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Special Features
Jean Reno: The Road to Leon
Natalie Portman: Starting Young
Fact Track
Editorial Reviews
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Product Description
Customer Reviews
The extra 24 minutes on the uncut version provides a deeper understanding of the relationship between the two as the film progresses. For example, in the US version Matilda never becomes a real "cleaner" or hitman. It's only hinted at when they shoot a jogger from a rooftop with blanks. In the uncut version, Leon takes her completely under his wing and teaches her the trade, including scenes where the pair run around killing bad guys and such. In the process, Leon teaches her the "ring trick" by tossing a grenade at a victim and keeping the ring and grenade pin in his hand. This scene sets up the final scenes in the movie in a way that the US version left short and unexplained.
If you enjoyed the US version, you'll probably love the uncut version more, if only because the characters and their relationships are much deeper.
After a corrupt cop (Gary Oldman) eliminates the family residing next door due to a drug transaction gone wrong, Leon finds himself the guardian of young Mathilda (Natalie Portman in her screen debut). Taking Mathilda under his helm, Leon teaches her the art of the "cleaner". However, danger lurks around every corner, and Leon must protect Mathilda from the same cops who killed her family.
Considered by many to be his masterpiece, "The Professional" was originally released internationally under the title "Leon". However due to the feeling that American audiences might find some material unacceptable, over 24 minutes of the film was edited out. Finally, Columbia/Tri-Star has made an excellent decision in releasing the uncut, international version of this excellent film in the U.S. as it originally was called in August 2000.
While the film's central theme revolves around Leon and his job, the subplot where Mathilda develops an attraction for Leon is reminiscent of the novel/film "Lolita". The chemistry between both characters in a father/daughter relationship can be intense, especially as we notice that Mathilda is in her puberty-stage.
Jean Reno is excellent as always, and Gary Oldman gives a chilling performance as Stansfield, the wicked DEA officer who murdered Mathilda's family in cold blood. However, the real scene-stealer in this film has to be Natalie Portman. This beautiful young girl radiates beauty and professionalism throughout the film. Her porcelain-looking skin, and her big brown eyes are well utilized in this film, making her character more childish, yet mature to a certain extent. Portman proved to audiences in this film that she was no flash in the pan, and in her subsequent films, she continues to be a scene-stealer. She is truly Hollywood's most gifted young actress.
In the international version, most of the 24 minutes that were left out in the film's 1994 release in the U.S. mainly involves both Leon and Mathilda going on "cleaning sweeps" where she gets first hand training in the art of assassination. The other half of these minutes focuses on Mathilda's attraction to Leon. Her persistent attempts to be intimate with Leon all fail, but we finally understand why Leon remains a loner when it comes to affairs if the heart. Some might be uncomfortable about the idea of Mathilda and Leon sharing a bed together, but Besson paints this scene as one involving platonic love and not sex.
In wrapping up, I recommend this film for anyone who enjoys a nonstop, high-impact thriller in the same tradition as the "Matrix," "Blade," or "Dead Calm". Luc Besson truly is one of the world's greatest action directors, and "Leon" captures his magic. An excellent, pulstaing film from beginning to end!
The film would reunite Besson with popular French action star Jean Reno (Mission: Impossible", "Ronin", "The Da Vinci Code", "The Pink Panther") who he worked on in "Nikita" and "Le grand bleu" and would be the first major film for 12-year-old actress at the time, Natalie Portman ("Star Wars: Episodes I-III", "V for Vendetta", "Paris, je `taime"). For the most part, the film received mostly positive critic reviews but also some controversy as the film would feature an older man raising a young girl and teaching her how the life of a hitman. Let alone, a 12-year-old who is attracted to an older man.
"Leon the Professional" had an original theatrical release but there was an extended version (or Director's Cut) featuring an extra 24-minutes of footage which focuses on Leon training Mathilda but also the emotional connection the two have for each other. Both are included on the Blu-ray release and personally, I prefer the extended version as the screenplay focuses a lot on the friendship between Leon and Mathilda.
VIDEO & AUDIO:
When I first saw "Leon the Professional", I admit that I was happy. Why? Many films created between 1986-1996 and released on Blu-ray, some really look their age, transfer is not all that great or is very soft but for "Leon the Professional", the colors are vibrant, blacks are nice and deep and detail can be seen. The old buildings that Leon and Mathilda live in, you can see all the cracks and how old they look. It just seems much more clearer. Sharpness is great and the colors just pop. There is a nice amount of grain as well and no softness. This doesn't look like a film that is 15-years-old. So, needless to say...picture quality is fantastic.
Audio quality is equally impressive. Featured in 5.1 DTS-HD MA (in English, French and Portuguese), there are really good action sequences and gun fights that really utilize the soundscape from the front, center and surround channels. Especially during the final confrontation, the film sounds great. Music by Eric Serra also helps create the mood. For the most part, this is not an action film that is overly aggressive as most of the film is dialogue-based between Leon and Mathilda but for the most part, when the action scenes do happen, you'll definitely hear those gun shots, machine gun rattling, explosions really clear.
Subtitles are in English, English SDH, French, Portuguese and Spanish.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
"Leon the Professional" on Blu-ray comes with the following special features:
# 10 Year Retrospective: Cast and Crew Look Back - (25:09) A featurette released on the 2004 DVD. A virtual reunion with interviews with the cast talking about a film they made 10 years ago. How the film came to be made and how the talent were cast for the film.
# Jean Reno: The Road to Leon - (12:25) A featurette about Jean Reno, his personal life of him growing up and his previous works that led to him playing the character of Leon.
# Natalie Portman: Starting Young - (13:49) Natalie Portman talks about reading the script at 11-years-old and wanting to do the part despite her parents feeling it was inappropriate. Working with Jean Reno and Luc Besson and how she was able to accomplish those emotional crying scenes and more.
# Fact Track - Viewers can watch the extended version of the film with a fact track.
JUDGMENT CALL:
"Leon the Professional" is a riveting, action-packed film. And for those who are familiar with Luc Besson films, you expect intense gunfighting sequences and plenty of destruction. Granted, he has done a lot more of that now with recent films but back in 1994, "Leon the Professional" was entertaining then and 15-years later, continues to be quite entertaining now.
Jean Reno is really good playing those action, hitman type of scenes. He's a tough guy but Luc Besson knows how to utilize his character quite well in his films. Gary Oldman is always a fantastic villain and his character Stansfield is just repulsive. Murdering young children definitely made the viewer want either Leon or Mathilda to really get their revenge on him by the end of the film. And the way it played out, was well-done. But as Reno and Oldman were fantastic, Natalie Portman was incredible. The actress demonstrated in this film that she can be an actress that can excel in emotional scenes and for the most part, back in 1994, there was no doubt in anyone's mind that she would grow up to be an actress to watch for. Overall, great acting by the three main characters of the film.
As for the controversy which led the film to be cut for its theatrical version, I can understand where opposition groups were coming from. Mathilda was a child that was raised in a dysfunctional setting and she has been emotionally damaged that the only person that she sees as her savior was Leon. A man who lives in isolation and his best friend is a plant. But of course, there is a sense of sadness that broods with the character of Leon and somehow, these two find comfort within each other. For Leon, it's more of a friend, while Mathilda, looks at it her emotions as being in love. Nevertheless, for those who get disturbed by those scenes of Mathilda's emotional anguish (ala Russian Roulette) and the fact that Leon trains Mathilda on how to kill people (using a paint gun), there is a theatrical version included on the Blu-ray that eliminates those scenes and an extended version that contains those extra 24 minutes.
As for the Blu-ray, I just felt the picture quality was fantastic for an early 90's film. With quite a few 90's films that looks its age, the amount of colors and detail for on this HD release was great and the audio quality was also great. Fans of the film will definitely enjoy this Blu-ray release, especially since it has both theatrical and extended versions of the film.
Overall, a solid Blu-ray release for "Leon the Professional". Highly recommended!
the girl... Read more
Crime, Drama, Thriller, 133 minutes (extended version)
Directed by Luc Besson
Starring Jean Reno, Natalie Portman and Gary Oldman... Read more
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