Rating: 
Summary: just the best
Review: this movie is one of the best i've ever seen. jean reno is a faboulous actor and i'm a big fan of his. so buy it.(i'm not so good in English because i'm dutch)
Rating:
Summary: My Most-Watched DVD
Review: I saw The Professional, and, to tell the truth, wasn't that intersted in watching it again. It was the 'Uncut' in this version's title that piqued my interest enough to give it a second chance. I can't tell you how glad I was to see this version. This is my most-watched DVD and my most-borrowed DVD. My sister watched it 5 times in a 48 hour period. The bond that these 2 characters share is quite touching indeed. Leon: The Professional is movie-making the way it should be. The story is the heart of the movie, and this movie will stay close to your heart.
Rating:
Summary: The movie that missed the Academy.
Review: REVIEWER'S NOTE: Here is another review that my son wrote: This one movie, Leon, is absouloutely beautiful. And I'll tell you why. Leon (Jean Reno), the best of the best of his profession, cleaning, which is being a hit-man, has always been the dark, yet mysterious type. Leon is always being sent out by Tony of the New York Mafia, to clean situations. Right next door to him, is a girl named Mathilda (Natilie Portman), who is always being abused by her family and step-family. Mathilda always liked Leon, although never knowing what he did for a living. She did know he liked milk, so she went out to get some for him. 2 quarts. Her dad, being a drug dealer, had to report to--of course-- a drug lord. But when the drug lord (played masterfully by Gary Oldman) finds out that Mathilda's dad's drugs are not 90% pure, when the day before they were 100%, he gives him 1 day to bring it back to 100% again. Well, we are back now to when Mathilda got the 2 quarts of milk for Leon. While she is gone, the drug lord and his connies, arrive. What happens next sets up most of the story. The movie is emotional, gripping, exciting and incredibly intelligent, also with amazing acting. 5 stars!
Rating: 
Summary: Great movie !!
Review: When I saw Leon in HK back in 1994, it was the long version the same as this DVD. I bought the standard edition DVD a couple years ago and felt that it is OK in the shorter version. The only significant addition to this DVD is scenes that show Leon bring along Mathilda in doing his job (killing bad people) and a few more scenes that show Mathilda seducing Leon. Probably those scenes were cut to avoid controversy or something but either versions work well if you are looking for good action movies. I am giving it 4 stars instead of 5 because I think the standard version (the WS) has better sounding Dolby Digital 5.1. If you are action fans I think you are better off with the standard edition as it gives you both WS & Full screen. But if you are a big fans of Leon, get the uncut version. Great movie.
Rating:
Summary: Leon - The Professional is a masterpiece!
Review: Most often action movies come along and prove to be mildly entertaining, but do not prove to be very memorable. Leon - The Professional is a completely different story. This movie's action sequences are not only fantastic, but in fact the story and the characters are the real treasure. Luc Besson has masterful way of telling the story and his cinematic devices are luring and beautiful. The story reveals great depth and meaning. Jean Reno who skillfully plays the larger than life hit man Leon is fascinating, instilling a feeling of wonder as to who is this person and the desire to know more about him. Natalie Portman who, also gives a fantastic performance as Matilda (in her first movie role), develops a uniquely special human relationship with Leon. The relationship between Leon and Matilda reveal the mutual sadness and loneliness that each of the characters possess and how their bond gradually heals the pain replacing it with genuine warmth and caring. Gary Oldman as always plays a great "bad guy" who you love to hate. The story is both gripping and memorable leaving a deep impression in the moviegoer's psyche. This is definitely one of the best films I have had the fortune to see in recent years. This DVD containing the international uncut version with 24 minutes of additional footage that was not in the original U.S. release is wonderful and provides scenes that further explore the relationship between Matilda and Leon which are very worthwhile and add to the overall quality of the film. Thankfully the director placed the additional scenes within the film and not as deleted scenes in the additional features section of the DVD as is most often done. I highly recommend this film to all real movie lovers.
Rating:
Summary: A terrific movie from beginning to end.
Review: Wow, is all I can really say, words can't really describe the greatness of this movie. A friend of mine lent me the DVD, I was busy at the time so it sat on my rack for a week or so. One evening when I was bored I decided to watch a few movies. Seven, being the first movie I watched was great. Still in the movie mood, being a little skeptical at first I decided to try The Professional. When the movie played and the title 'Leon' appeared I thought I might of had to the wrong movie, but it turns out this was the title for the movie everywhere but in the US, so I continued watching. I won't completely give this movie away if you're reading this and haven't watched it yet, I'll just write about what you can basically see in the trailer. Jean Reno plays Leon, a 'cleaner' who is truly a professional at what he does, killing people. Natalie Portman in her film debut plays Mathilda, a 12-year streetwise girl beyond her years. Gary Oldman plays Norman Stansfield (Stan), a heartless corrupt DEA agent who can probably range into the 'insane' category, he is truly a psycho. Danny Aiello plays Tony, a mob boss that handles all of Leon's 'business', also holds Leon's money and Leon's only friend (until he meets Mathilda)..... The acting in this movie is truly brillant. Jean Reno does a superb job playing Leon in every aspect of his character. Gary Oldman does a terrific job playing the big bad corrupt DEA agent. Danny Aiello does a great job playing Tony. But the one who really steals the show has to be Natalie Portman. Being only 12 years old, her acting in this movie is truly amazing. She makes it look so natural, especially the scenes in the movie that are very emotional. I can't imagine anyone that could play the role of Mathilda any better then she did. .... The musical score in this movie is definately one of a kind. Eric Serra is able to put the perfect (yes, perfect) music together with the scenes, making the emotional scenes have a much larger impact on the viewers. Listening to the soundtrack is amazing because the movie plays back in your mind as you're listening to the music having the same emotional impact as if you were watching the movie. Last but certainally not least is the director, Luc Besson. I've never even heard of Luc Besson (he directed the Fifth Element which I have seen but didn't know he directed it) until I saw this movie. Words can't even describe how he did on this movie. His style of will certainally be admired for along time. The camera work (he's his own camera man) in this movie, is, for lack of a better word, amazing. This is definately one of the best movies I've ever seen (and I've seen many movies), this film will remembered for along time. What troubles me though is the fact that the US version of the film had 24-minutes of the footage edited out. After reading what scenes were taken out, I couldn't believe it. The scenes that were taken out add depth and add to the impact of the movie. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have loved this movie as much if I would of seen the US version with all that critical footage taken out. I wish of give this movie more than 5 stars.
Rating:
Summary: The Cleaner with a heart
Review: If you have seen the american version of this film, you may be in the majority of viewers that feel that it was a pretty cool movie in the beginning, and had a great ending, but slow and a bit pointless throughout the middle. This is the main problem with the "cut" version that hit the theaters here in the U.S. years ago. This full version bridges the opening and closing action with a complete story, a love interest, and it gives Leon a heart. The extra footage (24 minutes or so) fills in the holes in the story, and it makes more sense. I liked the Professional, but I loved Leon the Professional. If you were at all intrigued by the U.S. version, buy this one, you will love it.
Rating:
Summary: When seeing the entire film makes a Difference!!!
Review: Most of you have probably viewed "The professional" or you wouldn't be looking for your own copy. This is better! I watched the original and said: "this is a good action movie, with a new plot twist... but it jumps around too much, and the characters are too thin!" Well, this extra 24 minutes explains it all! From Leon's history and why he came to America, to what makes Natalie think she can take down the crooked cops all by herself. This is almost a different movie with all the new scenes (actually just extending what you already saw), but it truelly makes it better!
Rating:
Summary: An Incredible Film
Review: Wow, I loved this movie from beginning to end. It's the type of movie that you think about for a while, it really get's to you I suppose. The acting, music, sound.. everything about it is great. Jean Reno plays a hitman that's the best at what he does, he's not social at all and has some weird traits for a hitman: He likes to watch old Gene Kelly movies in theatre He only drinks milk He loves his plant He sleeps in a chair full clothed with his sunglasses on right next to a gun. Strange as it may seem it just adds to the greatness and uniqueness of the film. Natalie Portman in first movie debut plays Mathilda, a streetwise 12-year old girl who is way beyond her years (maturely). She has a drug dealer father who abuses her and neglects her, a prostitute (I think) step-mother who just ignores her, an older sister who she just hates and a 4-year old brother who she loves very much. Her father holds drugs for corrupt DEA agents (the boss being Gary Oldman), after they come back they find that he has taken some and he refuses to confess. They give him until 12noon the next day to find out who took it. Leon and Mathilda have only spoke briefly a few times up to this scene. The next day comes, Mathilda is on the steps with a bloodynose that her father gave her, Leon gives her a tissue, then she tells him how she's going grocery shopping and offers to pickup some milk for him, he lets her. While she is shopping the Gary Oldman and his accomplices come back, Gary Oldman grabs his partner's shotgun and single handed kills Mathilda's step-mother, sister and later his father after his father tries to get away. Another one of Oldman's accomplishes shoots the 4-year old boy as he tries to run away. After all this happens, Mathilda comes back from the grocery shopping and instantly knows what has happen, she casually walks past her doorway to Leon's door, then rings the doorbell begging Leon to let her in (this is a very moving scene, one of the many scenes where Natalie's acting is truely amazing). After a minute or so, Leon finally let's her in, then the movie takes off from there. This is by far one of the best movies I've seen (and I've seen very many movies). Luc Besson does a bang-up job with this movie. This is the type of movie where you can watch it again and again. Not only does it have great action sequences but there are a few scenes where you can get a little tearly eyed (hey I'm one of those guys that never cries in movies and this movie left water under my eyes). Luckily I never saw the US version, I'm glad because after reading what parts were taken out of the US version, I don't think I would liked the movie as much. The UnCut international version includes the extra 24-minutes of footage that makes this movie complete.
Rating:
Summary: A Director's Cut that's worth seeing
Review: Like most fans of this modern-day action classic, I was unaware that an alternate version with additional footage existed. After reading a review of "Leon, The Professional," I decided to order the DVD and was not dissappointed. If you never understood that this movie is really a love story and not an action film, this version will make it crystal clear. While the original holds up well, Luc Besson's Director's Cut adds depth and complexity to the relationship between Leon(Jean Reno) and Mathilda(Natalie Portman). Of course, this may be the very reason why some fans will still prefer the original US theatrical release of the film. The additional footage causes the film to drag in spots and for those fans who just want carnage this may be a downer. These scenes also show the 12-year-old Mathilde's growing romantic infatuation with Leon. Though Besson handles this responsibly and with sensitivity, it is nonetheless sure to make some viewers queasy. Nevertheless, for open-minded viewers who like a little character development with their bulletfests, "Leon, The Professional" is clearly the superior version. My only complaints are this: First, it would have made far more sense to have waited to release this film as a "Terminator 2: Judgement Day"-style "Ultimate Edition" that included both the original US cut and the Director's Cut on one disc. That way viewers could've had the best of both worlds. Many die-hard fans of this movie likely already own "The Professional" on DVD and are now going to be debating whether or not they want to buy "Leon, The Professional" for the additional footage. Secondly, this DVD is remarkably light on extras. Other than the obligatory trailers, the only other item of note is a set of still photos showing variant promo-posters from around the world. Given that this is a Director's Cut, a commentary from Besson explaining why he edited out the restored scenes for the original American release would've been quite enlightening. But the real reason to own this DVD is the film itself. Unlike all too many all too many directors who don't understand that some "lost" footage should stay lost, Besson has done us a service by making this version available to fans.
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