Unleashed

Guess what everybody?! ANOTHER MARTIAL ARTS MOVIE!! Yes I know, I've been doing quite a few of them recently, but now that I think about it, there are a tonne of Kung Fu films out there. So today, I'm going to look at yet another martial arts film, or should I say an anti-martial arts film. What do I mean by that? Well let's check out the film and find out. This is Unleashed.

Directed by Louis Leterrier (The Transporter 1 & 2), with screenplay credit going to film heavyweight Luc Besson, and released in 2005, Unleashed stars Jet Li alongside big screen names Morgan Freeman and Bob Hoskins. It follows a man who has been kept confined and emotionally and physically abused by a gangster who claims to be his protector, and him escaping and finding himself out of place in the real world. It's not just a movie about people fighting, it's a dive into a tortured and sheltered psyche, and an attempt to integrate it into modern society. What results is one of my favourite Jet Li films. So, as we always do, lets begin with the story.

A nasty loan shark named Bart (Hoskins) is able to coerce his clients to repay their loans with the use of his underling Danny (Li). Danny has a child's mentality, and is kept repressed by a collar worn round his neck. Once this is removed, he becomes a highly skilled fighter, who's only goal is to eliminate his targets.

Upon discovering an underground fighting tournament in which Danny can make him good money if he wins, he signs him up. But after the very first fight, Bart gets mixed up with a reprobate, and is presumed dead after a shooting. Fortunately Danny escapes, and come across a blind piano tuner named Sam (Freeman), who takes him into his apartment. Here, he is looked after by Sam and his step-daughter Victoria, who treat him with care and compassion, but also a little understandable curiosity.

Danny starts a new life with his new family, attempting to fit into society, but just as things are going well, he runs into one of Bart's lackeys, who informs him that Bart is, in fact, alive and well, and is looking forward to getting him back.

So what we have is a pretty typical fitting-into-social-norm story. For me, what drives this film is Li's performance. I know he isn't regarded as a great actor, but this film really allows him to show what he can do with a role like this. He expresses sadness, misery, vulnerability, curiosity, joy, relief, everything we expect his character to be going through. Freeman is also very good as the man taking Danny under his wing despite knowing almost nothing about him. There's a genuine kindness about him, a quality Freeman has virtually perfected. Bob Hoskins, I have to admit, is a pretty dull villain. His motivation is pretty much money, money, money. He loses Danny, jeopardising his potentially lucrative future, so he wants him back. Aside from that, he just yells and makes threats under his breath.

The marital arts action is actually pretty downplayed. With the exception of the chase near the end, most of the film focuses on developing Danny's character, delving into this past, and establishing the bond with his new family, and I love that. The focus is kept where it should be, and it leads to a very fitting and poignant climax. A great movie, plain and simple.