Unleashed (2005)

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

The martial artist Jet Li is famous for his elegant and artistic fight style. But in this martial arts film, Li becomes much more gritty, ruthless and brutal. He has to resort to everything he can get in order to survive. Therefore, this film is the most intense, ferocious and cringing film ever starring Li.

Jet Li's latest martial arts epic is quite an unusual film, with an unwieldy premise that feels like three entirely different kinds of films all mixed together rather randomly. First of all there are the gladiator-style fighting set-pieces, in which Li typically battles opponents, sometimes in a ring; these extraordinarily violent moments offer all the action a kung fu fan could wish for. Secondly, there's a gangsterish sub-plot, in which 21st century Glasgow becomes a seedy London of the '70s, as Bob Hoskins and his cronies go around torturing and crippling various adversaries. Finally, there's the human drama, in which Li becomes part of a family consisting of a blind Morgan Freeman and his niece. The elements are disparate, but the final effect is an interesting movie.New director Louis Leterrier, who has proved his worth with this and TRANSPORTER 2, delivers the action with aplomb and Yuen Woo Ping's choreography also helps loads; these fights are fast, furious and exceptionally hard-hitting, with lots of broken bones and really crucial battles. The arena fight with a pacifist Danny and the battle with the bald assassin are particularly worthy moments, some of the best I've seen, and I can't wait to watch them again.The human side of the story is also well handled, rather better than it should be, and Freeman turns the minor role of the piano tuner into something special and moving, yet human at the same time. Condon is sweet as the girl who brings out Li's humanity, and the pair share some touching moments. Not so with Bob Hoskins, who chews the scenery as the spectacularly unpleasant mob boss; Hoskins is on top form whether he's raging in anger or telling one of his anecdotes. I guess I'm not the only one wondering what Hoskins and Freeman are doing in an action B-movie.Li himself is good, although I found him more sympathetic in KISS OF THE DRAGON; he's said he's giving up kung fu and becoming a 'serious' actor, but I'm not totally convinced that he's good enough to do that. Martial arts-wise, though, Li is spectacular, a real force of nature who tears up the screen time after time, bringing new levels of entertainment to the viewer. A couple of excellent car crashes add to the action quotient and the result is a watchable film that should satisfy most fans who can handle the violence.

this cracking kung fu action flick came out in 2005 with 1hr36mins of head pummeling martial arts action with jet Li in spell bounding form with an impressive cast of bob Hoskins and Morgan freeman as a blind man jet Li is Danny who is as a slave raised by gangster bob Hoskins to be violent fighting machine and a compete in a illegal gladiator style fight clubs when Danny has chance encounter with a blind piano player tuner ( Morgan freeman character) Danny experiences of true kindness for the first time and escapes he escapes from the underworld to live with the piano tuner and his family but the mob go looking for Danny but wont give up on their asset Danny must fight his way out of his old life to protect his new identity new family and shed his old life for good better than expected film 7/10

*Spoiler/plot- Unleashed, 2005. In Glasgow, Danny is a young Asian immigrant martial arts specialist and he's kept and raised like a dog by his owner, the gangster and loan shark named Bart. When Bart unleashes his dog collar and ordered to kill, Danny behaves like a savage animal, hurting and killing people as commanded by Bart. After an car accident assassination arranged by rival gangsters that kills Bart, the wounded Danny becomes to be lodged by a blind piano tuner named Sam and his stepdaughter, Victoria. They welcome him to their family. After humanizing Danny, he feels attracted by music. But his past violent haunts him and his new family situation.*Special Stars- Morgan Freedman, Jet Li, Bob Hoskins.*Theme- Tenderness can soften anyone's tendencies.*Trivia/location/goofs- England. The role of Bart was originally written for Albert Finney, who dropped out to do 'Big Fish' (2003). Other actors who were offered the role were Anthony Hopkins, Michael Caine, and Brian Cox who had all turned it down. Before Bob Hoskins was given the role of Bart, it was to be played by Billy Connolly who had to drop out due to other projects overrunning. Some scenes were shot prior to the cast change, this is why Morgan Freeman mentions being in Glasgow in the film.*Emotion- A clever and interesting film plot. Well acted and casted with a subtle 'message' the audience. Very violent and bloody in some crime scenes.*Based on- Frankenstien myths and modern psychology theories.