Today’s quick review: Unleashed. Ever since Danny (Jet Li) was a boy, his “uncle” Bart (Bob Hoskins) has raised him in captivity, treating him like an animal and using his fighting abilities to collect debts. Danny gets a taste of freedom when he meets Sam (Morgan Freeman), a blind piano tuner who takes him in and teaches him about the outside world. But when Bart comes to take Danny back, he must fight to defend his new life.
Unleashed is an action movie starring Jet Li and written by Luc Besson. The movie follows Danny, a man who knows only violence, as he seeks to leave his old life behind. Unleashed splits its time between the ferocity of his life as an enforcer and the tenderness of his life under Sam’s care. This distinction gives the movie more emotional depth than most action movies, but flawed writing keeps it from sticking the landing.
Unleashed benefits from talented leads doing what they do best. Jet Li is given fight scenes that show off his speed and acrobatic talents, as well as some quieter scenes that show the kind heart underneath. Morgan Freeman carries the emotional side of the movie as a caring, perpetually optimistic man who gives Danny a second chance. For his part, Bob Hoskins rounds out the movie as the sneering, abusive loan shark trying to keep Danny enslaved.
Unleashed gets off to a promising start with both sides of its story, but it struggles to tie them together in a clean way. The back half of the movie suffers from weaker plot logic, scenes that retread old ground, and action scenes that are poorly justified. The spectacle is still there, but there is an awkward seam where the movie tries to graft action movie rules to a story that was heading in a more grounded direction.
Unleashed is a fine pick for fans of the aggressive side of the action genre. The role is a peculiar one for Jet Li, but he handles it with grace, and between his fighting skill and Morgan Freeman’s kindness, the movie manages to carve out a niche for itself. However, its strengths come with a cost. Fans who are looking for an action movie with a lighter tone or a movie with tighter writing may want to look elsewhere.
For an iconic Luc Besson movie about a young woman trained for violence, try La Femme Nikita. For a crime drama about a literal attack dog, try Bullet Head. For another action movie about a violent man seeking redemption, try Bangkok Dangerous, Redemption, or Man of Tai Chi. For a sentimental drama about a kind-hearted man with a developmental disability, try Rain Man.
[7.0 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0342258/). I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for crisp action, a heartfelt story, and slight missteps with its writing.