But I'm glad I finally found it, because it's a wonderful film in so many other ways. As a gritty, suspenseful thriller, this film won't leave action fans feeling cheated, but the film is so much more than that. The Professional is what movie-making is all about. Jean Reno is excellent as her assassin trainer and surrogate father. Oldman offers us a memorable portrait of a sadistically obsessed man who stops short of nothing to get what he wants.
Portman, Oldman, and Reno, along with Danny Aiello as the hit-contractor Tony remind us that there is no substitute for great acting. This movie is rated 63 on the imdb top 250 movie list, showing that people obviously like this movie, and with good reason. Luc Besson's movie Leon The Professional gives us an intense story which is maximized in potential by the casting of the movie done by Todd Thaler. Their relationship unfolds against a backdrop of murder and revenge as director Luc Besson explores issues of age and maturity, good and evil, and the interplay of life, death and love. Besson does great actions scenes - especially the explosions.
I have spent hours re-watching various scenes and noticing all the perfection with which they are acted and directed. She manages the transition from a frightened child to a woman capable of killing so convincingly that it makes the relationship between she and Leon not only believable, but understandable. As a dirty cop in this film he personifies evil, and it is a joy to watch him do his thing. The most impressive thing about the movie is its story which is basic but is maximized by all the other elements which go into the making of the movie. I know a lot of people who have seen this film because they are action fans. The acting in this film is superb.
Oldman is completely over the top in one of his best bad-guy roles, obsessed with both Beethoven and butchery. His secluded world is shattered by the young girl named Mathilda who lives on the same floor as he does in an apartment building. Gary Oldman is just the best psycho there is, and it is kind of nice to see him without all the strange makeup for a change. He moves the story along by his actions. . There are elements of comedy, drama, and action, and great original music by Eric Serra adds to the energy the film already encapsulates. He is cold as ice as the almost super-human 'professional', but his performance is most moving when he reveals his sensitive side.
The two main characters are a recently-orphaned girl who is wise beyond her years and a hitman who is still an innocent. Her ability to relate to others with body movement and facial gestures is matched by few, she really brings raw emotion and believability to a difficult role. With enough blood and gore to please any fan of action movies, and a unique love story to please the ladies, this is a great movie for couples to watch together. Jean Reno as Leon gives us a solemn and calculated character who sets all of his energy on his assignments until her is given something else to care about. Simply put, an intense and impressive movie. It would be so easy to just film the door opening, but instead we see light illuminating Natalie Portman's face, symbolizing something angelic.
When she turns to him for help, he learns about living a normal life, even if the circumstances which unite them are far from normal. But why the hell didn;t this movie garner at least one single oscar or golden globe nomination?? However, to truly comprehend the beauty of this film, you must see the European Cut. Mathilda and Leon are unexpectedly thrown together, but learn to value life from their chance encounter, and how valuable a friendship can be. And the moment has so much more meaning. It raises the stakes of Besson's playful women-with-guns theme by making the heroine a 12-year-old, played by a then unknown Natalie Portman. Mathilda gives him the daughter that he never had, while Leon serves as a father and friend to her. Without the overuse of special effects, a large shooting location, or a commercially star studded cast, we are given all that could possibly be asked for in a movie.
In her film debut, Natalie Portman turns in a performance that is beautiful beyond belief. The special effects are all you could hope for. Watching as his wounded soul slowly begins to heal is enough to touch the heart of any woman, but it is handled so subtly that it never becomes too 'sappy'. Every aspect of the movie delivers to the audience and makes an impressive overall package. The performance delivered by then twelve-year old Natalie Portman as Mathilda is nothing short of brilliant.
Reno has an expressive face which conveys a myriad of emotions with great sensitivity and few words. It's not the violence or action sequences that make this movie so great although they are well done. There is also a lot of humor and when you throw in the tender love story - this picture has it all! Elements of the story which are only hinted at in the U. . . .
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