Review of Léon: The Professional (1994) by Danny R — 03 Dec 2011

A brilliant stylish action-thriller by french director Luc Besson in his U.S. debut, about a 12 year-old girl named Mathida, played by young Natalie Portman in her amazing film debut she delivers a beautiful and mature performance and manages to transform from a frightened child to a capable young woman out to avenge the brutal murders of her entire family by a group of crooked cops led by a sadistic, psychotic, drug-addicted DEA agent named Stansfield, gloriously played by Gary Oldman in grand flamboyant performance, Mathida is rescued by her mysterious, emotionless, childlike neighbor Leon, played superbly by Jean Reno in a truly compelling performance who is a "cleaner,' a super deadly professional assassin who becomes her reluctant savior and guardian, Leon and Mathilda develop a special deep friendship and for the first time in his lonely life, Leon discovers what it is like to have someone you care about more than his own life.

Mathilda wants Leon to teach her his lethal skills of the trade and help her track down Stansfield and his murderous crew, but Stansfield is already trying to track Mathida down to kill her because she is the only living witness to her families massacre.

The film become a suspenseful and deadly game of cat and mouse leading to a exciting, pulse-pounding climatic finale that will have you on the edge-of-your-seat, expertly directed by Luc Besson with dazzling cinematography by Thierry Arbogast and clever editing by Sylvie Landra, Eric Serra original score is exquisite.

Highly Recommended.