Unleashed

I know I am supposed to talk about political stuff here, but life is more than politics...most of the time. :)

I just watched one of the greatest movies I've seen in a very long time. I originally rented it because it has two of my favorite actors (Jet Li and Morgan Freeman) in it. I was surprised to see both of them in the same flick, since it would seem that their movie types (action/martial arts vs. drama) are not compatible.

I was wrong.

The plot line is simple: Jet Li plays a man who was literally raised from a small child to be like a dog whose only skill is fighting and killing. Morgan Freeman is a blind piano tuner whose step-daughter is destined for Carnegie Hall as a pianist. The two lead separate lives until Li's "handler" is killed and he is set loose upon the world with all the social understanding of a 5-year-old child.

Obviously, the two worlds are going to collide. That's what the movie's all about. What sets it apart from most failed attempts at this type of plot is the excellent acting of both Jet Li and (of course) Morgan Freeman. In fact, if anyone but Freeman had played his part, the movie would have been just another martial arts flick with a flimsy excuse to show ass-whooping.

What you get are superb performances by those involved. Even the bad guy (usually the part reserved for the worst actor in the martial arts film) is very well done. I don't recall his name, but you'll recognize him when you see him.

And see him you must, because this movie is one of the best movies I've seen in a very long time. The core theme being that humans are humans, not animals, when given the chance to be so.

I believe this to be so, though I'm not going to stand around and let someone beat on me until they figure that at (neither does Jet Li, by the way). :)
-----
Got comments? Email me, dammit!
Permanent link for this article which can be used on any website: