Unleashed

This is an oldie but a goody. Released in 2005, ‘Unleashed’ is set in the grimy underbelly of Glasgow, and shot in a contemporary film noir style that captures the character of 21st century organised crime and the disturbing nature of barbarity in a modern, first world context.

The film tells the story of Danny, a young man who has spent most of his life as a slave and ‘attack dog’ to a small-time mob boss. Jet Li is Danny, who knows nothing of life or love, and spends his days on a leash. Around his neck is a collar which keeps him obedient and docile, until it is taken off at his master’s will and Danny is ordered to ‘Kill’. Only then does he jump into action, having been trained his whole life to attack and kill on demand.

When an attempted murder of his boss leaves him stranded and alone for the first time, Danny finds salvation with a blind piano tuner, played by Morgan Freeman, and his step daughter. Together, this small family introduces Danny to the world; from simple delights like an ice-cream brain freeze, to the delicate tunes of the piano that will bring him back to life. Most importantly, Danny’s new family shows him love, and helps him to remember his past and how he came to be in such a cruel situation.

When Bart, the mob boss, finds his prized fighting dog, he stops at nothing to get him back. And of course, the martial arts action and stunts kick in as Danny tries to protect his new family and save himself from returning to a loveless life of degradation.

Yet this is not an ‘action film’ in the popular, blow-things-up, break-bodies-for-the-fun-of-it kind of way. It actually tells a compelling story with a very unique protagonist. Indeed, while Bob Hoskins is sufficiently menacing and terrifying as the mob boss, and Morgan Freeman encapsulates compassion and whole-hearted acceptance, it is Jet Li, as Danny, who gives the stand-out performance. In this film, Li really flexes his acting muscles, embodying the paradox of a naive and innocent killing machine. His naivety of not realising the horrendousness of his life as he lives it, because he knows of nothing else, is heartbreaking and exceptional at the same time. As Danny’s small and gradual discoveries of the world bring him peace, he continues to resist the viscous training that has been engrained in his psyche. It is a struggle that Li executes with nuance and meticulous skill, and it was a delight to watch. This is definitely the best and deepest role I have seen Li in. I was actually pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the film! [Image from http://www.smh.com.au/]