Cheap Leon - The Professional (Uncut International Version) (DVD) (Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman) (Luc Besson) Price

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Customer Reviews of Leon - The Professional (Uncut International Version)

The story is really good. A hitman named Leon (Jean Reno) helps a girl named Mathilda after her family is shot down by corrupt DEA officers led by Norman Stansfield (Gary Oldman). When she finds out about Leon's job as a "cleaner" she asks to be trained as a hitman to avenge her little brother's death. Despite Leon's concerns he teaches her anyway, but over the course of his teachings, Mathilda develops feelings for him. This is something the uncut version explores a little deeper.

I suppose some of the scenes were taken from the American release for their subject matter. A scene where Mathilda wants to take her love for Leon to the next level really gives a good insight into Leon's past. It dosen't lead to anything between the two, so I don't see why they cut it. Other scenes included are Leon giving Mathilda some on the job training when he goes on his hits. I can see where some groups in America could have protested that, but it makes their relationship more deeper and complex.

An outstanding film, you really should see this version to get the whole story. I highly recommend it, it is my favorite of all time. Luc Besson's masterpiece can be fully appreciated on this release. I've been hearing rumors about a sequel in the works. I can only pray it's true, but this film is a tough act to follow.

One of the best action films ever created...
The story revolves around a young girl named Matilda ( Natalie Portman). She lives in an extremely disfunctional family, and her dad has ties with local drug boss Mr. Stansfield (played wonderfully by Gary Oldman). Stansfield and his crew show up and wipe out Matilda's entire family, which leaves her as the sole survivor. She manages to escape and goes to her next door neighbor Leon( Jean Reno)for help. At first, she just needs someone to look after her and a place to stay. But Matilda soon discovers that Leon is a professional hitman. The lifestyle appeals to Matilda, and she convinces Leon to teach her the ways of a hitman, so that she can gain revenge on the men that killed her family...

Luc Besson's "Leon" is one of the best movies available right now. The action sequences in this movie will blow your mind! They are intense and do not pull any punches. The story is absolutely oustanding. It is dramatic, funny, and so fast paced that you might get dizzy from watching it. The cast is great. This is Natalie Portman's first role, and she does an outstanding job. Also Gary Oldman plays one of the best villans that you can hope for. He is intelligent, cruel, sadistic, and just straight out of his mind. Danny Aiello does a nice job as the local mob boss that sets up Leon with his jobs and takes care of his finances. Last, but certainly not least there is Jean Reno as Leon the hitman. He is cold, calculated, and never misses the mark. Although Leon is a trained killer, you can't help but like the guy because he raises Matilda like she was his own daughter. Leon actually takes pride in teaching her how to be a hitman.

"Leon" is one of the greatest action films ever made. The performances, thrilling action sequences, and touching father/daughter relationship between Leon and Matilda will keep your heart pumping, and have you reaching for the kleenex as well.

*WARNING - Make sure that you purchase THIS version of the film. The movie released in the U.S. called "The Professional" is missing a substantial amount of footage. "Leon" has over 30 minutes of extra footage that lets you see the film uncut and in its entirety. It is deffinately worth the extra money!

Natalie Portman in her best role!
I don't usually like to watch movies about hit men or cops and robbers. I remember I got interested in this movie because of two things: Luc Besson's movie the Fifth Element, which was so wildly different and fascinating that I wanted to see what else this French director had done; and secondly, seeing Natalie Portman for the first time in the Star Wars: Phantom Menace movie.

Behind all of the dense make up and bad script and horribly non-existent directing from George Lucas in Phantom Menace, I sensed in Natalie Portman one heck of a terrific young actress struggling to come up with a meaningful performance. In "Leon - The Professional", working with a superb director, her acting talent is on full display.

When one thinks of modern day child actors, Anna Paquin comes to mind, in "The Piano", because she aced out some terrific adult actresses in 1993 to win the Oscar. Well, Natalie Portman, at age 12, had Anna Paquin beat by a mile in this movie, since her character takes up about half of the movie. If not for the truly unusual and off-beat story line of this movie, Portman would have gotten a lot more attention for her role in this movie, I think.

If you just focus on Portman's facial expressions and the way she carries herself in this movie, she goes through an amazing acting range in this movie, from hurt, terrified, bored, stuck up, cool and calculating, manipulative, sweet, child-like, and pubescent sexual allure.

As mentioned by other reviewers, the uncut version restores scenes that basically give a harder edge to Natalie Portman's character. The additional scenes of her assassin training with Leon and her efforts to attract and get closer to Leon definitely put her character in a harsher light. I remember from my first viewing of the cut U.S. version that Mathilda came across as a much more sweet and innocent child. The uncut version shows her more to be a hardened child of the mean streets of New York. Given the usual Hollywood propensities, it's not that surprising that these scenes got cut for the U.S. release. The uncut version does show the fullest acting range of Natalie Portman, even if they make her character less sympathetic.

Basically, the movie skates close to, but avoids the pedophilia controversies of the "Lolita" movies by having the character of Leon adhere to a strict code of ethics that firmly blocks all of Mathilda's advances. Even at the end, when he kisses her good-by and says that he loves her, it is clearly in the vein of being her protector and a big brother/father surrogate figure.

All in all, this was a great movie. Jean Reno was just so hauntingly sad as the loner-assassin Leon. Gary Oldman was definitely over the top in his portrayal of the crazed DEA agent - you almost expected his Dracula fangs to come out and his eyes to glow red when he popped those pills into his mouth.

So all of you Natalie Portman fans, this movie is a definite must-see. All of you Phantom Menace/Attack of the Clones haters who think that Natalie Portman can't act, you've got to see this movie to understand that no, Natalie Portman is a terrific actress. It's just really, really tough to play opposite total stiffs like Hayden Christiansen and Jake Lloyd, working with an idiot director like George Lucas.