The Professional

The Professional
by Luc Besson

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DVD Reviews of The Professional

DVD Review: A brilliantly atypical action movie
Summary: 5 Stars

And yet he stops by the store on the way to his slightly dilapidated apartment building for two quarts of milk, and then proceeds to iron his clothes, water his plant, and shower while wearing a face of torn emotion. The demon killer shows a human side, and the viewer is left puzzled. Even more so is the viewer when this very hitman saves the life of a young girl named Mathilda (young Natalie Portman) from corrupt DEA officers, headed by Gary Oldman, after they massacre her family.

The majority of the film is concerned with the development of the relationship between Leon and Mathilda, and Luc Besson could not have done a finer job. The circumstances are awkward at first for both Mathilda and Leon, and yet as time progresses a unique bond begins to form itself between the two. Sean Reno as Leon is brilliant. His accent (said to be Italian, but it sounds awfully French to me), rugged visage, and cold-yet-expressive eyes convey a man with many secrets. And for all his calm demeanor, he obviously struggles with himself. Natalie Portman shows herself in her debut as not just another child actor, but someone who, in her own right, displays a natural acting competancy that few adult actors can achieve. As young Mathilda she walks a razor's edge between projecting herself as a scared little girl that has seen and felt too much pain, and a mature young woman with emotions and understanding belying her age.

While violence has become something of a widespread staple in the modern action movie, rarely have there been such powerfully cinematic displays of the consequences. Luc Besson does not insinuate that he who has the gun is God, but rather that whoever does hold's a god's responsibility. Almost every significant character in this film that sees violence as an answer see that it only brings pain and more questions. As fire attracts a moth, so do the worlds of these men bring suffering even as they seek to overcome it. Additionally, the growing relationship between Leon and Mathilda set off warnings to the prudish viewer of impending sexual relations.

One minute this movie incites light-hearted laughter. The next it could be demanding your ire, only to bring tears afterwards. The adrenaline joy-ride this movie provides is only topped its roller-coaster of emotions. The cinematography, while not ground-breaking, is effective in conveying the mood in key scenes. A brilliant and disturbing portrayal of DEA officer Stansfield by Gary Oldman create a true villian worthy of cinematic infamy for years to come. Indeed, this movie is much more than the sum of its components, and while the squeamish and easily offended may find themselves tempted to turn this film off early on, those that sit through their discomfort will find not-so-typical tale of two outcasts suffering with little for solace but each other.

Description of The Professional