Much better in the extended foreign version that shows more of the girl's hitman training. Typical French downer, but interesting relationship piece.
Léon the Professional (1994)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:38
Fresh:28
Rotten:10
Average Rating:6.7/10
Runtime: 2 hrs 13 mins
Genre: Action/Adventure
Synopsis: Leon (Jean Reno) is a precise, calculating hit man--a consummate professional, with no family and no friends. However, he has casually befriended Mathilda (Natalie Portman, in an auspicious debut),... Leon (Jean Reno) is a precise, calculating hit man--a consummate professional, with no family and no friends. However, he has casually befriended Mathilda (Natalie Portman, in an auspicious debut), a 12 year-old neighbor whose entire family, including her adored 4-year-old brother, is wiped out by some crooked DEA agents. The girl pleads with Leon to teach her how to be a "cleaner" and avenge her little brother's death. However, once she learns a few skills, Mathilda saunters into the DEA offices with the sole intention of killing the psychotic agent (Gary Oldman) who actually masterminded the executions. But her intended victim turns the tables on her, and Leon must rescue her. LEON was French director Luc Besson's first film shot in America. [More]
Starring: Jean Reno, Natalie Portman, Gary Oldman, Danny Aiello
Starring: Jean Reno, Natalie Portman, Gary Oldman, Danny Aiello, Peter Appel
Director: Luc Besson
Director: Luc Besson
Producer: Claude Besson
Screenwriter: Luc Besson
Composer: Eric Serra
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Reviews for Léon the Professional
An altogether interesting take on an old story, one which Besson pulls off with his customary flair and panache.
Despite Besson's mastery of technique, Leon's success is due in large part to its elegant performances.
Reno's performance of hangdog loyalty lends his character pleasing sympathy while Besson's heavily stylized direction builds tension around sexy violence.
Always at the back of my mind was the troubled thought that there was something wrong about placing a 12-year-old character in the middle of this action.
"Leon The Professional" is a consummate hit man movie from the early '90s era in cinema when every young filmmaker wanted to be the next Tarantino. Luc Besson just had to be himself.
Oldman's character is so over the top, so utterly ridiculous that the audience may feel prompted to laugh unintentionally.
Oozing style, wit and confidence from every sprocket, and offering a dizzyingly, fresh perspective on the Big Apple that only Besson could bring, this is, in a word, wonderful.
My advice to everyone out there is to throw away your copy of The Professional, throw down twenty bucks, and pick up this newly restored (director's cut) cinematic masterpiece.
Good, if not overrated. Reno is always a delight and a young Portman adds a lot to the heart and soul of the film.
It's surprising to find an action movie with so much emotional baggage, but amazingly it works.
Latest News for Léon the Professional
April 09, 2008:
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November 23, 2007:
Total Recall: Thank Goodness For Hit Men
This week, Timothy Olyphant stars in Hitman, the tale of a skilled contract killer who finds himself in the midst of deadly political intrigue. Here at RT, we thought it would... More...
January 17, 2007:
Olyphant Pursues "Hitman" Contract
Timothy Olyphant has been linked to the movie based on the "Hitman" video game, though he says there is no official contract, pun intended. He's in talks though, and... More...
September 12, 2006:
Director Luc Besson Gives Up Camera for Civic Projects
Director Luc Besson tells the Associated Press that "Arthur et Les Minimoys" (Arthur and the Invisibles), which will open Jan 12, 2007 in the States, is his last movie... More...
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