Leon
is a hitman, a professional killer with no equal. That much is clear to see from the opening scene. If there's a chance
you happen to come across him, it will most likely be your last. He's precise and he's sure. He seems to have little
else in his life apart from his plant and classic films.
Mathilda (Natalie Portman, making her feature film debut here) is a young girl, suffering at the hands of her
abusive foster family, and lives in an adjacent flat with her brother, but clearly knows nothing about her neighbour's occupation. Her
foster father is involved with storing drugs and other corrupt activities for local bad guy Stansfield (Gary Oldman),
who just also happens to be in the police. He is NOT a man you want to double-cross. So when he gives him 24 hours to
come up with an explanation as to why his latest batch of dope is 90% pure instead of the full 100%, you know what's
going to come.
Leon ends up befriending Mathilda after some brief, chance meetings. She nips out to get some shopping for her family
and also some milk for Leon, the last part being the only brightness to her day because he's the only person who will
talk to her and treat her with respect. While she's out, Stansfield returns...
Unable to go back to life as it was, she insists on staying with him and for him to teach him how to be a 'cleaner',
her ultimate aim being on getting revenge on Stansfield because amongst all the bloodshed, her younger brother became
a casualty. In return, she'll help clean his flat and teach him how to read. Before Mathilda, all he had to care about
was his pot plant, but she does begin to take a slightly unhealthy interest in him for a girl of 12, because she's young
and impressionable. He knows not to take advantage, though.
Leon is an example of absolute perfection in a film. Not only for the way Besson films it, or Eric Serra's
incidental music, but for the cast. Besson-regular Jean Reno excels as the silent killer, while Natalie Portman was a revelation
in her first major role, and clearly she's gone on to have a fantastic and varied career, one of my favourite films
of hers being when she appeared alongside Zach Braff and Peter Sarsgaard in
Garden State.
Naturally, Danny Aiello provides great support on occasion as bar owner Tony, and friend to Leon, but the cast
is topped off brilliantly by the inclusion of Gary Oldman in an outstanding performance as Stansfield, a man who is clearly
several sandwiches short of a picnic.
This new release is not only the first time the film has appeared on Blu-ray, but also contains both the theatrical
and director's cuts, the latter fleshing out the story more including additional scenes where Leon teaches Mathilda
the tricks of the trade.
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