Luc Besson. Name ring a bell at all? It should. And if you haven't heard or seen any of his films. Stop reading this immediately, get on Netflix, and look up something he has directed/written. Anything will do. Taken, La Femme Nikita, heck, even The Fifth Element (a guilty pleasure I might have to add).
But of all Luc Bessons films, I enjoy Léon : The Professional the most. He has masterfully created a piece of art. Even though it is an action movie first, it carries elements of many emotions. Those of joy and friendship, hatred and vengeance. And only a film maker such as Besson can weave all of this into something of pure beauty.
Our story circles around Mathilda (Natalie Portman in her feature film debut), befriending Léon (Jean Reno), a hitmam, or "cleaner" as he prefers. Although Mathilda is the child in the film, you feel as though Leon is the least mature of the two. He knows very little of the world, outside of being a cleaner. He lives alone in his apartment with only the company of a plant. Mathilda on the other hand has a family. Parents (father and step-mother), step-sister and younger brother, whom she holds the most feelings towards. But she also has experienced more than any twelve year old should at such a young age.
And this is what brings them together.
Unfortunately Mathilda's family is not picture perfect. And her drug-dealing father has fallen in with the wrong people. That being of Agent Stansfield (Gary Oldman). A psychotically, corrupt DEA officer. Who, while one day when Mathilda is out getting milk, slaughters her family.
Though very reluctant, her neighbour lets her find sanctuary in his apartment. And this is how our friendship begins. Although uneasy at first. These two people from different worlds begin to see the values of life with each other. Mathilda gets a friend and family she has longed for. Léon gets the friend and family he never had. Some of this relationship does border on controversial, but is handled very well by both the actors and the direction of Luc Besson. (The theatrical release cuts most of this, but the Deluxe Edition adds all of this back in to the film. And honestly, that is the way to see the film and truly understand their relationship.) She teaches him to read and write, he teachers her to be a cleaner. Mathilda, after all wants to avenge her baby brother. And nothing will stop her from finding the man responsible. Here begins her story of her revenge.
The acting in the movie is top notch, to say the least. Gary Oldman plays the cruel and heartless villain to a tee. The intensity of how he portrays him is something that only Gary himself could only accomplish. And Jean Reno nails the role of the emotionless hitman with a heart he didn't know he had. Almost like the gentle giant, he very soft-spoken, and childlike, but we know deep inside he is a killer. But it is Natalie Portman that really steals the show. Having never acted she before, she tackles this role like a seasoned veteran. You feel and believe everything about this little girl.
Now I mentioned this is an action movie. And it truly is. But like that piece of art, this is something to stare in awe at. Luc Besson takes the scenes further. The way he moves the camera around the environment, to the choice of soundtrack he uses during the scenes. He plans everything fort a reason, nothing is just thrown at us on the screen. This is his canvas, and he knows how each stroke of the brush is going to look when he is done.
Recommendation : Bit of a no brainer I must say. This is a must see for anyone that loves a good movie. Easily one of my favourites of all time. And with that I highly recommend this to everyone! As I mentioned earlier. See the Deluxe Edition for it is the best way to see it.
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