Jet Li is “Unleashed”
Unleashed, aka Danny the Dog.
The premise of this movie seems dorky. Danny has been a slave since he was a young boy, trained to do nothing but fight and kill when commanded by his owner. But chance sets Danny free, and he's given the chance to find happiness for the first time in his life.
Morgan Freeman plays the mentor character with excellence, like he always does. Bob Hoskins, as Danny's owner, is the villain you love to hate. And Jet Li shows a surprising emotional side to his acting abilities. Danny is a perfect killing machine, but he knows nothing of family or love or the ramifications of what he does, and Li plays the part of the lost and abused dog convincingly. Some of the film borders on being sappy, but I think it never crossed that line.
Overall, it was amazing. The contrast was almost disturbing... there's this beautiful love story of sorts, sandwiched between scenes of extreme violence. There's this constant tension... Freeman and his daughter have let this killing machine into their home without a clue as to what he can do, and you're constantly wondering, "Is he going to hurt them without meaning to?"
So I think the premise really works, and this movie is worth seeing.