(Unleashed) Danny the Dog, new Jet Li / Luc Besson film?

Max Knight · 07-22-2004, 03:18 PM

I just saw the trailer for this here:

http://home20.inet.tele.dk/jetli/video/002.avi

From the trailer, it looks great! I heard that there is going to be a release in France this year, and the US might get it next year. Anyone know anything more about this film?

Supposedly Li plays a man raised like an animal by a gangster to fight in underground gladiator rings. But then he meets a blind guy played by Morgan Freeman and starts to break away.

I have a feeling I'll have to grab the French disc, as I love both Li and Besson.

Terry St · 07-22-2004, 03:58 PM

Besson is a bit like George Lucas in that he's an amazing visual director but sometimes not the best writer. Admittedly, a lot of his films have a weak story simply because he improvised it on the spot. (Historically, he's been more concerned with spectacle than content.) The writing could be hit or miss. The acting department is solid though. Morgan Freeman and Bob Hoskins together could make any film if the director is smart enough to use them. Leterrier (What an ironic name for this flick!) has already shown he can direct action flicks competently. It will be interesting to see if he's up to the dramatics. It would be awfully nice if a new Jet Li movie came out that didn't suck dingo-balls.

Chad Ferguson · 07-23-2004, 01:30 AM

Personally I think Kiss of the Dragon is Jet Li's best american film too date. Plus, I really think this could be more than just an action movie. Besson seems to bring out the heart in relationships.

Jerome Grate · 07-23-2004, 09:30 AM

I've been trying to watch the trailer even before this post and I just can't get to watch it. Hopefully some more opportunities will come up to play the trailer.

Cassy_w · 07-23-2004, 03:12 PM

This looks so strange, I cannot even put it into words. Gimme THE TRANSPORTER 2 instead so I can drool over that Brit dude.

**HTF Ads**

Gregg Shiu · 12-23-2004, 01:05 PM

Well, the title of the movie has officially been changed to Unleashed, and admittedly while that might go over as a hit in marketing, it sounds like a lame straight to TV/video movie. "Danny the Dog" was starting to grow on me. Also, release date is 2005, here's to hoping it'll be Jet Li's first good American movie. All the right ingredients for this movie, however the end result will depend on the circumstances as well. Morgan Freeman's last couple of movies (The Big Bounce, Dreamcatcher, etc.) have been less than stellar to say the least. And Terry is pretty accurate when it comes to Luc Besson.

Quote:

It would be awfully nice if a new Jet Li movie came out that didn't suck dingo-balls.

Amen to that brother, I'm really hoping this is the Jet Li movie we've been waiting for. I remember when The One came out, a reviewer put it best: "Originally he was going to be America's Chinese Mel Gibson, however it seems he's going to be the Chinese Jean Claude Van-Damme."

BTW, here's the newest international trailer

It looks great, but let's all keep our fingers crossed. Otherwise, there's always Oon-Bak coming out in a few weeks.

Cameron Yee · 12-23-2004, 05:43 PM

Quote:

"Originally he was going to be America's Chinese Mel Gibson, however it seems he's going to be the Chinese Jean Claude Van-Damme."

I haven't cared for the majority of Li's U.S. productions but they haven't been as bad as Van Damme's stuff, not even "The One" (though maybe I was distracted by Carla Gugino).

"Unleashed" might be decent; it already seems like the supporting actress is less annoying than Fonda was in KoD, which was my chief complaint with that film.

Kirk Tsai · 05-14-2005, 05:33 PM

Anyone else see this? I thought this was the best English speaking film Li has done, both in terms of action and non-action scenes.

Cameron Yee · 05-14-2005, 07:55 PM

Just got back. The reviews were positive enough to warrant seeing it opening weekend.

I agree with Kirk that this is the best so far. The plot has the typical Luc Besson sentimentality, but it seemed a bit more reigned in than usual. The fights were awesome, thanks to choreographer Yuen Wo Ping and (finally) the common sense to just let Li do his thing and not dress it all up with excessive editing and camera gimmicks (though I admit KotD didn't display much of this).

I was somewhat surprised when Li's character spoke. Not sure why I assumed he couldn't speak or understand English - maybe taking the "dog" thing too far.

Patrick Sun · 05-15-2005, 02:18 AM

I found this film a little uneven. For script purposes, I guess you just have to accept the exceptional generosity of the Morgan Freeman character, Sam, and his step-daughter, Victoria. Re-introducing Danny into being a human being was kinda sweet and syrupy, but some of it was cute, and Jet Li was able to get that lost innocence across in his reaction to a new world of possibilities after been raised a "dog" who did his "owner's" (Bob Hoskins) bidding whenever the leash was taken off Danny.

I give it 2.75 stars, or a grade of B- (but worth catching in a matinee).

Andy Sheets · 05-15-2005, 08:44 AM

Quote:

For script purposes, I guess you just have to accept the exceptional generosity of the Morgan Freeman character, Sam, and his step-daughter, Victoria.

Well, before that you also have to accept the pure Hell of Danny's life. It's not a movie of grey areas

It's a pretty contrived story but I thought it worked really well on a mythic melodrama level. Easily the best English-language movie that Jet Li has made. I'll get the dvd