Meet Danny (Jet Li). Danny is a dog. Or rather, he's a man with such a suppressed humanity that when his owner (Bob Hoskins) unlocks his collar, he unleashes a torrent of violence against his enemies. The story is how Danny rediscovers his humanity when a kindly family takes him into their home.
While the film has an interesting premise, it never goes too far. His experiences with his new family are touching and yet somewhat artifical. Moreover, the film never adequately explains how Danny came to be the creature that he is. Despite these flaws, the film is strong in style. The fights are elgantly choreographed, and the editing and music capture your attention. At times the film is over the top, and yet that is what writer Luc Besson (The Professional, La Femme Nikita) does best.
Morality: Decent
The power of family is at the heart of this film. The family he acquires as a youth molds him into a rabid beast; and the family he acquires as an adult reforms him into a sensitive human. As the film makes clear, the bonds of family are strong, so much so that it is difficult for Danny to break from the family that dehumanized him. Yet his new family and the memory of his mother ultimately redeem him. These are good messages, even though somewhat belabored in this movie. There is a few seconds worth of nudity and sex. The film's moral flaw, though, may be that it comes close to gloryfying and sensationalizing the violence it depicts.
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