Danny the Dog 2005

Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press: It was only after [Li] came to America to do his high-flying thing that he was stripped of his personality. Here he gets stripped of his dignity as well. Read more

Allison Benedikt, Chicago Tribune: Even with its clever gimmick, Unleashed is like an old dog: No new tricks. Read more

Ted Fry, Seattle Times: Li and his Unleashed company have made a wildly entertaining piece of ultra-violence that also stands as a gleefully absurdist adventure story. Read more

Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle: Unleashed is the kind of martial arts movie we would see if Tom Hanks could execute a flying spin kick. Read more

David Edelstein, Slate: A clever, expertly done variation on the old (but always potent), monster/mad-scientist fairy tale. Read more

Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper: It's the same stuff that as we always get where like the henchman come up to him one by one. Read more

Bob Townsend, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Permeated with dark shadows that recall Frankenstein and The Elephant Man, Unleashed features a quite clever premise before detouring into a plot twist that should've been muzzled. Read more

Wesley Morris, Boston Globe: The insult in Unleashed comes not so much in having Li act like a dog but in refusing to let him be a man. Read more

Carina Chocano, Los Angeles Times: This one's strictly for the dogs. Read more

David Germain, Houston Chronicle: An intriguing little action thriller, a half-and-half story divided between sequences of vicious violence and quiet, wryly comic scenes of newfound domesticity. Read more

Michael Booth, Denver Post: Unleashed is one of those rare gems, a date movie with exploding squibs. Read more

Gregory Kirschling, Entertainment Weekly: [Has] three or four gangbusters action sequences, all of which are unexpectedly stomach-clenching. Read more

Scott Foundas, L.A. Weekly: The most enjoyable film Besson has had his name on in eons. Read more

Lisa Rose, Newark Star-Ledger: Even though the dramatic aspect doesn't quite click, it's a watchable experiment. Read more

Jami Bernard, New York Daily News: Unleashed serves two masters, each one disappointingly: It's a brutal series of over-amped fights, and it's a touching story of human nature at war with itself. Read more

Manohla Dargis, New York Times: The silly, unconscionably entertaining action film Unleashed earns most of its juice from the martial-arts star Jet Li. Read more

Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: Not as much fun as Kung Fu Hustle, not as painterly as House of Flying Daggers or Hero, Unleashed is still a fascinating metaphor for the action star only allowed on screen to bust heads and break legs. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: The film contains enough quiet, reflective moments for us to become aware how preposterous the central conceit is, and that keeps us at arm's length. For a movie that strives to be in-your-face, that's too far away. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: The film is ingenious in its construction. It has all the martial arts action any Jet Li fan could possibly desire. Read more

Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com: A nice, violent little film about the redemptive powers of art and love. Read more

Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune: Unleashed gives Li the opportunity to do more than his trademark hard-eyed stare, throwing him into the ring with heavyweight thesps Bob Hoskins and Morgan Freeman. Fight fans, he goes the distance. Read more

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Read more

Rick Groen, Globe and Mail: Let's just say that docility is not the best use of a martial artist's talents. Read more

Peter Howell, Toronto Star: Unleashed is that rarest of things: a violent movie that makes you think. Read more

Maitland McDonagh, Time Out: Li's dramatic turn is no match for his fists of fury. Read more

Time Out: Read more

Mike Clark, USA Today: The movie doesn't make it, but there's enough going on to make it more arf than barf. Read more

Lisa Nesselson, Variety: Auds craving for a mix of full-bore, Droog-style ultraviolence and shameless sentimentality made palatable by name thesps will find what they want in Jet Li showcase [Unleashed]. Read more

Benjamin Strong, Village Voice: Missing from Unleashed is every hallmark of good filmmaking. Read more

Richard Harrington, Washington Post: A film that could use a little less conversation, a lot more action. Read more

Stephen Hunter, Washington Post: The movie would work better with fewer elements. Read more