1994: Leon: The Professional
Movie Facts:
Directed by Luc Besson
Rated R
Natalie Portman as perfect.
Jean Reno as a caring killer.
Gary Oldman as evil, as usual.
Before Thoughts: I saw this movie like many on the list for the first time with my dad, probably at an age I was too young to watch it, like a lot on this list. I probably saw it in 1996 I vaguely remember it being in one of his apartments in the summer with my sister. What I remember of the story is Natalie Portman is orphaned when her parents are killed by mobsters. Leon lives in her building and kinda begrudgingly takers her in. She's fascinated with everything he does and he doesn't want to take care of her but knows the mob is still after her because she was a witness so he wants to help protect her...I think. He's a hitman and she slowly realizes this and wants him to help her get revenge maybe? I'm reaching here. I remember there's the plant, a scene she dresses up like Madonna and then Gary Oldman does something. (please note my phone autocorrects Gary Oldman to Gary Old Man) In the end Leon gets killed and Natalie moves on with her plant. That's all I got.
Comments heard during the screening: (names have be omitted to protect the guilty)
- oh y'all, a bolo tie...egregious
- He lies things to live
- Is that Sirius Black (don't worry we all judged her)
- Is her name Alice or Jane in this one?
- The music is at least good
- Why did you pick this movie?
- Oh the early 90s in all its glory
- My god he's French
- So there's no good cops?
- This is such a ridiculous movie
- What is wrong with you?
- I was on board with this movie before Sting
After Thoughts: I remembered this movie way wrong. It's probably been like 15 years since I've seen it so I guess that makes sense. But I forgot how totally everything is Natalie Portman's fault! Dammit women cannot win in these movies I've been watching, they just have to screw everything up. But what I remembered accurately was Leon's feelings towards her and how she helped him regain some humanity and feel again- awwww. Gary Oldman...oh Gary Oldman, my good friend Linda wants to know what you were taking in those pills, can you let us know?
So basically yes Natalie Portman goes to live with Leon when her parents are killed by corrupt drug dealing DEA officers. They are terrible. She then wants to learn to be a cleaner like Leon and he starts training her because that's appropriate for a 12 year old girl. She falls in love with him and gets them kicked out of one of their hide outs. But she's learning from him, they're having fun together, he starts to care about her and wants to protect her. She wants revenge on the people who killed her family, mostly her little brother he was four- jerks. Because she goes and tries to take out the DEA at their office..smart- they track them down to their apartment and basically blow up the whole fucking building. There's a super fun shootout and death and Natalie Portman gets away and Leon gets revenge and takes out Gary. Good for him.
So basically this movie is not as amazing as I remember it being but its still really good and I really enjoyed it. I don't mind the violence cause come on we've seen worse and I don't mind the lack of reality because hello did you see any action movies in the early 2000s? So those things didn't bother me, I guess what bothered me was what always bothers me in movies is when people make really stupid choices- TWICE! Omg you did it once learn something and don't do it again. But that's not the movies fault. Also everyone was super impressed by the score, it was beautiful. I loved the music in this movie, it really helped. Also did anyone else notice the similarities of Gary Oldman's character's music obsession and Willem Dafoe's in Boondock Saints? This came out a few years before but still it instantly reminded me of it.
Tyler's Ranking: Hmmmm A-. My friends probably would have given it a B, but I'm still a fan.
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Previous 30 day movie project posts
Overview of the Project
My thoughts on Legend
1986-1989 Movies
1990-1993 Movies
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