Unleashed

[tabuno]

Luc Besson as writer and producer has created a martial arts version of "Snatch," and "Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels" including what I almost could swear was music from 2001: A Space Odyssey. This independent sleeper has Jet Li as both a graphic, raw martial artists (similar to the crude nature of both Sin City and Crash this year) and a dramatic performance actor who has an opportunity to act in a dramatic film that is as much about the dramatic mystery, becoming human (in a "Miracle Worker" way). Unleashed is one of the better films out this year.

[HorseradishTree]

Luc Besson is a storyteller. No matter how greatly (The Fifth Element) or how poorly (The Messenger) his visions form into existence, I can always understand his underlying intentions and appreciate them. Unleashed is a great story from Besson's head. A man, Danny (Jet Li), is raised as a dog to kill people at his master's (Bob Hoskins) command. When Danny escapes his captors, he becomes part of the family of Sam (Morgan Freeman), a blind piano tuner, and Victoria (Kerry Condon), his stepdaughter. Danny is essentially exposed to reality for the first time, and begins to understand his reasons for existence, including music. This film is a human drama, exploring the unrealistic extremes of emotional restraint. The action scenes I found a bit repetitive but somewhat necessary, showing Danny's upbringing and, later, human decisions. Plus, it has a theme of pianoes, always a plus in my book. I recommend the film as a compelling story, not as much a photographic piece of beauty. Nonetheless, it's a nice alternative to seeing Star Wars for a second time.