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Unleashed By David DiCerto Catholic News Service NEW YORK (CNS) -- Originally titled "Danny the Dog," French director Louis Leterrier's unexpectedly engaging "Unleashed" (Rogue) is an action drama whose violent bark is curbed by its surprising emotional bite. Set in the seedy Scottish underworld of Glasgow, the film centers on a lethal weapon, Danny (Jet Li), who is raised by a ruthless gangster, Bart (played with villainous gusto by Bob Hoskins), and conditioned to kill on command like an attack dog, whenever he is -- literally -- unleashed. In between "sic 'em" sessions, Danny -- who is kept in a cage -- is docile and almost childlike. But what starts off as a typical exercise in stylized brutality becomes (relatively) more textured when Danny escapes his captivity and -- in a scene with shades of "Bride of Frankenstein" -- befriends a blind American piano tuner named Sam (Morgan Freeman). Sam is in the United Kingdom with his adopted daughter, Victoria (Kerry Condon), who is on a scholarship at a conservatory. Danny experiences kindness and compassion for the first time, as Sam and Victoria use music to soothe the savage beast within, while helping him reclaim his humanity and solve the mystery surrounding his foggy past. But you just know that their three-part harmony will be interrupted by the discordant specter of Danny's violent old life. There are several fight sequences -- at times gratuitously brutal -- but they are offset to a degree by the emotional core of the narrative, and in one case illustrate how Danny wants to distance himself from the killing machine that he once was. The high-octane melees were choreographed by Yuen Wo Ping ("The Matrix," "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon") and give Li plenty of opportunities to show off his lightning limbs. But Li also convincingly conveys puppy-dog innocence and pit-bull implacability. Stylishly directed with an intentional gritty look, themes addressed include the depersonalizing effects of cruelty, the healing power of love, the malleability of young minds for good or evil, and the nature of free will. It is precisely this depth that elevates "Unleashed" above the standard mindlessness of most action films. The film contains recurring intense violence, including several vicious beatings, a brief sexual encounter, fleeting nudity and much rough and crude language and humor, as well as profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. - - - DiCerto is on the staff of the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. END Copyright (c) 2005 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed. CNS · 3211 Fourth St NE · Washington DC 20017 · 202.541.3250 |
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