Léon: The Professional
Year: 1994
Rating: R
Length: 110 minutes / 1.83 hours
There’s something oddly satisfying about watching a professional do their job. The ease with which these people do the thing they’ve trained extensively to do is almost mesmerizing. While this usually applies to creative types, with Luc Besson’s Léon: The Professional (1994), a skilled assassin is equally fun to observe. What makes this movie endearing is the simple life that the titular Léon (Jean Reno) lives. Additionally, the performances by Natalie Portman and Gary Oldman shine through here in some uncomfortable ways that make this movie both timeless and of its time.
While the action sequences in Léon: The Professional are top-notch, the characters make the movie so much better. Since most people never encounter a professional assassin, there’s just this assumption that they’re always out killing people. Instead, there’s understandable caution and an almost savant level of adherence to rules that keep these professional killers alive to cash in on the next death they’re hired to accomplish. That Léon would risk his safety to rescue Matilda (a young Natalie Portman) showed that he wasn’t a heartless murderer. And while Léon is skilled at killing, knowing that he has weaknesses when it comes to reading and money makes him a well-rounded character.
Still, seeing Portman and Oldman early in their careers is worth the watch here. I constantly quote Oldman’s “Everyone!” even if the reality of his character highlights the corruption of government law enforcement. Similarly, Portman delivers an impressive performance that feels like it crosses the line between a girl crushing on an older man and something much more inappropriate for a girl of her age. In the end, Léon: The Professional is an entertaining film and a must-watch for anyone who likes these actors or the works of Luc Besson.
Superb performances that highlight the simple life of an assassin, I give Léon: The Professional 4.0 stars out of 5.
