The Professional | Jean Reno, Gary Oldman

The Professional | Jean Reno, Gary Oldman | Wow...

DVDs:

The Professional

	The Professional Jean Reno, Gary Oldman Sony Pictures, 1998 average customer review:based on 439 reviews view larger image
	for more information click here

highly recommended

LEON is a Classic!!

This DVD Leon is the original version of The Professional. The Professional is often seen on American cable tv. However this version was only shown to international audiences because some of the material, particularly the relationship between a 13 year old girl and 40 something year old man, would be objectional to uptight American audiences.

The story starts by introducing us to Leon as he takes a "cleaning" job from his boss, a fat Italian Don working out of a small restaurant in Little Italy. In the first job that we see Leon perform; Leon expertly wipes out an entire drug gang using a variety of lethal methods. He scares the drug lord senseless and forces him out of town. Then we learn that as great as Leon is as a hitman he seems to lead a very lonely life. He lives alone in a small NY apartment building. He always wears a coat because he is armed to the teeth with guns, grenades and other explosive goodies. He sleeps sitting down fully dressed because he fears reprisals. His only companion is a plant that he dotes on lovingly. He leads a clean life as he exercises religously and constantly drinks milk. Leon interacts with Mathilda, a neighboring teen who lives unhappily with her family. Mathilda's father is contracted by crooked DEA agents to hold bags of pure cocaine for them. Unfortunately for Mathilda's Dad he puts his hand in the cookie...er coke jar. This leads the DEA agents to come back and get their coke. This crooked group of DEA agents is led by a drugged up nut named Stansfield(played to the hilt by Gary Oldman). Stansfield loves Beethoven, drugs and guns. In a great scene Oldman dopes himself up with a funny-looking green/yellow capsule then proceeds to go ballistic on Mathilda's family; shooting Mom as she lays in a bubble bath, blowing Big Sis away as she runs screaming down the hall and even blowing away Baby Brother. The catch here is that Mathilda has gone to the store and is away as her family is being executed. Upon Mathilda's return she sees that her family has been whacked and knows that she is next if she doesn't think fast. So she knocks on Leon's neighboring door. After much waiting, Leon opens the door saving the girl's life.

The movie then shifts to the relationship between the illiterate 40 something hitman Leon and the smart 13 year old budding beauty Mathilda. The actors Jean Reno and Natalie Poortman in her debut do a fantastic job of creating a relationship that is sweet innocent yet sexily forbidden. Here is where the International DVD "Leon" differs from the American version "The Professional". Leon gives the viewer 24 minutes of footage that was part of the original version. These 24 minutes give us more detail on the relationship and how Mathilda pushes Leon to be intimate with her yet Leon can not due to his past and also his guilt. It is a sad tale of a great love that can never be consumated.

In the conclusion, Stansfield reappears and is determined to get Leon and Mathilda. The conclusion is all explosions and bullets but the viewer is left with the memory of the love story between Mathilda and Leon. This love story makes LEON a great and unforgettable film.

for more information click here

Wow...

This is one of the few movies I've actually spent money on. Leon is definitely my favorite movie of all time. Go into it with no expectations and see where it takes you. Just wow. I can watch it over and over easily. I won't say anything else because I'm sure others have already said enough.

Getting the uncut version("Leon) is a no brainer if you have a brain. You should get the American Version("The Professional") if you have a low IQ though. Unless you can comprehend the story fully you won't appreciate it.

The Professional

I bought 2 of these movie sets. One of them has no volume We know it is the tape for all other tapes work but 1 that I ordered does not.
thanks Cheryl Lanning 425-413-1835

for more information click here

No Cardboard Sleeve Included!

One of the parts of this movie is how awesome the cover art is. When I ordered it from Amazon I assumed that it would come with the movie. When I received it there was no cover sleeve which for me is a big thing so I was disappointed plus the discs were knocked loose, better off just buying it somewhere else.

reviews: 1, 2, 3, page 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

products you might be interested in