of 58 people found the following comment useful :-
a new direction, 3 October 2005

Author: evergrey-2 from United Kingdom

So in the last few years we have seen Jet Li in Romeo must die and Cradle to the grave, both modern and with Jet Li approaching the subject of acting, though hardly touching it. So far Jet Li has not acted he has merely been that kung fu guy, another Bruce Lee.

But here, we see him act, not for just five minutes when there is a break in the fighting, but for the entire film. At times there is over half an hour between any kind of fighting, and it is very much appreciated. We really see a different side of Jet Li, this is not 'you killed my master; I have come to avenge him'. But a new, modern martial arts film, where we have a plot we can believe in.

Bob Hoskins takes a nice dramatic turn here, 'that man sure can talk', as Danny's 'owner' and it's a gangster role that suits him well. His angry growl is both fearsome and less put on but unleashed.

But don't get me wrong here; this is still a martial arts film. You'll find yourself cringing and laughing from fright at the fight scenes. Jet Li is not a sleek, showy performer here, but real fighter, intense and scary in his brutality. But equally brutal is the realisation of human freedom and human nature, in some ways were all somebody's dog.

Danny the Dog is clearly Jet Li's best work, and hopefully marks a new direction for him, one I am very much looking forward to seeing.

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38 out of 42 people found the following comment useful :-
a.k.a - Danny the Dog, 17 May 2005

Author: Celluloid_Rehab (lelnu@yahoo.com) from Hell's Kitchen, NYC

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

It has happened finally. Jet Li has made a foreign movie (that would be a non Chinese movie) that is actually good. For the most part, Jet Li's career in American and European movies have been brainless action movies. In these movies Jet has not had to act and would appear to the untrained eye as not being able to act. This of course is not true (especially if you have seen any of his Chinese movies - Once Upon a Time in China series and Fong Sai Yuk series as an example). This movie actually lets him flex his acting muscle.

The story revolves around a Glasgow loan shark, Bart, (played despicably well by Bob Hoskins) who enforces his territory with the use of a man on a leash (a.k.a. Danny, Jet Li). When the leash is taken off and the command given, Danny springs into a violent rage. With the collar on, Danny is quite docile and child-like. As the story progresses, we discover that Danny has been "trained" to behave like this since he was a child. He eats from a can and sleeps in a cage. When Bart rubs a payee the wrong way, the payee feels the need to rub Bart out (namely with a dump truck and some automatic rifles). Danny gets away, and stumbles onto a blind piano tuner (Morgan Freeman) and his step-daughter (Kerry Condon), who take him in and show him a different lifestyle.

The conflict in this movie arises from the contact between Danny's two divergent lifestyles (especially since Bart doesn't die in the hit). First and foremost, if one comes to see this movie with a preconceived notion of Jet Li (especially from his non-Chinese movies), you will be disappointed. This is not an action movie. This is a drama. This is not to say there isn't action in the movie, but it is not the main attraction.

There is action in this movie, but it doesn't dominate the drama. It is used effectively to convey the chaos and inhumanity that Danny goes through. The action is quite good and Ong-Bak-ish. One can't help but go ouch, when a kick or punch (or sledge-hammer) connects.

Jet Li is the main attraction of this movie. In studying for this role, Jet Li trained with an acting coach and seemed to do quite a lot of method acting. On set he would sit alone and eat his food and would isolate himself from people. He also studied the behavior of dogs. Morgan Freeman plays the wisely-father-figure. Kerry Condon does a good job of playing the cute, innocent, & potential love interest. Bob Hoskins does a great job of doing a cockney, ruthless thug. Jet's performance along with that of his supporting cast, make this the best of the Jet Li's foreign (non-Chinese) movies. I highly recommend it.

-Celluloid Rehab

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56 out of 78 people found the following comment useful :-
Wow! What action movies are all about, 13 May 2005

Author: BigGuy from United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

I won't say the first two minutes of the movie are worth the price of admission, but it is pretty close. This is the second movie to be released this year with amazing martial arts sequences that make people squirm in their seats from the shear brutality (the other being Ong Bak). This isn't the super pretty martial arts that proves that Jet Li deserved winning China's national championship over and over. No this is the brutal, hard hitting, anything goes sort of fighting. Also unlike most action movies that have come out recently, you can actually see the action. Yes, there are dozens of cuts per fight scene, but you actually see a full sequence of moves and get to see most of the actors in most shots.

The opening scene features Danny (Jet Li) being unleashed on a room full of thugs. He proceeds to use fists, elbows, knees, even his head to inflict broken arms, legs, and at least a few ribs. The truly remarkable thing is how fast and visceral the action is. Also, unlike his past couple of movies, Unleashed does not rely strongly on wire work. Yes there are scenes with wire work, but they are relatively subtle and the exception not the rule.

Between the opening few fight scenes, and the finale fight scene, Danny temporarily gets away from his "Uncle" Bart (Ben Hoskins) and winds up with Sam (Morgan Freeman) and his step-daughter (Kerry Condon). The early scenes with Sam are Danny are very good, with Sam providing an open kindness and Danny the cautious childlike hope. While it isn't as over the top sappy as I had feared going into the movie, the music saves his life, aspect is a bit corny. Especially how quickly, both in screen time and in elapsed time, the recovery is made. But, that is one thing about action movies, and martial arts movies in particular, they are supposed to have that bit of slightly corny plot between action sequences. And this is much better than most (which is inevitable with the superb cast).

All told, I gave this movie a 9/10. As far as movies all time go, it might not rate that highly, but in terms of action/martial arts movies this is one of the best I have seen in a long time, and has some of the best action between the action sequences.

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34 out of 35 people found the following comment useful :-
Transcending Evil, Discovering Humanity, 28 October 2005

Author: gradyharp from United States

Luc Besson's signature style is all over the writing of this very fine little film. His ability to push the buttons on the most violent screen business while gradually developing a tale of warm sentiment is well served by director Louis Leterrier and a perfect cast of actors. UNLEASHED is one of the few examples of how martial arts and bona fide drama can be mutually supportive in creating a film that is at once thrillingly athletic and gently tender.

Bart (Bob Hoskins) is a brutish loan shark thug who makes his 'collections' accompanied by his 'dog' Danny (Jet Li), a silent man Bart has raised form childhood to be a caged killer, a human with a dog collar that when removed unleashes a ferocious beast who kills on command of his master Bart. Bart keeps him in a cage, feeds him, and uses him solely for his criminal doings. Danny unleashed is simply a Pavlovian animal and when the collar is replaced, he becomes docile with the sad eyes of a puppy.

During a 'collection' gone bad, Danny escapes and finds shelter in an antique shop basement where he meets blind piano tuner Sam (Morgan Freeman), a gentle man who gradually introduces Danny to music, trains him as his assistant, and introduces him to his 'family' - his step daughter Victoria (Kerry Condon). With the two of these welcoming, tender people Danny discovers how beautiful life can be. The story from this point is how Danny chooses between his Pavlovian response life as a killer and the simple life of Sam and Victoria. The journey is not without stressors and it is a difficult transition that keeps the viewer on seat's edge.

The wonder of this film lies in the extraordinary performances not usually associated with martial arts films. Jet Li does some of his finest athletic fighting on film, but thankfully at the same time creates a character who is multidimensional and memorable - a very fine acting job by Li. Bob Hoskins is brilliant as the despicably cruel Bart, Morgan Freeman adds a luster to his fine portrayal of blind Sam, and Kerry Condon makes Victoria zany and lovable at the same time. The action is superbly captured by cinematographer Pierre Morel with the aura of darkness in Danny's caged life serving as a perfect foil to the martial arts sequences.In short, this is a fine little film about characters worth knowing and provides audiences with both action and drama of a very high level of achievement. Grady Harp

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62 out of 95 people found the following comment useful :-
Jet Li can act!, 14 May 2005

Author: jae-elder from United States

So you have watched jet Li grow in the American cinema. He bar far is the next Bruce lee for the new millennium. with his insane momentum and demand for attention on the screen he is the man to watch right now. far surpassing the slap stick antics of Jackie Chan and taking his own acting career to a whole new level, unleashed finally answers the question... can jet Li act? the answer is yes! not having very man lines in the film actually proved to be a strong point for Li. he played a very young and innocent confused man who was severely mistreated by a horribly acted bob hoskins. hoskins was a huge down for the film. his long annoying dialogue bothered me, every time he opened his mouth you new some stupid speech was about to spill out. but the action was also jaw dropping. this is probably the most fierce and hard-hitting action fights i have seen. the first five minutes alone will re-define American kung-fu. the filming and entire layout of the film is very different, even the opening credits are weird. but rogue pictures is building a reputation for making "different" movies. it was another perfect luc besson film. a lot of transporter like action scenes and a very unusual appearance of Morgan freeman in the film make this absolutely worth watching.

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