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Day 99: August 7th, 2010
Leon: The Professional
If you want a job done well hire a professional.
Now, I've seen Leon a dozen times before, so why does it make it on this list? Well, it was the director's cut, which I have never seen before. Something like 20 minutes was added to the film which dives deeper into the creepy relationship between Leon and Mathilda.
The problem is that the film seriously halts to a drag during these scenes. It was interesting to see what I hadn't before and to see him take her on some 'practice' missions, but it all was seriously not really needed. The relationship between the two of them plays out nicely in the theatrical film, her getting drunk and professing her love to him was apparently too much for American audiences and it was cut. No real loss, you still feel uneasy about the relationship when she calls him her lover to the hotel manager. The other scenes are a little too much for this film and puts a driving stall in the narrative pace.
Oldman is fantastic as the antagonist, his over the top performance really lends itself to the evil that is his corrupted character. Reno is still as bad ass today as he was when I first saw the film. Leon is truly a professional who takes on a fatherly role to a kid who has no family. His love for her is merely that of a father looking after his daughter, even if there was no blood relation. Her love for him is pure crush. She has a strong man in her life now, one that invokes positive messages to her, even though he does evil things.
Besson directs the film nicely, he moves the story at a good pace. The added scenes in this directors cut were nice to see, but I would rather watch the theatrical film. Usually I do prefer director's cuts over the theatrical one, but here I find that is just slows everything down too much. It adds nothing really new, we know he teaches her, we know she loves him. It's just more of the same.
Highly recommend this film, the theatrical one of course. It's story of love is unusual of course, but it works because the child doesn't really know what she wants in life. The action is great, specifically the final stand off and the performances are better than most action oriented films. The Professional is a winner.
Director's Cut
Theatrical Cut
Leon: The Professional
If you want a job done well hire a professional.
Now, I've seen Leon a dozen times before, so why does it make it on this list? Well, it was the director's cut, which I have never seen before. Something like 20 minutes was added to the film which dives deeper into the creepy relationship between Leon and Mathilda.
The problem is that the film seriously halts to a drag during these scenes. It was interesting to see what I hadn't before and to see him take her on some 'practice' missions, but it all was seriously not really needed. The relationship between the two of them plays out nicely in the theatrical film, her getting drunk and professing her love to him was apparently too much for American audiences and it was cut. No real loss, you still feel uneasy about the relationship when she calls him her lover to the hotel manager. The other scenes are a little too much for this film and puts a driving stall in the narrative pace.
Oldman is fantastic as the antagonist, his over the top performance really lends itself to the evil that is his corrupted character. Reno is still as bad ass today as he was when I first saw the film. Leon is truly a professional who takes on a fatherly role to a kid who has no family. His love for her is merely that of a father looking after his daughter, even if there was no blood relation. Her love for him is pure crush. She has a strong man in her life now, one that invokes positive messages to her, even though he does evil things.
Besson directs the film nicely, he moves the story at a good pace. The added scenes in this directors cut were nice to see, but I would rather watch the theatrical film. Usually I do prefer director's cuts over the theatrical one, but here I find that is just slows everything down too much. It adds nothing really new, we know he teaches her, we know she loves him. It's just more of the same.
Highly recommend this film, the theatrical one of course. It's story of love is unusual of course, but it works because the child doesn't really know what she wants in life. The action is great, specifically the final stand off and the performances are better than most action oriented films. The Professional is a winner.
Director's Cut
Theatrical Cut