The Dragon Unleashed

Despite what the other review says, this movie is bad throughout: the acting is bad, the plot is very basic, the effects are virtually non-existent. This isn't your classic B- or C-grade movie, this movie is a different level of bad. Don't waste your time.

I had to skip through it, however the action scenes were basically all 100% authentic grindhouse thriller. The lens effect was obviously a part of this.

The main problem is that it sometimes went down "days of our lives" street. Some scenes lacked character intention/motivation. There was one scene were a guy rode a bicycle into shot for a good 10 - 20 seconds with no emotion... there was a reason for him to feel either excited or upset, even if he is mentally unstable... but there was just aimless riding. Other scenes had too many blank stares.

Another issue is lack of interesting characters that you'd want to see more of (or even could relate to in some way).

The Dragon Unleashed (2018): The main audiences are teenage girls and young adults. This is a movie about the power of love and the power of force/domination/control where in the end the former wins over the later.

The first message in "Step #1 in the photo-frame: Let Go of Your Regrets" suggests to adapt a principle of forgiving; like forgiving yourself if you have done something wrong, and/or if anyone has done something wrong. Forgive that person and move on with your life. You need to have some faith, be compassionate, and show humanity for the love of making progress and wanting happiness. Otherwise, regressing will undermine your potentiality and progress, and you do not want that.

The second message in "Step #2 in the photo-frame: Commit Acts of Selflessness" insists to do things to help your neighbors and other people when you can. Do not ask for anything in return. These acts will broaden your mind and bring hopes and joy to your life.

The third message in "Step #3 in the photo-frame" does not show anything visible. It is something that you need to find out on your own. This emptiness is the biggest message; it is like Learning by Doing a task that you must do. If steps 1 and 2 are followed, then step 3 will generate a major breakthrough in life. For example, Emily found a genuine boyfriend/prospective husband Chase; and Chase found a genuine girlfriend/prospective wife Emily. Notably, they helped a neighbor with money so that the boy could have proper medical treatment.

Emily followed the directions in steps 1 and 2, and shared reflections of her own life with Chase, which made it possible to win the cold war in their lives. Upon adapting steps 1 and 2, Emily freed herself and felt comfortable and inspired. Consequently, she mentioned to Chase that she ran away from home when she was a teenage girl. She thought everything is out there in large cities. She could not find suitable jobs. She could not find good boyfriends. She tried and tried, but in the end, she discovered that her prospective boyfriend is in fact a gay man. Nothing worked out in Emily's life. Thus, eventually she returned to her grandparents' home after their death. On the one hand, grandparents' death brought their granddaughter back home. On the other hand, she realized that her grandparents loved her very much.

The style of how and approach that Emily used with Chase comes from her family and upbringing. Emily had been proactive and friendly with everyone. She is the one who made the first move to acquaint herself with the neighbor Chase. Emily extended her hand with a plate of cookies and smile to the neighbor Chase. She made some small talks. Upon seeing Chase is injured and some blood in his body, Emily asked about it. Another day, Emily managed to find a First Aid Kit and then went back to Chase's home to give this. Again, Emily made small talks. Next time, Emily visited Chase in his home with a plate of dinner, and she talked about the three steps again. At this point of time, Emily mentioned about a neighbor who also has a boy needing medical treatment. Briefly, the way in which Emily approached and made small talks made progress.

The cold war: Chase was going through his childhood dream and how that dream conflicts with his current combating profession. Emily's approach, style of interpersonal interactions with Chase, and sharing reflections of her own life with Chase opened the inner eyes of Chase. In the next order from the Colonel to murder a boy in order to give a lesson to a powerful man ignited the atomic power inside Chase which kills the Colonel. Next, Chase knew that the Colonel had army personnel stationed in another place, and Chase had to fight them. Extremely dangerous and yet Chase fought them, and killed many of them only to realize that Emily was already kidnapped by them. He continued to fight the vicious fight including being injured, but in the end, he kills those fighters and rescues Emily.

In conclusion, the message in step 3 includes the happiness that Emily and Chase achieved by helping the boy who needed medical treatment, by rescuing the invisible boy inside Chase, and by finding true love for Emily. The movie shows that what the grandparents left for Emily equals to lots of love and directions for life as in steps 1, 2, and 3. Additionally, grandparents left a home in their will for Emily so that she can live her life here and keep alive the names and memory of grandparents. Ultimately, have some faith and compassion, and forgive and move on with your life to find progress and happiness. Why would you teenage girls and young adults not follow the directions?

Commentary by Tom William, PhD, Assistant Professor of English, Albany State University, Georgia.

Horror movie director Rene Perez "The Dragon Unleashed"! Rene is no stranger for his love of the 80's action movies. His last was a tribute to Charles Bronson's Death Wish. It was well received and a tribute that was well executed. That was called Death Kiss. And the lead (Robert Bronzi)was a spitting image and a truly convincing Charles Bronson reincarnation. Now Rene is back behind the camera with a new Action star making a name for himself. A well casted Chase Bloomquist. He is a killing machine trained by the military. Chase is a trained martial artist Ninja working for a top secret agency. He is dispatched on his assignments from his secret hideaway tucked away in the woods. He is there top guy and is the one dispatched for those big jobs by his boss (John Schneider). Killing with no conscience and with such skill is a joy to watch. All his skills of a highly trained assassin are executed and even though he catches a beating, he prevails and completes his assignments. A new neighbor (Emily Sweet) who inherits a near by house wanders on his property and quickly friends him. This begins to soften him and mellow him out. Her innocence and continually good deeds start getting the better of him. What really does him in his her 3 steps on how to be a better person. Little does she know who she is becoming involved with. Her good deeds continue when a single mom with a sick child is tricked into taking money from her. The waitresses son has a deadly disease and can not afford the medical bills. But after a convincing pitch buys a piece of art she has. She claims her husband is a rock star and she has a work of art and is worth the money she has of offered! All this has him second guessing now all his actions. Images of himself when he was 5 years old start haunting him and have him confused. Did he think and be proud of what he has become through the innocent eyes of a younger self? Now the next assignment is a assassin of a women with the cure for Malaria. It doesn't sit rite with him and he is not 100% on completing this kill. But with some convincing it is executed and completed. What seems like a continuous cycle of how far can we push our guy, it finally reaches a breaking point. A request for a murder of a young son of a politician proves to much for him to do! But no is not An option! Rene has a unique style and knows how to entertain. He accomplishes with a limited budget , what the million dollar backed Hollywood movies so often fail. But where they fail he doesn't. All his movies after a popular formula the fans of this genre want. Fun stunts and fights, pretty lead actresses, a solid action script, and well choreographed scenes in general. Everyone involved puts out a solid entertaining movie. The two leads (Chase Bloomquis and Emily Sweet) have great chemistry and really fun to watch. Emily has such presence in her scenes you can't help but fall in love with her kindness. Chase perfectly handles the lead and is convincing is the role he plays. Always great to see Iconic legend John Schneider chewing up the scenery and also well casted! Locations are always another character and add to his movies. They are perfectly scouted out before hand. It adds to the building of the scenes and the actors characters! Beautifully lensed and edited are so important with an action movie. Over the top fights are filmed rite and edited flawlessly to make the action believable. Not everyone a fun fight but a good ole fight to the death with swords, knives even stones. Some cool blood FX and head bashing show Rene roots of horror films. But is not overdone and flows well within the content of the story. I thoroughly enjoy and feel so many times this is a lost Genre that has been rediscovered by Rene. The Director handles with the utmost respect and rewarding payoff at the conclusion. He made a successful transfer of a mindless killing machine back into a human with feelings and Consciousness! Highly recommended and will be patiently waiting for the next Rene Perez's movie!

Starring: Chase Bloomquist, John Schneider, Emily Sweet, Charlie Glackin, Eva Hamilton, Tony Jackson, John Ozuna

Writer/Director: Rene Perez

It all happens at the saw mill. Fair action. Some wry humor tossed in. Were these actors also pro wrestlers, doing a side gig? Maybe. Worth 5 stars.