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Léon (1994) RR
12-year-old Mathilda's family is murdered by crooked DEA agents. She manages to escape to neighbor. When the said neighbor, Léon, turns out to be a professional hitman Mathilda tries to get him to kill the bad cops but ends up becoming his apprentice. She never forgets her revenge though and on top of everything she falls in love with Léon.
Léon is one of my favorite films even though I don't give it full rating (there's one big issue and one small that take away half popcorn but more of them later). What separates Léon from most other films is its main characters and their relationship, a 12-year-old girl who's in love with an adult man. I guess it's a touchy subject but in my opinion the film manages to do it very nicely and (at least to me) it never feels dirty or wrong. Both of its main characters are very well written and their relationship evolves naturally.
Léon is almost like a superhero vanishing into shadows and just walking into DEA building to get Mathilda back so the film is not realistic in any way. Like Besson's films often have there's this borderline fantasy feel to Léon which is kinda enhanced by the over-the-top performance of Gary Oldman as the psychotic DEA agent and Léon's childlike mentality. Natalie Portman as Mathilda is great mastering the whole emotional spectrum. There's not that much action in the film but most of it is done well.
So what's wrong with it (here comes the spoilers, by the way)? The big issue I mentioned is Léon's death. I firmly believe that he's killed only to prevent controversy from the developing romance. The death is written sloppily; overcautious and extremely professional Léon decides to go back to their old hotel after raiding the DEA building and, secretly from Mathilda, starts to kill the corrupt cops but doesn't start with the leader. The minor issue is more like a personal preference but I would have preferred if Mathilda had actually killed someone in the film.
Mostly very well written, character driven action-drama with great acting and memorable characters. It's also very sad film but the sadness is slightly tarnished by the one poorly written death. Besson's best movie.
12-year-old Mathilda's family is murdered by crooked DEA agents. She manages to escape to neighbor. When the said neighbor, Léon, turns out to be a professional hitman Mathilda tries to get him to kill the bad cops but ends up becoming his apprentice. She never forgets her revenge though and on top of everything she falls in love with Léon.
Léon is one of my favorite films even though I don't give it full rating (there's one big issue and one small that take away half popcorn but more of them later). What separates Léon from most other films is its main characters and their relationship, a 12-year-old girl who's in love with an adult man. I guess it's a touchy subject but in my opinion the film manages to do it very nicely and (at least to me) it never feels dirty or wrong. Both of its main characters are very well written and their relationship evolves naturally.
Léon is almost like a superhero vanishing into shadows and just walking into DEA building to get Mathilda back so the film is not realistic in any way. Like Besson's films often have there's this borderline fantasy feel to Léon which is kinda enhanced by the over-the-top performance of Gary Oldman as the psychotic DEA agent and Léon's childlike mentality. Natalie Portman as Mathilda is great mastering the whole emotional spectrum. There's not that much action in the film but most of it is done well.
So what's wrong with it (here comes the spoilers, by the way)? The big issue I mentioned is Léon's death. I firmly believe that he's killed only to prevent controversy from the developing romance. The death is written sloppily; overcautious and extremely professional Léon decides to go back to their old hotel after raiding the DEA building and, secretly from Mathilda, starts to kill the corrupt cops but doesn't start with the leader. The minor issue is more like a personal preference but I would have preferred if Mathilda had actually killed someone in the film.
Mostly very well written, character driven action-drama with great acting and memorable characters. It's also very sad film but the sadness is slightly tarnished by the one poorly written death. Besson's best movie.