French cinema has always had a certain aura to it. The films feel elevated to a level higher than their North American counterparts; it’s almost as if they exist in a fantasy world. Maybe it’s the way stories are told or the way the cinematography is treated, but it feels like we’re peeking into a world unlike our own.
I’ve also noticed that French films focus more on their characters and their relationships with the world they find themselves in. Films like Titane (2021) and Raw (2016) are much more than genre affairs. Both films dig into the psyche of their leads and deliver interesting discussion points on many societal topics and questions facing us in our current times.
When you take that formula and set it in the United States, you get a weird, almost surrealist energy with a thoughtful narrative. That is exactly how it feels to watch Léon: The Professional from 1994. Léon is a French-style film that follows the life of the titular hitman as his world is flipped upside down when DEA agents murder the family of a girl living next to him. In an act of kindness, Leon saves the young Mathilda, takes her in as his own, and teaches her how to be an assassin. Mathilda’s one goal is to take out the man who killed her family, played by Gary Oldman in another insane role akin to the one he delivered in The Fifth Element (1997).
This film is most notable for the star-making role from Natalie Portman. Portman, as Mathilda, steals the show by bringing most of the heart and comedy to the otherwise bleak world. Her kinship with Jean Reno as Leon (who gave me massive Sylvester Stallone vibes throughout) anchors the heartfelt elements between the violence and the action.
Despite their chaotic, hate-filled worlds, Leon and Mathilda see good in one another. When the duo is not hunting people down, there’s a calmness that feels like two friends catching up. Léon goes from someone who sees Mathilda as an inconvenience to truly caring for her. It’s the story of an unlikely father-and-daughter relationship that also involves killing many bad people.
Léon is a film that one either hears about when just getting into film or that is used to teach cinematic techniques in film school, and for good reason. I ended up watching the extended cut and, even at a longer runtime, the film has a fantastic flow. The pacing is well done and, for a film billed as an action flick, it is sparing with its action sequences.
Similar to what Luc Besson did with The Fifth Element, the film spends more time existing in the world around the story and the vibrant character of said setting instead of loading the film with action set pieces. The use of that method leads to a world that feels lived in and one that you may not fully enjoy existing in, but you find endlessly compelling. This feeling is further enhanced by the cinematography and camera work, making you feel like you’re peering into someone else’s life.
The film has elements that make it feel like a French film stylistically speaking. For example, the soundtrack feels huge and momentous even in scenes where it doesn’t fully fit. The way the film structures the story and the characters around it also feel inherently French. A big chunk of the film is about the complexities of the leads. French films tend to put more effort into the characters than many of the most notable North American titles. French films care about what makes the characters tick and their interpersonal relationships with the world around them and this film is an example of that.
The film being used as a goalpost for young and upcoming filmmakers is completely understandable, as it’s a technical achievement, especially for its time, and still holds up on rewatch thirty years later.
In action scenes, you get some fantastic camera work that moves with the gunplay. Additionally, the mixing of the sound fully immerses you in the scene. The one standout in the action sequences is Oldman, who takes on the antagonist. If you give him a villain role, he usually sells the hell out of it. Since the premiere of the film, it is clear that many performers, especially when playing villains, draw from Oldman’s strategy. He’s not as wacky or over the top as in other films, but he still brings the sense of chaos in a more grounded and realistic way. I would put him on the same level as Heath Ledger’s Joker in The Dark Knight (2008) and Patrick Stewart in Green Room (2015) as all noted actors take what could have been a simple or baseline performance and deliver something more layered and complex.
The costume designers for this film deserve recognition for the number of times I wished I could have as sick of a wardrobe as Mathilda does. Leon also has a very suave style that feels like he’s a hitman with some class. There are multiple scenes where Mathilda shows up with a style that gives a little bit of an alternative flair. On multiple occasions, I noted to myself that I needed to update my wardrobe.
Since the film’s release, not everything has aged well, including behind-the-scenes revelations and content. Besson has had accusations thrown his way and my belief has always been to believe victims. While he has been cleared of said accusations, it still adds a new lens to the film. There are moments in this film when Mathilda professes love for Leon or makes comments that, at the time of release, could be seen as innocuous and innocent. In a modern context, those scenes give an uncomfortable feeling.
Overall, with a fantastic star-making performance from Portman that will go down as one of the better child performances in history and a very subdued but complex performance from Reno, I sense this film has had an immense impact on actors. With the technical achievements, I also see this film being impactful for those who want to direct or do any type of work with cinematography, lighting, or anything that falls under the visual category of filmmaking. The film also has a great script that feels natural and honest to the level of realism present.
Léon: The Professional is remembered as a gem of its time for good reason. The film’s influence on those who saw it when it came out and went on to make films of their own is felt and cannot be denied.
Review Courtesy of Becca Harleen
Feature Image Credit to Columbia Pictures via IMDb