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As you've probably figured out by now if you frequent the movie reviews section of Collector Times, I am a big fan of martial arts movies. I am also a big fan of Jet Li, and I am 99% sure that I've seen every single one of his movies, except for "Cradle 2 The Grave." Some may have slipped through my fingers, but I'll find them eventually! As such, there was no question as to whether or not I was going to see Unleashed.
Originally, I was a bit skeptical about this latest offering from Jet Li. The whole man-treated-like-a-dog element seemed almost exploitative and definitely creepy. On the other hand, it did look like it would have some really brutal fight scenes in it. And lately I've been doing my best to see all martial arts movies in the theater, just to show the movie industry that they need to show such films on more screens in more cities.
In all fairness, Unleashed is just as much of a drama as it is a martial arts movie. Although there are about 3 or 4 really awesome fight scenes, most of the movie is story. While most martial arts movies would give you the cliche "You killed my master, now I must seek revenge!" or perhaps a mission to acquire some artifact, Unleashed is about a man who was raised practically like an animal learning to break free from that and live like a normal person.
In Unleashed, there are no masters (wise or sadistic), no training montages, no martial artists squaring off simply to test the might of each other's Kung Fu. As well, the fight scenes are very stripped-down. There's no wire-fu here, no amazing flips, no showy moves, no acupressure. Instead, we see Jet Li fighting with the brutal simplicity of an animal. Much like the Muay Thai fighters in Ong Bak, he shows no pain. Much like a schoolyard bully, he resorts to whatever it takes to defeat his opponents, even hair-pulling. Nonetheless, the grace and skill that he's exhibited in showier movies still shine through.
The acting in this movie is superb - Bob Hoskins plays Bart, the man who raised Jet Li's Danny character up as his human pitbull. Bart should be a thoroughly despicable character, as anytime we learn anything new about him, it's something negative. Nonetheless, Hoskins gives him a certain charisma, making him the sort of character that you "love to hate." He literally treats Danny like a dog - when he's pleased with Danny, he offers him treats; when he's injured, he shows the same concern someone would show a pet; and when he's angry at Danny, he yells and rails at him like one would at a dog which has peed on the carpet.
As an amusing side note, Bart CANNOT DIE!!!! Seriously. He survives several car accidents, including one where his car is then filled with bullets. He survives having a guy fall many stories onto his car (the poor lackey driving his car is either killed or knocked out). Those who watched the silly Japanese movie "Adrenaline Drive" will be reminded of the character that I affectionately dubbed "The Yakuza who never dies!" This was perhaps the most unbelievable part of the movie, but very amusing.
Meanwhile, Morgan Freeman plays Sam, the blind piano tuner who takes Danny in. I recently read a magazine snippet where someone said they'd like to see Morgan Freeman play something a little more evil, but honestly, his voice and mannerisms are perfect for the nice guy roles that he always seems to get cast in. Some of Sam's dialog about pianos is pretty cheesy, but maybe I'd feel different if I were a pianist.
It's Kerry Condon, as Freeman's character's stepdaughter Victoria, however, who really works the hardest to bring Danny into the world of happy normalcy. Whether or not there's any romance between the two is left for the viewer to decide. At the very least, there's a sibling-like affection between the two, and with Freeman thrown in, they make a rather charming, albeit unusual, family unit.
Those looking for a pure action movie will be disappointed by Unleashed. When Danny and Victoria rush past a group of thugs on the way home, you expect there to be trouble. A normal martial arts movie would have delivered a scene where the thugs try to give Victoria trouble and Danny kicks the crap out of them. But no, Sam and Victoria never witness Danny's pure ass-kicking power until the climax of the movie.
The fight scenes are few and far between, but they're still rewarding. While not quite as cringe-worthy as those in Kiss of the Dragon, nor as artistic as those in Hero, they're still full of serious ass-kicking. Those who have seen the trailers for Unleashed will realize already that the basic premise is that Danny is a guy with a collar on. When Bart takes off the collar and says "Get 'em!" Danny beats the hell out of the subjects of Bart's ire. Normally, the people getting pummeled are those who owe Bart money.
Then Bart stumbles upon the world of underground pit-fighting. The scenes related to this subplot are better watched that described, but let's just say that the best one involves weapons, barbed wire, and wannabe wrestlers. The weapon choices could have been better (I really wanted to see more of the flail), but it's still an awesome scene.
For a good portion of the movie after Danny becomes separated from Bart and lives with Sam and Victoria, he leaves the collar on. From the callouses on his neck, we can see that he always wears it - it only comes off when Bart needs him to kick some ass. Because the behavior is so ingrained, Danny clearly feels that if it were removed, he would hurt people whether he wanted to or not. This raises interesting questions about learned behavior and our ability to conquer it through will.
Over all, I found Unleashed to be a great movie. Jet Li is almost as good of an actor as a martial artist, and this movie really allowed him to show it. He especially does "sad puppy dog" look very well.
Unleashed is rated R for nudity, sexual content, plenty of cussing, and Jet Li kicking the crap out of people, as well as other acts of violence. This is absolutely NOT a movie for children!
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