Unleashed (2005)

Directed by Louis Leterrier. Starring Jet Li, Bob Hoskins, Morgan Freeman, Kerry Condon, Dylan Brown, Michael Jenn, Tamer Hassan, Vincent Regan. [R]

Li, under the employ of Glasgow loan shark Hoskins, wears a collar like an animal; when it’s on, he’s docile and harmless, but once the collar is removed, he becomes a berserk fighting machine. One day, “master” and “pet” become separated and Li gets taken in by a blind piano tuner (Freeman) and his sweet-natured stepdaughter (Condon) where he learns what it’s like to be treated with kindness and respect—a loving family instead of a cruel, selfish master. Implausible (bordering on laughable) premise mercilessly stomps through familiar story beats on its way to the foregone conclusion. Li gets to show off his whirlwind martial arts fury, and old pros Freeman and Hoskins do what’s needed and a little more (the latter at times summons memories of his brilliantly ferocious turn in The Long Good Friday, but the comparisons end there). Slickly made with melodramatic brutality, as can be expected from writer/co-producer Luc Besson, and even if the showy, desaturated style can get overbearing at times, it never quite reaches the level of irritating. Also known by the less-generic title Danny the Dog. Soundtrack by Massive Attack; fight choreography by Yuen Woo-Ping.

64/100