On and beneath the meanest streets  of Glasgow, fiery gangster Bart (Bob Hoskins) is merciless with debtors, would-be
rivals, and anyone else to whom he takes even a passing dislike. How does Bart
maintain his chokehold? Through his unwitting enforcer Danny (Jet Li), who he
has "raised" since boyhood. Danny has been kept as a near-prisoner by
his "Uncle" Bart. Trained like an animal to attack and, if necessary,
to kill. Danny knows little of life beyond the brutal existence that Bart has
so crudely and cruelly fashioned for him. However, when Danny has a chance
encounter with soft-spoken blind piano tuner Sam (Morgan Freeman), he senses
true kindness and compassion for the first time and experiences the
transforming power of music. When a sudden gangland coup separates Danny from Bart
and his mob, Danny is at last away from the underworld. He takes refuge with
Sam and his spunky teenaged stepdaughter Victoria (Kerry Condon). Sam and
Victoria open their home and hearts to Danny, who begins to envision a new
future for himself. However, the mob will not give up its prize pupil so
easily, and Danny must soon fight again, and fight back, to protect his new
family and bury his troubled past.

Unleashed is an interesting mix of martial arts action, as well as
(gasp!) a dramatic story and some great acting.  Jet Li actually gets challenged as an actor, not
just a martial artist/action star, in the role of Danny, and he does some of
his best acting in a touching, emotional journey from violence to family. 
Li has some terrific scenes with Morgan Freeman, who is as great as ever as
Sam.  Some of my favorite scenes of the movie are between Danny and Sam,
as Danny’s character develops in a very innocent and child-like fashion. 
The middle act of the film has a lot of drama and character growth, which you
don’t typically get in a martial arts genre movie. While Li’s dialogue is kept
to a minimum, his ability to emote with facial expression is impressive, and
really sells the innocence of the character.