Léon the Professional

The 1994 American debut of French writer-director Luc Besson tells the offbeat story of Léon (Jean Reno), a sweet-souled professional hitman, and Mathilda (Natalie Portman), a sullen waif who is orphaned when a corrupt, pill-popping New York cop (Gary Oldman in an over-the-top performance) slaughters her entire family. The result could have been pure exploitation, but instead it is both brutally violent—the girl hires Léon to take revenge, and while he may be initially resistant, he ultimately follows through—and oddly touching in its portrayal of how Léon becomes fiercely protective of the tough but vulnerable 12-year-old. Reno makes the shabby killer both gentle and coolly efficient, and Portman plays her character as an innocent who takes her cues for mature behavior from Madonna (which makes for a few uncomfortable scenes). Danny Aiello costars as Léon's “manager,” Tony, a shady but paternal figure who looks after his client's money and doesn't bother discussing the details. The Blu-ray edition features both the 109-minute American theatrical version, and the uncut international version, which runs 24 minutes longer and includes scenes of Léon taking on Mathilda as an apprentice and giving her practical lessons in the field. For all the tough talk and provocative poses, Besson makes it clear that the focus here is on a fragile little girl trying to survive in a violent world. Blu-ray extras include a retrospective featurette, profiles of Reno and Portman, and a trivia track (on the extended version). An uneven film that boasts a solid fan base, this is a strong optional purchase. (S. Axmaker)[Blu-ray Review—Nov. 3, 2015—Sony, 109 min., R, $19.99—Making its latest appearance on Blu-ray, 1994's Léon the Professional features a great 4K transfer and a Dolby Atmos soundtrack. Extras are identical to the previous release, including a “Cast and Crew Look Back” retrospective featurette (25 min.), the cast segments “Natalie Portman: Starting Young” (14 min.) and “Jean Reno: The Road to Leon” (13 min.), a fact track, and trailers. Bottom line: this release marks an improvement over the already impressive previous Blu-ray release of Besson's cult favorite.]