Review of Léon: The Professional (1994) by Lisa H — 16 Sep 2011

I was eager to see Portman in her first films going in the film... and she actually is fantastic - hands down. How can Kick-Ass be controsversial when Portman did the same and more already years ago?

But she doesn't have to carry all the weight alone - Gary Oldman plays a perfect psycho on drugs - a brilliant one btw.

The most compelling part of the film however, were not the actors but the whole story and its intention. It's a beautiful insight in the life and the emotions of a hitman you seldom see in film. Criminals are mostly anti-heros or villains but almost never random people like Léon is. It somehow reminded me of The American just not so stylish and cool and with essentially more action and explosions like you're used to with Besson films.

Léon is not just a thriller but a wonderful character study with a thoughtful and great climax and ending.