If I had to choose, this would be my number one favorite movie. I fell in love with this movie (and Natalie Portman) the first time I saw it, so many years ago.
Great flick. Jean Reno is an adorable squishy teddy bear that is a hired killer...rawr! I wish I had an assassin too! My only problems with the flick are 1. Natalie Portman and 2. milk Either way, great flick.
The only real good movie Besson has ever made, with Jean Reno in a classic role and with Gary Oldman excellentisimo as the bad guy. Also to notice, this is Natalie Portman's only good performance in her entire career.
even gangsters have rules, this one really doesn't follow any manner, he's just an idiot who can turn into a genius if needed. but only for Gary Oldman, it's worth watching. he makes magic in this one. he's the god himself.
Wonderfully thrilling film from Luc Besson. Everything about this film is just excellent. If your after a film to be utterly entertained by without it being brainless then this is the film for you. Jean Reno gives such a brilliant performance. He plays the caring and beautiful character Leon. Throughout the film he gives you the impression that he's simple and naive but at the same time being completely aware of everything. He's a very complicated character that is a pleasure to watch. I like the way there is nothing glamorous about his livestyle. There are many films that make out the hitman livestyle is glamorous but this film doesn't. He lives a simple life with a plant that he loves more than anything else on the planet. Natalie Portman's first role and to be frank I really feel sorry for her. It must be horrible as an actress to peak so soon in your career and never meet that point again. This proves she is a very capible actress but so far she hasn't had the chance to show that talent since this film. But I have to say the star of this film would have to be Gary Oldman. He plays a bent copper who is a drug addict and racketer. His performance is just utterly mindblowing. He does this thing where he splits open the capsule, swollows the powder and does this hit reaction that is just so weird and brilliant. His character is literally psychotic. This really is Oldman at his best. He also devilvers the best Fuck line at the end of the film ever. The relationship between Jean Reno's character and Natalie Portman's character have a very odd relationship which throughtout the film makes you intentially uncomfortable. The exchange of names in the beginning of the film makes you feel the same has Leon who blows his milk all over his face. That is what you'll do if you're drinking when her line is delivered. The ending of the film is great and i'm not going to say too much about it because I don't want to ruin it for those of you that haven't seen it but it really is excellent. It's a must see film that comes highly recommended not just by me.
I'm a huge fan and it's not because I'm french lol every actors are very good, Gary Oldman is crazy it's a pleasure to see him ! Mathilda is a beautiful character and Leon is so touching. Another must to see !
A textbook example of fine acting elevating a weak, stereotypical script. Worth a look, if only to marvel at the talents of Jean Reno and Gary Oldman (and a pre-pubescent Natalie Portman).
After watching this film now for the 60th time I thought that Leon deserved a better review then my first one sentence review. Quite simply I love everything about this movie. I love the characters, the story, the acting. Every single thing I can think of. Although it's suppose to be an action film. It feels more like a great study of the need for friendship which is portrayed perfectly by my future wife Natalie Portman and Jean Reno. They work so well together and both give their best performances to date. Of course Gary Oldman is great and proves he's one of the greatest actors of are time. I'm not a Luc Besson fan but this film has earned it's place in my personal top 10.
So intimate and well done, Jean Reno is perfect as Leon, the introverted assassin that harbors a young Natalie Portman and bonds with the girl. Gary Oldman is excellent (as always) as the corrupt cop you want some horrible physical pain to suffer. I love this movie with all my heart, and I always feel sad when it is over. Jean Reno is hands down my favorite French actor (sorry Gerard Depardieu!).
Great movie is so many ways but of course the action and the story takes most of the credit. Also, Natalie Portman delivers such a great performance that no wonder she is still around.
An awesome film with stylized action. Luc Besson at his best. Natalie Portman hasn't even come close to being this good since. Her amazing performance is the foundation of this very cool film.
Leon is by far, the coolest hitman-movie I've seen. He's the biggest softy, but when he's put on the job, he's dead on. I like good moraled characters in films these days. If I wouldn't like them in real life, I probably wouldn't like the movie; even though there's exceptions to some films (Taxi Driver, Dead Man's Shoes, etc). If you're in for a different kind of action flick, one with a heart ... check this out.
Slightly under 5 stars I gave. This is good film namely I think it releases you into the real world but puts you in a story that you could never imagine happening to yourself. This is a good thing if you are grounded but a bad thing if you have no meaning in life (you might just start copy cat crimes). Films you might like: The Matrix, Falling Down.
Excellent excellent movie. I'm not big into this style of movie usually...but this one was the exception. Jean Reno is the most awesome hitman ever and Natalie Portman did an excellent job in her role.
Brilliant and marvelously story between the production of French and America about a simple-minded Italian hit man becomes the only friend of an abused 12-year-old girl. WOW! What amazing action scenes I ever watched as Jeno Reno's fantastic so is Natalie Portman in her debut acting performance.
Leon was a very intense film that had me gripped from start to finish, the kill scenes where great and quite brutal but it was the heartfelt relationship between Leon & Matilda that made this movie better than the others of the same genre, the acting was superb by all the main actors and they made the movie feel very real, the musical content was great too and was used to good effect, the best thing about this movie was it was very complete in that it has the brutal action scenes for the actions fans while also being very heartfelt and offering something for love fans, my advice is that if you have not already seen it then do so ASAP, great stuff 5 stars :)
A fantastic movie. full of good actors and perfect scenes. Its cool to watch Leon in action (a perfect killer with a lot of imagination). Natalie's perfomance is Shocking and wonderful,
MCT:February 28, 2008
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MCT:February 1, 2008
