Danny the Dog (or Unleashed, but I'm much more familiar with this name) has been on my watchlist for a very long time, yet I just haven't watched it until now that I had an "excuse" to watch it - apparently it being on Netflix wasn't enough, I had to actually buy it. Anyway, I think I should regret the fact that I hadn't seen this before, but I think I'm just so fascinated I can't be mad at myself. Danny the Dog is such an astonishing movie in so many ways.This movie wasn't what I expected. I was waiting for something brutal and violent - and I got that. But I never would've guessed how heart-wrenchingly sweet some of the scenes are. Jet Li's performance is incredible! Every look, every stance and every word just is so genuine. Jet Li was able to be both a brutal killer and weirdly cute man trying to adjust to normal life, yet he kept the character there, instead of switching between two characters.There's one negative comment I can think of: the beginning of this movie wasn't as strong as it could've been. It's fast and it sort of takes the viewer with it, but it's not as effective as the rest of the movie. Danny the Dog just seems to get better instead of being evenly exciting.Danny the Dog wasn't what I expected, but I got so much more from this movie. It was brutal, violent yet delicate and emotional. This is definitely one of my favourite movies now!

Danny has lived his whole life without any sort of normal human education, with the mind and personality of a young child, with only one lesson taught, how to fight. Treated like a dog by his owner Bart, which includes having to wear a collar, Danny has been raised to help Bart extort people, and later ends up in fight clubs, where he earns lots of money for Bart. After a car accident that lands Bart in a coma, Danny meets a kind blind piano tuner, who uses music to teach Danny some things about the world and about being human...Seeing that this is coming from Europacorp, and is written by one time genius Besson, you'd be forgiven if you shuddered a little with the thought of Bad CGI, pantomime villains, and an over the top sheen to the finished product.But wow,Mathis is the closest thing to Leon Besson has written in years, and you'd be surprised that it's not a full on action movie as the posters and quotes depict it to be.Yes, its action packed, and fans of Li won't be disappointed, but the best parts of the film are with him and his new family, and learning/realising that life finds a way, and it's not all cages and fighting.But what this film has done has given Li the chance to something that his other Hollywood vehicles gave him little chance of doing, doing some actual acting.He's brilliant as Danny, all innocent one moment, and then a brutal killing machine the next. And not just that, his ways inject a subtle amount of humour to the whole proceedings.Add the fact that you have two prolific actors playing their preferred parts, Gangster and Mentor respectfully, Unleashed is a brilliant movie, and maybe overlooked because of incorrect marketing.Its a touching movie, caring as much about characterisation and narrative, as it does about fight choreography....

This is no Transporter (2002) or Kiss of the Dragon (2001), Two Movies from the Writer/Director Team of Luc Besson and Louis Leterrier. Besson seems Better when He is in the Director's Chair, His Writer Only Attempts are a Mixed Bag. Jet Li tries but just does not have the Acting Ability to Pull Off this Multiple Personality Outing and is Hamstrung by a most Sappy Story that is only Moderately Successful. The Comic-Book Elements at Work here Attain an Over-the-Top Entertainment that is Drowned in an Overly Sentimental Movie that is an Attempt to Soften the Hard-Edged Martial Arts Entries with Sharply Choreographed Fights with a Teary and Heavy Handed Family Conceit.It all Somewhat Works but not Enough to make this a Breakthrough, try something a Bit Different, Movie. Predictably, the Action is Tight, but the Melodrama Muddles and some Things are just too Overwrought to be Palatable for Fans. Viewers who want more from a Martial Arts Movie than just Chop-Suey may be more Forgiving.In the End it is a Misfire and is Recommended, but just be Prepared for some pretty Tough-to-Handle, and Misplaced Tugs at the Heartstrings.

This movie plays out like some Hollywood producer felt that a pure action movie won't sell, so we need to add some fake drama straight out of the generic romantic comedy bin. Kelly Condon as the Manic Pixie Dream Girl is by far the most annoying, but Morgan Freeman lowering himself to be Li's Magical Negro is almost as bad. Li just basically exists without speaking or having his own volition, which is such a waste for an incredibly talented drama actor. Hoskins plays a caricature of himself, but plays it very well; he and Dylan Brown are most of the entertainment in the movie. Most of the script is a rehashed mashup of better movies, and an insult to the viewer.The best fight scenes are all in the first 15 minutes of the movie, and they're worth watching despite the bad writing and hammy acting from everyone, but after the escape you might as well shut it off because the latter is all you'll get. You'll be weeping and face- palming for what the movie could have been if you don't.Watch Hero or Romeo Must Die if you want Li in genuine "breakout role" because this sure isn't it. Those movies prove that good action and drama can easily coexist, in the hands of a director who cares.