Review of Léon: The Professional (1994) by Keenan B — 04 Jan 2015

*110 minute version**.

A film from a French guy about an Italian hit man in New York. Luc Besson's films have never been about rational thinking anyway. Before writing silly movies where people get taken or transported, Besson narrowed his focus on the Big Apple to the distilled story of a hitman who takes a neighborhood girl under his wing after her entire family is murdered by a corrupt cop. Leon: The Professional is a watershed action film that is in no rush to raise your heart-rate, as its slow-burning, deeply scripted plot builds it's characters and tantalizes you with a few excruciatingly tense scenes before finally doing what action movies do best. And an excellent performance from a then unknown child actor didn't hurt either... stick with theatrical cut and avoid the longer cuts at all costs, which adds unnecessary and flat out creepy sexual tension between the two leads.