Rating: 
Summary: Deep and moving
Review: This is a movie that would be hard to like if it were explained to you in a literal sense. A movie about a 40 something Italian hitman that falls in love with a 12 year old girl. But it is much more than the parts that make it a movie.First off the bat it ignores a lot of stereotypes that existed at that time about hitmen, especially Italian ones that worked for a face that is played up to be part of La Cost Nostra, even it if isn't said outright. He doesnt' wear Armani Suits, eat spaghetti, sleep with high class floozies, or hang out at bars bragging about who he has done in all while drinking shots and snorting coke. No, he is a quiet introvert, that does his job, and meticulously focuses on his quiet and simple life. He is illiterate, has only one real friend, cares for his plant like it was a pet, and loves going out to musicals. Which, the latter is a great scene, seeing a hardened killer smiling like he was a 10 year old boy while watching muscials at a nearly empty theater was classic. Plus the more you get to know of his character the more you realize he is stunted emotionally, flawless killer, but unable to handle simple social interaction. Natalie Portman shows her talent in her first role as the rebellious daughter of a drug handler. She shows not only her potential for being a great actress, but intelligence in this role. Where she falls in love with a hitman and is dead set on avenging the death of her little brother, the one person in her dysfunctional family she cares for. Gary Oldman is in his classic evil form as a drug addicted DEA agent that has crossed the line. True, he does overdo the character, but that is what makes it fun. Watching him pop some green pill, chatter about Bethoven, then procede to break into an apartment killing everyone in it was one of the best parts of the film. The camera angles and the characters in this movie are fresh and gritty. Not falling to sterotypes, they make you feel like you are really in New York, sweating along with the cop in a bad suit and five o'clock shadow. The love story is bizarre, but works in the end. Two misfits, that find each other and help pull themselves out of their downward spiraling lives. This is a powerful movie that I think everyone should experience. It hits on many levels and appeals to many different types of people, people who like to view films as artwork to those who just like an action flick, this movie will deliver. Though I was tempted to take away a star since I didn't like the additions of the directors cut, the power still holds. See the theatrical release first, then watch the directors cut. Afterwards you can pick your favorite and watch them over and over again.
Rating: 
Summary: Bad movie
Review: Found myself wanting to put a bullet through Leons head at the end of this movie...well if he still had a head.
Very unreal movie and that doesnt have to be a bad thing normaly but well...not if its meant to be like reality.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best movies of all time
Review: This movie is electric. I would give the movie a higher rating if I could. Jean Reno plays a cleaner named Leon who is a very top notch killer. The ways he takes people out or finds ways to get to them are amazing. Natalie Portman is also in this movie and she plays her role great too. She is a 12 year old girl who's life is bad and her parents are killed by DEA Agents. Leon takes her under his wing and she fills the emptiness in his life while he trains her to be a cleaner. The plot summary I gave doesn't do it justice, its much more indepth than what I said. This movie is filled with explosive action, drama, and suspense. Once you see this movie you will want to see it a hundred times over. Leon is one of my favorite movies and I'm telling you it really blows away alot of other "action" movies. There is a reason why this movie is an international hit, so stop reading this review and just buy the movie. Make sure you buy the international edition. It is longer and it shows more of the relationship between Leon and Mathilda.
Rating: 
Summary: An Unprofessional Plot and A Perverted Theme
Review: Luc Besson's film on the relationship between a professional hitman (Jean Reno) and an orphaned girl(Natalie Portman) who seeks protection from the murderous rampage of a corrupt narcotics cop(Gary Oldman.) There are several problems with both the plot and theme of this movie which, taken together, make the film both unrealistic and perverse. First of all, there is nothing professional about the supposed professional hitman played by Jean Reno; as the character portrayed seems to suffer from retardation and ineptitude. The character profiles of real hitmen are pretty constant; a common characteristic is that they have absolutely no consciense for human suffering. Why would this hitman suddenly feel sorry for Natalie Portman's character? The relationship between Portman and Reno also has strong sexual overtones which Besson presents as normal and acceptable. The movie therefore presents pedophilic sentiments as normal and legitimate. The best performance in the film is by Gary Oldman who plays the corrupt police officer. Altogether a pretentious film that, due to its perverted theme, has absolutely no redeeming value. The plot itself is too absurd to be credible. Rent if if you must but I wouldn't buy it.
Rating:
Summary: Such Fine Details
Review: Movies are the literature of the Post-Modern Age, and you don't get much more verbose than this.
Lets Skip The Obvious:
1. Action Film
2. Lolita - Wannabe
3. Procedural Drama Now - This film, like "The Matrix" is not a hodge-podge, but a pollack-like master-blend, and it is more than the sum of its parts. Lets hit just some of the highlights:
1. Generation Gap: Leon represents the walled-up baby-boomers, struggling to shake the shell of the Industrial Age. He has tools, but is a slave to them, he has money, but no investments, he has heart, but no love.
1a. Mathilda represents the post-watergate generation raised on the saturday morning fast-action color cartoons, and the unedited version of life that the street provides. She understands trade in master terms, the power of money and the need to express love. Portmans performance her is a perfect prelude to her work in "Heat", and "Beautiful Girls" in terms of prodigious expression. We wish all kids were this with-it.
2. Forgive the Action-Exactness detractors: paintball rifles aside, The central park scene has more going on than that, if you look close enough. The pacing of the scenes to the dialogue was picture perfect, Serras score coming full circle, so that when the climax comes, and Leon screams, it is utterly primal.
3. The portable plant wasn't the most important symbol, the milk is: Leon spits out the milk at several of Mathildas advances, and she knew she could get that out of him, as most women know they can from any man. Notice also that most every character in Mathildas house was in their underwear or less when killed. She becomes more dressed the more she lives with Leon. And Leon's struggle to resist her is credible because you can see it, where most films would whitewash this complex everpresent fact-of-life. So, Where was the abuse occurring?
4. Stansfields evil was not in his antics or his drugs, but in the fact that he calmly chose to harm others for his own gain. Never has a villian better explained this than in the bathroom scene at the DEA building. Mathilda faces him with resolution that is fitting, given that in the previous scene, she was teaching Leon to read by using Socrates.
5. Old Tony is the typical audience, uncomfortable, and vulnerable, despite all precautions. He is the mob, we are the mob, and I could go on.
6. What bothers most folks about this movie is not that she will be messed up by all that happened, but the fact that many endure similar or worse trials, and remain sane, if not becoming leaders for our calouses. There is a knowing realism here after all.
Rating:
Summary: this version compares poorly with the 132 minute full version
Review: I have watched both this 110 minute version and the 132 minute version and found that this shorter version tells a very different tale from the 132 minute version. What is worse is that the shorter version not only skips various angles of Leon's and Mathilda's relationship but also makes the action sequences feel dumb having lost out on _several_ moments of suspense. If you really want the suspense, buy the uncut edition.
Rating:
Summary: A Beautiful (Though Unrealistic) Movie
Review: To a potential viewer I'd like to say that this movie was beautifully written, acted and directed. The film has both drama and action and I lean toward saying that it's drama with elements of action, rather than vice versa. What is so great about it is that with all its lack of realism, it is incredibly, beautifully simple. It doesn't detract from the plot a single time, while attracting the audience's undivided attention to the screen. In other words, it doesn't drag. The premise of the story is great (I won't repeat what every other review says), which tells you that it's great screenwriting. The cinematography is superb, the colors and lighting set the mood of the film prefectly, and that tells you the directing is great. And of course, Reno and Portman in the leading roles, and Oldman and Aiello supporting, are as good as ever. The Professional is a perfect drama/action movie, period. Of course, if you prejudge or expect something specific from a movie, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. Like some of the reviewers who give the movie 1 star or say that there was perversion in it. Best to approach this one with an open-mind (and all other movies, too). Also, not all movies are supposed to depict life as it really is. If you want to learn about the true lives of hitmen or how the DEA conducts its business, do not turn to The Professional for authenticity. However, if you are moved by true emotions, unlikely relationships, and the frailty of life, watch this film now.
Rating: 
Summary: its gotta be a classic
Review: though some people didnt find this movie moving or great but I did. its about a hitman named Leon(Jean Reno) who gets involved with Natalie Portman after her family gets killed by Gary Oldman and his henchmen. Portman wants revenge for her familys death and Reno shows her the way. with some non-stop action that brings the movie to its title name. Oldman is great to watch as the mad pill popping dirty cop.
Rating:
Summary: The Professional is a personal favorite even over Scarface
Review: The first time i saw Scarface I thought there was nothing that could top that movie into I witnessed The Professional.It has incredible acting with a young Natalie Portman,Jean Reno,Danny Aiello,and Gary Oldman who plays the best crooked cop and quite possible the best villian ever.The Synopsis is a little girl's(Natalie Portman)family is gun downed by D.E.A. agents.Ending up in the hands of a professional hitman(Jean Reno)a romance blossoms between a man and a little girl.The little girl with no where to go learns from the hitman where she soon seeks revenge on the man who killed her family.The soundtrack goes perfect with the film and the ending was done perfect.I personnally recomend The Professional over Leon which is the Uncut International Film with an extra 23 mins. of footage.But you will wanna see both trust me.If you like this movie i recommend Ronin which has has Jean Reno in it playing co-star the the talented Robert Deniro
Rating:
Summary: Leon - UNCUT!
Review: This is the international version of the film as originally released. Included are 24 minutes of the movie that the US studio decided to cut out. Footage that makes the film a richer by furhter exploring the two lead characters. The DVD's video transfer is excellent with deep blacks and shadow detail. The audio is presented in a nice 5.1 surround mix. In terms of extras the disc provides an isolated music track, poster art from around the world, and trailers for director Luc Besson's other films. The main reason to pickk up this disc is for the expanded version of this excellent movie. BUY IT NOW!!!
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