Review of Léon: The Professional (1994) by Connor R — 06 Jun 2015

Here we see the brilliance of Luc Besson; his talent for taking the familiar and making it utterly breathtaking. We've all seen hitman/apprentice movies before, but it's Besson's tentative attention to the characters that makes it different and ultimately more special.

Everything about this movie works. From the slick but never gratuitous violence to the breezy pace, this is an action movie that doesn't pride itself on how loud it can bark, but rather how quietly it can whisper and still hit you where it hurts.

Easily the two best aspects of the film are the performances and the script those performances bring to life. My favorite of the film is Jean Reno. While I too feel that Gary Oldman's looney, scenery-chewing performance as the villain is a stroke of genius, Jean Reno sets the stage early on for what we think will be the cold nature of his character, but he constantly surprises us.

It's an action film that packs great action sequences, but never relies on an overabundance of action to keep things moving. Rather, Besson first gives us a strong narrative to follow and then he gives us the action. The same could also be said for his work on the French action masterpiece, "La Femme Nikita".

Don't miss this one, it's a true piece of art! Gripping from the word 'go'.