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Summary: Columbia is reissuing Disc on 25th with the Sound FIXED!!!
Review: Total bummer about the sound. Columbia has fixed the problem and will be reissuing the disc on September 25th. AMAZON should make note of this on the order page and let us know how to exchange them.
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Summary: You dont know what you've been missing!
Review: The US version was an excellent movie, but it just seemed to be missing something. The international version makes it complete and one of the greatest movies ever. It turns an action film into a beautiful love story, that never seems to have a chance. It definatly borders on child exploitation, but the good heart of Leon makes it innocent. This movie is reason enough to buy a DVD player, and if I could own only one dvd, it would be this.
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Summary: I've been licking the disc up and down ever since I got it
Review: Contrary to what the packaging would have you believe, this is actually the elusive "Leon - Version Integrale" prepared for release in France in 1996 and NOT an "uncut international version" (whatever the heck that means) or "original directors cut" (Besson had final cut on the original version). Besson has even been quoted as saying he prefers the original release version.Personally, I think he's insane. This is the bomb shiznit, right here. The extra scenes in this cut do not merely serve as filler - they add a great deal of depth and character development (not to mention grit) to what I believe was one of THE best films of the 90's. I could write pages and pages in praise of Besson's technique (in this movie, his style is hard to fault), but where this movie has always succeded is in the sincerity and BELIEVABILITY of it's characters. Besson treats his leads with an amazingly sympathetic hand, and as a viewer it's hard not to become emotionally involved (I'm a man... I cry every time I watch this - you got a problem with that! ). This is even truer in this cut, where the extra 25 odd minutes of film offer us an even greater window of insight into what makes them tick. This is truly the superlative version of a superlative film, from one of the modern masters of the form. Scoop it while you can.
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Summary: This disc has screwed up 5.1 surround sound!
Review: This movie is great, I love it! But if you're getting this DVD expecting awesome Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound, don't bother. When playing the movie in DD5.1 the rear surrounds are almost absent. You can only faintly hear any sound when you hold your ear up to it. The pro-logic track sounds far better. If you have an awesome surround sound setup, you might want to think twice, because the mix sounds more like 3.1 surround rather than 5.1.
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Summary: Leon vs. Luca
Review: I'll explain the title after I review the movie... Leon: The Professional is by far the superior of the two versions available. I bought the VHS a few years back without ever even hearing about the film, and loved it. It will remain apart of my VHS collection forever. Now as for the uncut international version: 1. The added scenes make the film much more enjoyable to watch. It gives the story a plot; I'm not saying the VHS version doesn't have a plot, but that it answers questions that you may not have even had. Two thumbs up, and why wasn't this version also released in the United States? Hmmmmmmmm. 2. It's a whole different movie than from the version you've seen before. 5 out of 5. Two thumbs up. What more can you ask for? Leon vs. Luca. Another great and eccentric hitman is Luca from The Godfather. I'm not saying that Leon is the same kind of movie as The Godfather, but rather that the characters are very much alike. If you've seen The godfather movies you may or may not recognize the simularities, but if you'd read the book then you've realized that the characters are very comparable. They both have very odd or eccentric characteristics. Leon only drinks milk, sleeps sitting up, lives well below his means, and his only friend is a plant. Luca has no friends and also lives well below his means...actually they have a lot more in common of which I realize I shouldn't be giving away because I don't want to ruin the movie for those who have not seen it. Hey, I've always wished that they put more of Luca in The Godfather, but that movie was about the Corleones. This is not. It is only about a hitman. How can someone kill for a living? What kind of an individual would do this? What kind of a father would a hitman make? Do they even have feelings? This movie answers these questions without being overly violent, and adding an interesting plot. In conclusion, buy this movie you won't be disapointed.
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Summary: The Definitive Version of Leon
Review: If I had to pick my favourite ever film, this would have to be it, and the uncut version is really the only version worth watching. To my mind, most of Besson's films (with the exception of The Fifth Element) are principally character studies, and the uncut version explores Leon and Matilda's relationship to a much deeper level, and is a far better film for it. OK, there have been concerns over the so-called "paedophilic" aspects, but they are really missing the point. To me, the film's sexual undercurrents serve mainly to highlight each character's relative maturities and immaturities, not to mention the fact that it's Matilda who (unsuccessfully) attempts to seduce Leon. The uncut version also fills in couple of unexplained gaps in the edited release. We find out why Leon won't sleep in a bed, and also how he finally wakes up one morning in bed next to Matilda. The only bad point is the disappointing Dolby 5.1 sound. The rear channels are surprisingly quiet, especially when compared with the excellent Pro-Logic soundtrack. It would appear that something has gone wrong in the mastering process, maybe it will be rectified by the studio at some point. Anyway, watch (and listen using Pro-Logic) and enjoy a great film as it was meant to be seen!
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Summary: One of the most beautiful movies you'll ever see
Review: Leon (the movie) defies categorization. It comes across as an action movie, complete with gun fights and bloodshed, yet maintains a very profound and dramatic backdrop. The two main characters... Leon (Jean Reno) and Mathilda (Natalie Portman) appear to be very different people, but they are quickly revealed as the same. Whilst Leon kills men for a living, he remains a child of sorts internally, and clings to Mathilda to escape his loneliness and depression. Mathilda is able to see past Leon's grim exterior to finds a friend and begins a misconceived love affair with him. The movie remains a ballet of life and death, companionship and love.
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Summary: Ghost Dog did it better
Review: Die-hard Besson/Reno fans will disagree with me, but here's how I see The Professional: good concept, good team ... so-so execution. Want a much cooler version of this story? See Ghost Dog by Jim Jarmusch.
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Summary: Uncut version is worth the price!
Review: I own both the US and international versions of this film, and the international edition is much better. Both versions carry a slight sexual tension throughout between Leon and Matilda, and the uncut version is more pronounced in this area, but that isn't the reason to buy it. The extra 24 minutes on the uncut version provides a deeper understanding of the relationship between the two as the film progresses. For example, in the US version Matilda never becomes a real "cleaner" or hitman. It's only hinted at when they shoot a jogger from a rooftop with blanks. In the uncut version, Leon takes her completely under his wing and teaches her the trade, including scenes where the pair run around killing bad guys and such. In the process, Leon teaches her the "ring trick" by tossing a grenade at a victim and keeping the ring and grenade pin in his hand. This scene sets up the final scenes in the movie in a way that the US version left short and unexplained. If you enjoyed the US version, you'll probably love the uncut version more, if only because the characters and their relationships are much deeper.
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Summary: where's the DD5.1?
Review: This version of the movie is great but the 5.1 surround is close to non existent. The movie itself deserves 5 stars but because of the sound problem the dvd only deserves 4. The Pro Logic surround is actually better than the 5.1!
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