Argument for him being BEST ACTOR of all time. So many great movies and he's unrecognizable between so many different performances, doesn't just play one type
I think you get it, Ash. Matilda has an inappropriate attraction to Leon, which he doesn't reciprocate but he is too emotionally immature to know how to express that disapproval. So he's uncomfortable. But Matilda just has an early childhood crush and he doesn't act on it. It's not creepy because Leon is good to her in an appropriate way.
She also was raised in a house where it was made obvious women were only good for one thing. Leon is the first adult to treat her with dignity and respect and so her response, as messed up as it is, was a result of her environment.
Matilda is actually[ based on] the second wife of the director whom he had met when she 12 years old and he was 32, started dating officially when she was 15 years old( legal age in France) and he was 35 and he got pregnant when she 16 and married her( pregnancy might have been before the marriage). More inappropriate scenes were cut out from the film, like the man walking in on her showering, etc. because firstly Portman's parents wasn't comfortable with some parts of the script and secondly the American audiences' in the test screening phase were creeped out. Anyone can accuse anyone of anything, but here it seems likely the the director suffers from a lack of conscience. Thus though nothing more allegations were brought forward( no evidence, no prosecution, etc.), let it be known that more than a single women has made allegations against the man.
@@jackdarby2168Very worth noting that Reno was very strong on his views of how Leon should feel about Matilda. I suspect that without someone of his stature that it could have been very creepy
@@jackdarby2168 This is interesting background but ultimately the movie we have is what the movie is. We don’t have to know the author’s intent to judge it.
@@jspettifer it is creepy because it wants to depict the child sexually. Why didn't the director go for more explicit depiction? Do you think he had self-restraints? Or because he couldn't get the back of other people's backing? Like her parents, the lead actor, etc. Had the director got his away he would have simply expressed himself fully. It unnecessarily portrays the child in that light. For e.g. 34:39 was that necessary? It's a new tension introduced this time between another adult man and the girl child unrelated what the movie focuses on i.e. previous other relationship between the an adult man and the little girl. If you didn't pick up on that look at how the camera moves at 36:10 it moves from the legs upwards. Again what kind of shot is this 24:39 Hannah says here clothing is odd. Also finally why do you think she's got that back coloured belt thing on her neck? I have my answer in my mind. And it doesn't paint a people who made the film in a good light.
Natalie Portman was 13 when this film was released (which presumably means she was 12 when they were filming). It was the first film she acted in and it was really how the world discovered her remarkable talent.
Then she was not allowed to show her acting ability in Phantom Menace and other Star Wars movies. Proof- she became a ballerina for black swan and won an Oscar! Then they demoted her back to The Girlfriend in Thor. But I was glad to see her in the the MCU anyway. Dumped twice off camera then died of cancer. How dare they!
@@sorinturle4599 Why they don't make a spin-off sequel to Leon called Mathilda starring Natalie as the girl all grown up who has become an assassin is beyond me. Tickets would fly for that.
The man who played Benny (Keith A. Glascoe), one of the crooked DEA agents in this movie was a NYC firefighter who died rescuing people from the South Tower during 9/11
You're right. She did love him. She just didn't understand what kind of love it was. Then all she sees as her evidence of "love" is her parent banging in the bathroom... Leon didn't have the social skills to explain that but I think in the end she understood the difference.
Good thing adults know better than to let a 12 year old decide to be in inappropriate relationships with an adult because they “feel” in love. Kids don’t know better yet. That would be like letting 12 year olds mutilate their bodies… oh wait 😐
Gary Oldman's "EVERYONE!!!!" line was a big focus of the TV ads for this, understandably because Gary Oldman was so crazy and magnetic in this movie, which the line was also not scripted. Also, Natalie Portman's performance while waiting for Leon to open the door is freaking amazing. Her fear cast shadows and her on-screen debut was so brilliant.
"Everyone" was scripted if I recall correctly. But Gary had done it several times and it just didn't feel right to him. So, in frustration, he gave the line as it appears in the movie and Luc Besson loved it.
I'm glad you guys at least understood Matilda. She is a CHILD. Who's never had love before. She misunderstood the difference in types of love. Also combined with her oversexualized upbringing. Then you have Leon who basically only knows how to be a hit man with basically 0 social skills. You can see he knew her love was misunderstood but didn't know how to explain it while accepting her love but also showing her the parental love she actually needed. I LOVE this movie and it's been so annoying watching other people on TH-cam and they don't get this and blame Leon and call him a bad guy/pedo even though he never reciprocated her confused kind of love but still showed that he loved her. Great reaction guys, someone who finally understood and didn't try to throw Leon under the bus for it.
I agree, but the director's cut is waaay more inappropriate in Matilda's behavior towards him. I never blame Leon, because he doesn't do anything. But the director's cut sure makes me think Luc Besson is gross. Especially given his relationship with Maiwenn.
@@BrittanytheVampireSlayerthat is not the directors cut (though it is sometimes referred as such), that was the version shown over here in Europe. Test audiences in the US however didn't like those scenes so they where cut from the US release.
@@thefinestgames You just watched a video of a movie you've already seen, but now you're huffy because a comment repeats a line you've already heard? You do you bro 😆
@@thefinestgamesAnd now here you are...arguing with strangers in the comments about how stupid they are about a line you already know, from a film you've already seen and just watched a video of other people watching. That is truly Inception levels of stupidity. You saw regular stupidity and said "No, that's not enough! I need to top this!"
The "please open the door" scene was apparently her first ever scene! There was a draft script at least of Leon 2 where future Mathilda was kind of an old depressed drunk hitman.
It was a BANGER performance. But there's one I prefer to this. Because he still has a shitty, unfitting German voice actor for this movie.... But in The Book Of Eli..... He was PERFECT. 😍😍😍🤤 GODLIKE... My eyes were glued to the screen, mesmerized by his every word and move and facial expression. He stole Denzel Washington the show imo....
Remember his ridiculous performance as the white rasta guy in "True Romance"? That was so hilarious, but also pretty good at the same time. Guy is amazing.
Ultimately, Mathilda: The Professional was cancelled and reworked as the 2011 Zoe Saldana thriller Colombiana, partly because Besson no longer held the Leon rights - and partly because Portman no longer wished to reprise a role that made her feel “unsafe”.
This film is like fine art, in that it invokes one into a state of being uncomfortable... jarring you out of your space, then it delivers some of the best acting ever. Great gem of a movie. ❤❤
there is a movie with this actor called " wasabi " , a french cop who goes to japan when he hears his ex died there - it's fucking hilarious, highly recommend it
And the movie Les Visiteurs with the same actor ( Jean Reno ) where he plays a french knight in the middle ages being transported to the 90's, hilarious as well ;)
@GregoMorgan yeah, strongly depends on the dubbing. There are 2 german dubbed versions of this. One is serious and the other is hilarious (some say ridiculous)!
no one ever mentions this but i am 10000% leon is autistic. he is the best assassin (they don't call him leon the professional for no reason lol) and we know people on the spectrum can very skilled in a specific area. he is extremely smart and astute even though he can't read. he eats and drinks the same thing, he has a specific routine with watering his plants, etc. that's why i never questioned him or matilda or it being weird. he is just socially awkward and clearly hasn't been around children (or people) that much. and like Hannah mentioned he is extremely childlike. i never saw their relationship as inappropriate. he is clearly uncomfortable with her advances, but he doesn't have the vocabulary or emotional intelligence to response properly. matilda is a traumatized child with daddy issues, she doesn't know how she feels or why she does the things she does. she wanted to feel safe and taken care of. love isn't always romantic but in her traumatized mind its all jumbled up. she never saw a positive example of familial or romantic love. he was nice to her and protected her, when every other person she's known has hurt her (including her own family). she constantly pushes the boundaries, almost testing leon to see how he will react. that's why she acted the way she did because she doesn't know any better. this storyline is adjacent to man on fire (this one tip toes the line more but the concept is the same). i love leon lol he's a simple man who enjoys simple pleasures. also gary oldman for the win but he is always a w lol he is a PHENOMENAL actor but this and harry potter have always been my favorite roles of his. he can truly do anything. and credit to young natalie portman this is such a complex and complicated character and she nailed it! truly a star born to act.
Mathilda taught him how to read though, he just never learned how to when he was younger. Comes in useful too, when he reads her note where she said she's going to kill them herself.
His family died when he was young and since then he's only been taught how to be a good hitman. Not necessarily autism but more likely that he just hasn't been socialized. He also has not developed other relationships (friendship, father figure, "lover" wherever you want to go with this) just like the only relationship Matilda has known were abuse from her family -except her brother's innocence. Leon is also disciplined, regimented, and non emotional because you need to be in that line of work otherwise you get sloppy and more chances to get killed as he eventually does after meeting Matilda. In short I don't think characteristics he displays is necessarily due to austim, but more likely emerged as a response to his childhood circumstances and to survive in his line of work.
@@MegaKhas i see your point and that's what I used to think until I really starting observing his behaviors and how he reacted to certain things which caused me to think he's on the spectrum. from what I've seen and experienced it seems like more than his upbringing and environment he grew up in. what you said definitely had an affect on him and how he moves through the world. there's just some aspects like reading for instance that he could have learned or been taught but seemingly never did, his specific routine that throws him off if it's not followed to a t, things like that. people assume autistic people aren't smart/intelligent bc they don't learn the same way as others.
Well said. The only part missed is how Leon gets to redeem himself for being responsible for the death of his first love. That part of the story is why the director's cut although a bit more uncomfortable, makes so much more sense.
The moment where Leon puts the gun in Mathilda, is because Leon didn’t feel capable of having a bond with Mathilda, let alone taking care of her. And I’m glad you reacted to the extended cut, it adds a lot of details like: Leon’s past Mathilda and Leon’s relationship growth The ring trick with the granade, a cool callback to the third act. Simply it’s an awesome movie, and Sting’s song is a banger. 37:45 shout out to Gary, that scene was improvised
Fantastic performances. Gary Oldman is a chame(Leon), symbolism 😂 Jean Reno is a killer with a child like persona (hence the love story) and Natalie Portman was perfectly cast Next-Ronin - Jean Reno, Robert de Niro. Best car chases
Besson is a genius diddler and the fact he got so ingrained in the French film industry is another black mark on the institution. A surprisingly blatant one.
Fans of this film have been literally hoping for decades that Luc Besson and Natalie Portman will one day reteam for a sequel where we see a grown up Mathilda as an assassin.
Thanks for another great reaction to a classic. Both of you are so much fun. I had the pleasure of briefly meeting Luc Besson in 2011 and he signed my DVD copy of Leon. He spoke about how amazing it was to work with Gary Oldman both in this and The Fifth Element. He said he would do plenty of takes even if they weren't needed just to watch what Gary would do each time as personal enjoyment for him.
“Besson's second wife was actress and director Maïwenn Le Besco, whom he started dating when he was 32 and she was 15. They married in late 1992 when Le Besco, 16, was pregnant with their daughter Shanna, who was born on 3 January 1993. Le Besco later claimed that their relationship inspired Besson's film Léon (1994), where the plot involved the emotional relationship between an adult man and a 12-year-old girl.”
@@shard4756 Albeit true, legality is barely the matter here. Not because something is legal it is more and vice versa. Being in my 30s, I know I have absolutely no interest in even speaking with non family members under the age of 20. And again the interest is the fact that they are family; it seems kinda harder to excuse this behaviour the more one gets old. Not knowing your age I will say, you will see in times, at 30, 15 years old get on your nerve, You have a house and can do wtv you want, they still think its funny to hide things from their parents, we are concerned about putting them in home for long time care.... Different points in life which makes one wonder what does an adult truly has in common with a teen....
To be fair, Leon rejects her romantic advances (in the nicest possible way too). He is never once tempted by the idea, he knows it would be wrong but he also knows she's very emotionally fragile so he's trying not to hurt her even further by pushing her away.
Leon himself never accepts her advances toward that kind of relationship while also accepting her feelings. Considering how lacking Leon is in social skills he handled this child's misunderstanding of her admiration for her savior and now father figure very well.
Gary Oldman’s musings about Beethoven are even funnier when you consider he actually played Beethoven in “Immortal Beloved”, released just a couple months after “Leon” 😁
Luc Bresson later went on to make 'La Femme Nikita.' Whilst not a "Part 2" or anything, Luc said he kind of imagined this film as the continuation of the Matilda character.
@@bvrajlal Whoops. Sorry y'all. I was thinking about Colombia- The script for Colombiana was based on Mathilda, which was originally written by Luc Besson as a sequel to Léon: The Professional.
@@lmcgregoruk @bvrajlal Whoops. Sorry y'all. I was thinking about Colombia- The script for Colombiana was based on Mathilda, which was originally written by Luc Besson as a sequel to Léon: The Professional.
I never knew that was a movie. I thought it was some campy erotic action show that aired on the cable channel USA in the 1990s (usually after "Duckman", which is a more biting animated satire than "The Simpsons," but sadly, no one at the time knew).
I loved the Joker comment. Oldman would have been a fantastic Joker back in the day.. Speaking of children, both Leon and Stan were childlike. Leon with his innocence, and Stan a spoiled brat throwing tantrums. After his suit was ruined Stan stomped like a preschooler who was told in toy isle mom would not buy him a new toy. Stan's men were scared to death of him. He was so brilliantly unhinged and Oldman killed it. Matilda was in many ways more mature. Glad you both did not freak out too much about the puppy love. You were both smart enough to see this was Matilda's POV, not Leon's Some reactors would just repeat how uncomfortable this movie made them over and over again. Great reaction!
The original version of the film show an actual relationship between Leon and Mathilda were they even have a sexual intercourse. Even if that part of their relationship never made it to the final cut, the movie was done with that in mind so seeing some of these moment between them as uncomfortable is pretty valid I'd say.
@@Nadinmouknope. There is a script online that some people have CLAIMED is an earlier draft of the movie, but it's updated, has no recorded history, and doesn't match the writing style of the actual script at all. Like, not remotely. It's.pretty obviously a hoax script.
This film was so heartbreaking to me. Both Leon and Mathilda are such multi-dimensional characters, very flawed but so likeable. Leon's death is one, if not the saddest, I have experienced in all the films I've seen.
To see a girl who has grown up to be a professional killer you can watch "Colombiana". Or if you prefer to see Jean Reno in similar roles you can watch "Wasabi" or "Ronin".
This movie was done so absolutely amazingly well! Matilda really was in love with Leon. It was her very first love. Like so many of us, she fell for someone profoundly older, and I think that happens to many of us, but her life situation did not allow for her to learn what it was, and the differences. Leon truly loved her as well, but not an IN-LOVE kind of love. He wanted to protect her, and see her life become something better than what she had in the present time. It's actually quite beautiful when you really think about it. It was coming of age for her and becoming human for him. He never was truly human before her appearance in his life.
The director supposedly did write a sequel to this story. Natalie Portman wasn't interested and it kept being rejected. Then Zoey Saldana got ahold of the screenplay and it was rewritten as Colombiana as a star vehicle for her. So we kinda got a sequel. Leon/The Professional is a 90s classic. That really made international stars of the leads, especially Natalie Portman. She became a household name. I can still remember seeing Leon at the movies. This was such a surprise of a good movie. We walked out loving this movie and still do to this day. I'm so glad people are still discovering what a good movie Leon is, and will continue to make new fans.
I will have to say this ash, Hannah does have one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard. You are a very lucky guy so never take her for granted.
Luc Besson was inspired to write based on his relationship with his wife. He was 29 and she was 12 when they met. He married her at age 33 when she was 16 and pregnant with their child.
I was maybe 14 when i saw this film, not much older than Matilda, and I remember asking my older brother, "Why does their relationship seem super inappropriate?" He said, "French film." Thats all he had to say 😂
One of my forever favorite films. A masterwork by Luc Besson. Utterly brilliant acting by Gary Oldman, Jean Reno, and Natalie Portman. Honestly I think it was one of the most phenomenal child performances ever, especially for a first time movie. Portman was extraordinary. I hold her in the same level as I do Dakota Fanning and Haley Joel Osment as phenomenal child actors. She followed this performance with another compelling one as Pacino's troubled stepdaughter in the classic film, Heat. Her movie filmography is extraordinary, including films like Black Swan, Jackie, Annihilation, and Garden State. I have heard she is great in May December (2023) on Netflix. Have to watch that soon. I adore her as a person and actress. I am a huge fan of Jean Reno. Utterly enjoyable and talented actor. He was brillant in the movie Ronin with Robert De Niro. I've heard he is awesome in Wasabi too. Have to watch that soon. And my Lord, Gary Oldman. Wow! What an extraordinary perfomance, as always. One of the all-time great actors of our times. I like him in everything he does. This has to be one of my most favorite movie response videos. My Lord, the two of you are so awesome, so genuine, so funny, so adorable in your responses to the film and to each other. You are such an utterly gorgeous couple as well. I think Ash is one of the most beautiful and adorable persons I have ever seen. I will probably watch this video many more times. So enjoyable. 😊❤️👍
I love Jean Reno! Another film of his that I would love to see your reaction to is a comedy called Just Visiting. I searched and couldn't find any other channels reacting to it.
Great reaction like always guys yall are the best of the best to do it.This movie is hands down one of the best under rated action movies of the 90s love this damn movie.
"You don't like Beethoven" line is funny as Gary portrayed him in "Immortally beloved" which is a great film based on the composer's life and Oldman plays..Beethoven 😎
Jean Reno being the cleaner was a side character in "Nikita" another Luc Besson classic. Besson was so impressed by Reno that he made a whole movie for his character.
This movie is great but the "ick" you may be getting is from the original screenplay, which was later changed In the original, Mathilda was supposed to be a child prostitute and the girls in the house were supposed to be two other working girls. The father was originally a pimp who gets killed over a bad drug deal and everything else in the film happens relatively the same with a few exceptions. Unfortunately, in the original screenplay Mathilda and Leon engage in a sexual relationship. It was originally envisioned as an "us against the world" action movie. To be clear, the age of consent in France is 15, and has been since 1945 so there is a bit of a culture-clash in that respect. Luc Besson himself is known marrying the girl at the very beginning of this film who was serving the mob boss Leon threatens. She was 16 at the time of filming and had been in a relationship with Besson since she was 15 (at least, officially). They met when she was 12 and he was 29. Keep in mind, Mathilda is 12 in the film. Maiwenn (Luc's ex-wife) confirmed the film was written as inspired by her relationship with Besson. For the record, many of the changes to the script were made at Jean Reno's...insistence. He said he found the original premise disgusting and said he'd only do the film if there were changes. Since he had worked with Besson on "La Femme Nikita" (Reno played a similar character in that film) the director relented. Reno played up Leon being childlike and on the spectrum or "slow" so that it would change the dynamic of the relationship and make it less predatory back and forth but rather two damaged people on an even playing field who learn to open up and find familial rather than sexual love. Leon is a killer but too innocent and romantic to take advantage of a little girl. Mathilda grew up in a hard life of abuse and sudden intense trauma but is smart and a borderline sociopath as a means of coping. What's even crazier is that there was a planned sequel centering on Mathilda. It was never made but the script was taken and used to develop the film "Colombiana" starring Zoe Saldana. Apologies for the wall of test but I think it'd be great if you guys watched Colombiana and tried to interpret it as a continuation of Leon the Professional.
Just a note: There is a director's cut of Leon in which there are a few more scenes, but these are probably not in the reaction video. But since it's just excerpts, I don't know if anyone watched the DC in the reaction video, but I suspect it's the edited version.
While Luc benson doesn’t have the best track record, and as a parent I wouldn’t have allowed my child to play this role due to the sexual undertones, what ppl miss is that she never had a healthy example of male love. She is also prepubescent and her mother was a sex worker, so she likely was developing feelings, while at the same time finding a father in him. He was emotionally stunted so he didn’t know how to handle either of their feelings, and was afraid to care for her. Which is why he considered shooting her while she slept, it was easier than caring for her. My husband and I won the films riot scene remake challenge by recreating the Russian roulette scene, it’s such a classic film.
I really feel bad for the first bully in Mathilda's new school, trying to mess with her. Because... she would show him the true meaning of 'old school'
Hey Hannah and Ash, I absolutely love this movie! Gary Oldman wasn't scripted to scream "EVERYONE!" --------- He wasn't feeling the scene and decided to take things into his own hands and motioned discreetly at the sound guy to take his headphones off. ------- He caught the actors and crew completely off guard lol. Epic!🎉
I knew that there was something wrong about this film. Turns out it is the director. The age difference between him and his wife is stark. He started dating her officially when she was 15( presumably to avoid getting into legal troubles. But if there were no courts he'd have started earlier). Mind due he was 35. He married her at 16 after getting her pregnant. This movie was inspired from this relationship, "Besson's( the director's) second wife was actress and director Maïwenn Le Besco, whom he started dating when he was 32 and she was 15. They married in late 1992 when Le Besco, 16, was pregnant with their daughter Shanna, who was born on 3 January 1993. Le Besco later claimed that their relationship inspired Besson's film Léon (1994), where the plot involved the emotional relationship between an adult man and a 12-year-old girl." "Maïwenn, Luc Besson's sixteen year old wife at the time of filming, says the film was inspired by their relationship. She says "When Luc Besson did Léon, the story of a 13-year-old girl in love with an older man, it was very inspired by us"; Besson met Maïwenn when she was 12 and he was 29, and he officially started dating her when she was 15, the legal age of consent in that country. Besson married her at age 33 when she fell pregnant at 16. At the time of the accusations, Natalie Portman discussed her "complicated feelings" about the film.."( these are from Wikipedia) But from sbs. com/au..."Mathilda falls in love with him. In the long version (found here) on this really superb looking DVD release from Madman, there are quite a few scenes included that US preview audiences rejected; like Mathilda getting drunk in a restaurant and another where she suggests she become Leon’s 'lover’. According to producer Patrice Ledoux, interviewed in a short 'making of’ doco included on the DVD’s extra features, this kind of content, no, this kind of relationship, was in no way mysterious to the French filmmakers of Leon. Maïwenn Le Besco (she plays a bit part in the film, a prostitute) who was married to Besson for a time, says in the same featurette that Leon is about her relationship with Besson. She says they met while she was still an adolescent, and eventually they started dating when she was fifteen. Still, the relationship in the film stays 'innocent’ (as well as frankly a bit icky). The 'making of’ reveals that at the urgings of Portman and her very protective parents, some of Besson’s more 'extreme’ beats concerning the film’s central relationship were excised at script stage; like a scene where Leon accidentally walks in on Mathilda as she takes a shower (he’s embarrassed, she’s oblivious!)."
Hannah got it. She was exposed to a horrific childhood and thought she loved Leon. He was he hero. But Leon loved her like a daughter, it the way I took it. Natalie Portman’s first movie and made her an instant super star. th-cam.com/video/RmV_6-2PY0g/w-d-xo.htmlsi=1_D5SsGfk6QG3nM_
Gary Oldman is a freaking LEGEND!!! That man has more talent in his pinky finger than some of these would be "actors" do in their entire body. He is easily among my top 5 favorite actors of all time. He's one of those actors who, even if I don't particularly enjoy the movie as a whole, I ALWAYS love his performance.
So many people have problem with understanding the movie just because they see age and automaticly they have mental blockage making them unable to see anything else, but this movie is really amazing and its still easly one of my favourite movies ever. First thought of yours of him being almost childish like but her mature, was so on point. But in the end they both were damaged, not really understading the world they leave in, there are so many details telling us who their are from their behaviour, from their interactions with others, from environment and all. The relation they had is waaay deeper and complicated and saying grown man and girl are attracted to each other is such a crime. Him being kinda a kid, not really schooled, not knowing about world, being cheated by people around, he didnt know what relations are.. And her, obviously from abusive home, literally family killed in fron of her, the only adult that showed her care was him... but at the sane time she saw well how actually 'weak' he is.... i do believe tgere was some of romatic feelings, especially from her side, but this was not all of it, and it goes way further than that. Really amazing movie
Hanna is right about being lost and conflicted. Luc Besson, the director, has admitted that the story was based on his real-life love story with his partner at that moment. He met her when she was 12 and he was 29 and they started dating when he was 32 and she 15. Then she got pregnant when she was 16, so they married.
HELL YES gotdamn i love this channel, yall are making me relive my favorite movies and series’ again, its like watching it for the first time with some enthusiastic ass friends, thank you both for this
The villain (Stansfield, played by Gary Oldman) was Zorg in the Fifth Element and Mason Verger in Hannibal and Gordon in the Dark Knight and Churchill in Darkest Hour and Dracula.... he's amazing.
6:18, the fat guy's girlfriend was played by Maïwenn Le Besco. Maïwenn was the real life girlfriend of director Luc Besson at the time and only 17 or 18 when this movie was filmed. They met when she was very young and started dating shortly after. The year before Leon was released, she gave birth to a daughter by Besson. Besson has said that the relationship between Leon and Mathilda was inspired by his relationship with Maïwenn. So if you start feeling a little creepy watching this movie it's not just you.
Just FYI, I was very confused at first because I only knew this movie as "The Professional" And after readying through Wikipedia it appears it was released in the UK/France as Leon and in the US as The Professional. So it may help viewership if you can add "Leon: The Professional" or The Professional (Leon)". Now I am gunna enjoy the react video :)
I live in America and I first saw this film. When I was pretty young (around 13 or 14) I still remember the cover of the DVD case said Leon: the Profesional. But I also remember seeing others that just said the professional. Weird choice wonder why they did that
In Germany it is mostly known as "Leon: Der Profi" (Leon: The Professional [short form]) as well. Which is good since there is another 90s film just called "Leon" here, the Jean Claude Van Damme flick called "Lionheart" elsewhere (which btw. is great).
This picture is a masterpiece from Luc Besson. deep drama with actors who have become legends. This is not entertainment like Hitman or John Wick. this is art.
Ash/Hannah. You have absolutely NAILED what viewers are looking for with reaction videos👌 the attentiveness to detail for the film your watching, as well as the humor to keep the viewer entertained. Just Trust Ash best reaction channel on TH-cam🌹 keep em coming!!
You should watch Sexy Beast, its not as bloody as Leon but Ben Kingsley does a similar intense psychopath to Gary Oldman thats definitely worth watching for the performance.
love the movie and the acting. The whole love angle I ignored when I was younger and as I got older became more trubbling more I paid attention to it, after looking into it is based on the Directors relationship with his second wife. So yeah it is weird and you picked up on it. Leon actually shows up in Le femme Nikita, the original one not the remake. He loved the character so much he made this movie. After you mentioned the guy with the dreads I realized that is the exact costume and hair Oldman wore in True Romance. I think you did a reaction to that movie a while back. Portman is awesome in this and does a really good job as a child actress. Should do Annihilation another great movie she was in.
Who loves Gary Oldman? EVERYONE!!
100% One of the best bad guy actors.
Great at getting into the role and making it his own.
Great comedy timing too (5th element). 3 Oscars so far!
I still can't get over the fact that he is the brother of "Big Mo", from Eastenders. lol
I LOVE HIM!!
Dude was MESMERIZING in this movie!
Argument for him being BEST ACTOR of all time. So many great movies and he's unrecognizable between so many different performances, doesn't just play one type
I think you get it, Ash. Matilda has an inappropriate attraction to Leon, which he doesn't reciprocate but he is too emotionally immature to know how to express that disapproval. So he's uncomfortable. But Matilda just has an early childhood crush and he doesn't act on it. It's not creepy because Leon is good to her in an appropriate way.
She also was raised in a house where it was made obvious women were only good for one thing. Leon is the first adult to treat her with dignity and respect and so her response, as messed up as it is, was a result of her environment.
Matilda is actually[ based on] the second wife of the director whom he had met when she 12 years old and he was 32, started dating officially when she was 15 years old( legal age in France) and he was 35 and he got pregnant when she 16 and married her( pregnancy might have been before the marriage). More inappropriate scenes were cut out from the film, like the man walking in on her showering, etc. because firstly Portman's parents wasn't comfortable with some parts of the script and secondly the American audiences' in the test screening phase were creeped out.
Anyone can accuse anyone of anything, but here it seems likely the the director suffers from a lack of conscience. Thus though nothing more allegations were brought forward( no evidence, no prosecution, etc.), let it be known that more than a single women has made allegations against the man.
@@jackdarby2168Very worth noting that Reno was very strong on his views of how Leon should feel about Matilda. I suspect that without someone of his stature that it could have been very creepy
@@jackdarby2168 This is interesting background but ultimately the movie we have is what the movie is. We don’t have to know the author’s intent to judge it.
@@jspettifer it is creepy because it wants to depict the child sexually. Why didn't the director go for more explicit depiction? Do you think he had self-restraints? Or because he couldn't get the back of other people's backing? Like her parents, the lead actor, etc. Had the director got his away he would have simply expressed himself fully.
It unnecessarily portrays the child in that light. For e.g. 34:39 was that necessary? It's a new tension introduced this time between another adult man and the girl child unrelated what the movie focuses on i.e. previous other relationship between the an adult man and the little girl.
If you didn't pick up on that look at how the camera moves at 36:10 it moves from the legs upwards. Again what kind of shot is this 24:39 Hannah says here clothing is odd.
Also finally why do you think she's got that back coloured belt thing on her neck? I have my answer in my mind. And it doesn't paint a people who made the film in a good light.
Natalie Portman was 13 when this film was released (which presumably means she was 12 when they were filming). It was the first film she acted in and it was really how the world discovered her remarkable talent.
She is great in this 😀
When Natalie hosted SNL she said she was 11
Then she was not allowed to show her acting ability in Phantom Menace and other Star Wars movies. Proof- she became a ballerina for black swan and won an Oscar! Then they demoted her back to The Girlfriend in Thor. But I was glad to see her in the the MCU anyway. Dumped twice off camera then died of cancer. How dare they!
Kinda strange and it's like wtching a sort of prequel of La Femme Nikita.
@@sorinturle4599 Why they don't make a spin-off sequel to Leon called Mathilda starring Natalie as the girl all grown up who has become an assassin is beyond me. Tickets would fly for that.
"He's dressed like a New York Aladdin."
Ok, that one genuinely got me.
The man who played Benny (Keith A. Glascoe), one of the crooked DEA agents in this movie was a NYC firefighter who died rescuing people from the South Tower during 9/11
I wish more people knew of this. Absolute hero! 🫡🫡🫡
Thank you for sharing this. I never knew, I wish more people did know
He also was the only DEA agent who is not killed by Leon
OMG that both heartbreaking and he was a absolute hero (as noted above) running into those buildings. RIP good sir 🙏
I learned about this about a decade ago and I never forget it whenever I watch this film.
Leon was the first MALE to be nice to her and protect her .... I believe she did love him
You're right. She did love him. She just didn't understand what kind of love it was. Then all she sees as her evidence of "love" is her parent banging in the bathroom... Leon didn't have the social skills to explain that but I think in the end she understood the difference.
Well her little brother was also a male.
@@Kazuya720...but couldn't protect her.
She had a crush
Good thing adults know better than to let a 12 year old decide to be in inappropriate relationships with an adult because they “feel” in love. Kids don’t know better yet. That would be like letting 12 year olds mutilate their bodies… oh wait 😐
Gary Oldman's "EVERYONE!!!!" line was a big focus of the TV ads for this, understandably because Gary Oldman was so crazy and magnetic in this movie, which the line was also not scripted.
Also, Natalie Portman's performance while waiting for Leon to open the door is freaking amazing. Her fear cast shadows and her on-screen debut was so brilliant.
Scariest piece of cinema.
"Everyone" was scripted if I recall correctly. But Gary had done it several times and it just didn't feel right to him. So, in frustration, he gave the line as it appears in the movie and Luc Besson loved it.
I'm glad you guys at least understood Matilda. She is a CHILD. Who's never had love before. She misunderstood the difference in types of love. Also combined with her oversexualized upbringing. Then you have Leon who basically only knows how to be a hit man with basically 0 social skills. You can see he knew her love was misunderstood but didn't know how to explain it while accepting her love but also showing her the parental love she actually needed.
I LOVE this movie and it's been so annoying watching other people on TH-cam and they don't get this and blame Leon and call him a bad guy/pedo even though he never reciprocated her confused kind of love but still showed that he loved her.
Great reaction guys, someone who finally understood and didn't try to throw Leon under the bus for it.
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
True, it's luc Besson who is the pedo
I agree, but the director's cut is waaay more inappropriate in Matilda's behavior towards him. I never blame Leon, because he doesn't do anything. But the director's cut sure makes me think Luc Besson is gross. Especially given his relationship with Maiwenn.
@@BrittanytheVampireSlayerthat is not the directors cut (though it is sometimes referred as such), that was the version shown over here in Europe. Test audiences in the US however didn't like those scenes so they where cut from the US release.
AHH ok, it did say "Director's Cut" on my bluray box. But I def get not loving those scenes lol. @@Henrik_Holst
Mathilda: “Is life always this hard or is it just when you’re a kid?”
Leon: “Always like this”
One of the realest lines in any movie ever.
Yeah thanks we've all watched the video and seen the movie.
@@thefinestgames You just watched a video of a movie you've already seen, but now you're huffy because a comment repeats a line you've already heard? You do you bro 😆
@@jerodast You're not very bright, huh?
@@thefinestgamesAnd now here you are...arguing with strangers in the comments about how stupid they are about a line you already know, from a film you've already seen and just watched a video of other people watching. That is truly Inception levels of stupidity. You saw regular stupidity and said "No, that's not enough! I need to top this!"
Gary Oldmans wife: Who should we invite for dinner tonight?
Gary Oldman: EVERYONE!!!
Gary Oldman's wife....
which one?
@@babotondTHAT'S exactly what I thought 🤣🤣🤣
He took a pill form of amyl nitrate called Librium, an early benzodiazepine.
La Femme Nikita, 1990, is the movie that you are looking for.
100%
The first Luc Besson film I watched. Hoooly s**t it was a good introduction.
That movie was called just "Nikita". "La Femma Nikita" was a TV show.
@@Eric0816The show was good too :D
La Femme Nikita is a classic! The French rule!
The "please open the door" scene was apparently her first ever scene!
There was a draft script at least of Leon 2 where future Mathilda was kind of an old depressed drunk hitman.
What ?
Where’s that script ?
Can we read it ?
Finally! Gary Oldman gives my favourite movie villain performance of all-time in this as the deranged DEA agent Norman Stansfield, he's incredible.
we all love Garry.. I mean: EEVVERRYOONEE!!!! 😆
It was a BANGER performance. But there's one I prefer to this.
Because he still has a shitty, unfitting German voice actor for this movie....
But in The Book Of Eli.....
He was PERFECT. 😍😍😍🤤
GODLIKE...
My eyes were glued to the screen, mesmerized by his every word and move and facial expression. He stole Denzel Washington the show imo....
Damn, two Oldman bangers. Don’t forget Zorg from 5th Element 💀
Remember his ridiculous performance as the white rasta guy in "True Romance"? That was so hilarious, but also pretty good at the same time. Guy is amazing.
@@mantism.d.8363 Drexel. Guy thought he was black. 😂
As a 90s kid, i was terrified of Gary Oldman, he played a lot of great villains before he did the Harry Potters and the Nolan Batmans.
Imagine Natalie Portman doing the sequel for this today.
I hope one day she does. I’ve been waiting for that for so long.
She won't. She's She's asked before. It's a shame really even if they got someone else I'd still love a 'good' sequel
@@EazyDoesitxD BULLSHI..... She was asked in a video recently if she would do THE PROFESSIONAL . She said yes
th-cam.com/video/BczqFNZRzPY/w-d-xo.html
In a way v vendetta sees Portman again navigating a complicated friendship/ attraction and fear with an assasin
Ultimately, Mathilda: The Professional was cancelled and reworked as the 2011 Zoe Saldana thriller Colombiana, partly because Besson no longer held the Leon rights - and partly because Portman no longer wished to reprise a role that made her feel “unsafe”.
40:16 - "Whoa, he didn't even need a pill for that!" 😂😂😅 That was fire.
That got me too lol 😂 I almost peed myself 😊
Jean Reno is certifiable OG in this banger. Iconic. “Ever seen The Professional? Well, I can clean.” - Lil Kim
SYMBOLISMS
Wasabi
What’s an “og”?
@@maxsparks5183 it stands for original gangster...slang in a lot of rap songs.
Phat with a “PH”
This film is like fine art, in that it invokes one into a state of being uncomfortable... jarring you out of your space, then it delivers some of the best acting ever. Great gem of a movie. ❤❤
Great pedo art!!
there is a movie with this actor called " wasabi " , a french cop who goes to japan when he hears his ex died there - it's fucking hilarious, highly recommend it
I second that completely 👍
And the movie Les Visiteurs with the same actor ( Jean Reno ) where he plays a french knight in the middle ages being transported to the 90's, hilarious as well ;)
@@bmaxime8771 Only if you're french though. Morte couille !
@GregoMorgan yeah, strongly depends on the dubbing. There are 2 german dubbed versions of this. One is serious and the other is hilarious (some say ridiculous)!
@@bmaxime8771les visiteurs and wasabi were both amazing movies
no one ever mentions this but i am 10000% leon is autistic. he is the best assassin (they don't call him leon the professional for no reason lol) and we know people on the spectrum can very skilled in a specific area. he is extremely smart and astute even though he can't read. he eats and drinks the same thing, he has a specific routine with watering his plants, etc. that's why i never questioned him or matilda or it being weird. he is just socially awkward and clearly hasn't been around children (or people) that much. and like Hannah mentioned he is extremely childlike. i never saw their relationship as inappropriate. he is clearly uncomfortable with her advances, but he doesn't have the vocabulary or emotional intelligence to response properly. matilda is a traumatized child with daddy issues, she doesn't know how she feels or why she does the things she does. she wanted to feel safe and taken care of. love isn't always romantic but in her traumatized mind its all jumbled up. she never saw a positive example of familial or romantic love. he was nice to her and protected her, when every other person she's known has hurt her (including her own family). she constantly pushes the boundaries, almost testing leon to see how he will react. that's why she acted the way she did because she doesn't know any better. this storyline is adjacent to man on fire (this one tip toes the line more but the concept is the same). i love leon lol he's a simple man who enjoys simple pleasures.
also gary oldman for the win but he is always a w lol he is a PHENOMENAL actor but this and harry potter have always been my favorite roles of his. he can truly do anything. and credit to young natalie portman this is such a complex and complicated character and she nailed it! truly a star born to act.
Mathilda taught him how to read though, he just never learned how to when he was younger. Comes in useful too, when he reads her note where she said she's going to kill them herself.
His family died when he was young and since then he's only been taught how to be a good hitman. Not necessarily autism but more likely that he just hasn't been socialized. He also has not developed other relationships (friendship, father figure, "lover" wherever you want to go with this) just like the only relationship Matilda has known were abuse from her family -except her brother's innocence. Leon is also disciplined, regimented, and non emotional because you need to be in that line of work otherwise you get sloppy and more chances to get killed as he eventually does after meeting Matilda.
In short I don't think characteristics he displays is necessarily due to austim, but more likely emerged as a response to his childhood circumstances and to survive in his line of work.
I think you're right. I'm an Aspie, can definitely see the Autism traits in Leon. Good catch
@@MegaKhas i see your point and that's what I used to think until I really starting observing his behaviors and how he reacted to certain things which caused me to think he's on the spectrum. from what I've seen and experienced it seems like more than his upbringing and environment he grew up in. what you said definitely had an affect on him and how he moves through the world. there's just some aspects like reading for instance that he could have learned or been taught but seemingly never did, his specific routine that throws him off if it's not followed to a t, things like that. people assume autistic people aren't smart/intelligent bc they don't learn the same way as others.
Well said. The only part missed is how Leon gets to redeem himself for being responsible for the death of his first love. That part of the story is why the director's cut although a bit more uncomfortable, makes so much more sense.
you guys have no idea how much i have been waititng to see your guys reaction to this flawless film.
Hope you enjoyed it mate ❤️
@@justtrustash oh trust, i did. one of my fave action films if not the most. mind if i get your thoughts on the movie in rating form: 1 - 10?
Gary Oldman’s pill is Librium.
Used to treat anxiety, insomnia and withdrawal symptoms from alcohol and/or drug abuse.
I can definitely see how it calmed him down
Nice. Another example of why the 90's were the golden age of film. An amazing movie, and Gary Oldman is genius...
Please, the 80's puts the 90's to shame.
@@nodak81 Odd. I can think of maybe a handful of 80's movies I'd call decent...
actually the golden age of hollywood lasted throughout the great depression of all times
the 90's was just the last decade where most movies were good
The moment where Leon puts the gun in Mathilda, is because Leon didn’t feel capable of having a bond with Mathilda, let alone taking care of her.
And I’m glad you reacted to the extended cut, it adds a lot of details like:
Leon’s past
Mathilda and Leon’s relationship growth
The ring trick with the granade, a cool callback to the third act.
Simply it’s an awesome movie, and Sting’s song is a banger.
37:45 shout out to Gary, that scene was improvised
What an ending!!
No, NOT the explosion but planting out the houseplant for rooting...
Yeah, the end was a but cut...
Symbolism!
I’m hurting too!
Portman was also in HEAT, another timeless classic made the year after this one. You gotta do it guys.
This sounds so wrong but I get you 😂
@@justaemptymall Having grown up around animals, that's also where my brain went to for the first second! 🤣
Jesus I read those first five words in completely the wrong way.
Fantastic performances. Gary Oldman is a chame(Leon), symbolism 😂
Jean Reno is a killer with a child like persona (hence the love story) and Natalie Portman was perfectly cast
Next-Ronin - Jean Reno, Robert de Niro. Best car chases
or Leon 1st appearance -> La Fem Nikita so WORTH watching
I may or may not have crashed my car the night after I watched that movie 😂 I’ve also wanted an Audi ever since.
@@galpeleg143la femme Nikita
absolutely right about Ronin, the best car chase scenes i ever seen
@@veewooshi9882 tu :)
"toss" the appartment, not torch. Tossing it, means searching it, turning it upside down to find something hidden.
One of the best movies most have never seen! Luc Besson is a genius! You two are an absolutely a riot!
Most have never seen ? Based on what ? You make it sound like this is some obscure film. It is not
@@dc1939 I suppose, when this film came out it was a sleeper. You can take your wet blanket back and stick it in the dryer.
Besson is a genius diddler and the fact he got so ingrained in the French film industry is another black mark on the institution. A surprisingly blatant one.
@@bettinggetter He's French, it would be unusual for him not to be in the French film industry
Fans of this film have been literally hoping for decades that Luc Besson and Natalie Portman will one day reteam for a sequel where we see a grown up Mathilda as an assassin.
Absofuc**nglutely 100%
But he died..
@@ElixirOfEuphoria Luc Besson is the director and writer; Leon is played by Jean Reno.
No thanks!
@@ElixirOfEuphoriaLuc Besson lives, Jean Reno lives!
Thanks for another great reaction to a classic. Both of you are so much fun. I had the pleasure of briefly meeting Luc Besson in 2011 and he signed my DVD copy of Leon. He spoke about how amazing it was to work with Gary Oldman both in this and The Fifth Element. He said he would do plenty of takes even if they weren't needed just to watch what Gary would do each time as personal enjoyment for him.
“Besson's second wife was actress and director Maïwenn Le Besco, whom he started dating when he was 32 and she was 15. They married in late 1992 when Le Besco, 16, was pregnant with their daughter Shanna, who was born on 3 January 1993. Le Besco later claimed that their relationship inspired Besson's film Léon (1994), where the plot involved the emotional relationship between an adult man and a 12-year-old girl.”
Important reminder that the age of consent in France is 15 so that relationship was not illegal
I try not to let this creepy fact ruin an amazing movie for me...
@@shard4756 Albeit true, legality is barely the matter here. Not because something is legal it is more and vice versa. Being in my 30s, I know I have absolutely no interest in even speaking with non family members under the age of 20. And again the interest is the fact that they are family; it seems kinda harder to excuse this behaviour the more one gets old. Not knowing your age I will say, you will see in times, at 30, 15 years old get on your nerve, You have a house and can do wtv you want, they still think its funny to hide things from their parents, we are concerned about putting them in home for long time care.... Different points in life which makes one wonder what does an adult truly has in common with a teen....
To be fair, Leon rejects her romantic advances (in the nicest possible way too). He is never once tempted by the idea, he knows it would be wrong but he also knows she's very emotionally fragile so he's trying not to hurt her even further by pushing her away.
Leon himself never accepts her advances toward that kind of relationship while also accepting her feelings. Considering how lacking Leon is in social skills he handled this child's misunderstanding of her admiration for her savior and now father figure very well.
Jean Reno is one of the greatest actors ever. I wish people here talked about his performance more.
Gary Oldman’s musings about Beethoven are even funnier when you consider he actually played Beethoven in “Immortal Beloved”, released just a couple months after “Leon” 😁
Oldman improvised the Beethoven monologue to Mathilda's father. The sniffing and the now famous 'EVERYONE' were also improvised. Phenomenal actor.
You were right to think it creepy - the director (who is a creep irl) wanted the characters to sleep together, but Jean Reno refused to do it.
They sleep together 1 night together in the bedroom
As did Natalie Portman's parents, which just goes to show that not all stage parents force their kids to do sexual stuff for the cameras.
Luc Bresson later went on to make 'La Femme Nikita.' Whilst not a "Part 2" or anything, Luc said he kind of imagined this film as the continuation of the Matilda character.
He made "La Femme Nikita" first, came out in 1990 (1991 in the US), Leon (The Professional) came out in 1994, but yeah.
La Femme Nikita came out first
@@bvrajlal Whoops. Sorry y'all. I was thinking about Colombia- The script for Colombiana was based on Mathilda, which was originally written by Luc Besson as a sequel to Léon: The Professional.
@@lmcgregoruk @bvrajlal Whoops. Sorry y'all. I was thinking about Colombia- The script for Colombiana was based on Mathilda, which was originally written by Luc Besson as a sequel to Léon: The Professional.
I never knew that was a movie. I thought it was some campy erotic action show that aired on the cable channel USA in the 1990s (usually after "Duckman", which is a more biting animated satire than "The Simpsons," but sadly, no one at the time knew).
I loved the Joker comment. Oldman would have been a fantastic Joker back in the day.. Speaking of children, both Leon and Stan were childlike. Leon with his innocence, and Stan a spoiled brat throwing tantrums. After his suit was ruined Stan stomped like a preschooler who was told in toy isle mom would not buy him a new toy. Stan's men were scared to death of him. He was so brilliantly unhinged and Oldman killed it. Matilda was in many ways more mature. Glad you both did not freak out too much about the puppy love. You were both smart enough to see this was Matilda's POV, not Leon's Some reactors would just repeat how uncomfortable this movie made them over and over again. Great reaction!
The original version of the film show an actual relationship between Leon and Mathilda were they even have a sexual intercourse. Even if that part of their relationship never made it to the final cut, the movie was done with that in mind so seeing some of these moment between them as uncomfortable is pretty valid I'd say.
@@Nadinmouknope. There is a script online that some people have CLAIMED is an earlier draft of the movie, but it's updated, has no recorded history, and doesn't match the writing style of the actual script at all. Like, not remotely.
It's.pretty obviously a hoax script.
This film was so heartbreaking to me. Both Leon and Mathilda are such multi-dimensional characters, very flawed but so likeable. Leon's death is one, if not the saddest, I have experienced in all the films I've seen.
Watch “Natural Born Killers “!!!!!!! symbolism
OMG they would f'ing DIE from that movie! 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣
Dangerfield's performance alone would drive them crazy!! 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣 #SeeHowCleanYouAre 😱😱🤢🤮🤮
Jean Reno was the kindest and most caring person I've ever visited with. Perfect actor,
Lol that intro was fkn epic, hilarious and Hannah's voice is actually quite nice. This is an awesome movie and you guys did a great reaction
Appreciate you mate ❤️
"All the gear, no idea" is actually the best quote to come out of this reaction. If only you knew how true that statement was for so many people
Natalie Portman was only 12 years old when this movie was being filmed… she turned 13 before the US release date.
She was actually 12. She turned 13 only a couple of months before the film's release.
Whats with the " ... " drama queen
@@dc1939 are you triggered because you don’t understand how punctuation works? Your parents must be proud… LMFAO!!
To see a girl who has grown up to be a professional killer you can watch "Colombiana".
Or if you prefer to see Jean Reno in similar roles you can watch "Wasabi" or "Ronin".
In Ronin, his character was definitely a more sociable person. Ronin however is another fantastic movie that is highly recommended
Hey this is a classic. Love watching y'all. Much love from San Antonio
This movie was done so absolutely amazingly well! Matilda really was in love with Leon. It was her very first love. Like so many of us, she fell for someone profoundly older, and I think that happens to many of us, but her life situation did not allow for her to learn what it was, and the differences. Leon truly loved her as well, but not an IN-LOVE kind of love. He wanted to protect her, and see her life become something better than what she had in the present time. It's actually quite beautiful when you really think about it. It was coming of age for her and becoming human for him. He never was truly human before her appearance in his life.
The director supposedly did write a sequel to this story. Natalie Portman wasn't interested and it kept being rejected. Then Zoey Saldana got ahold of the screenplay and it was rewritten as Colombiana as a star vehicle for her. So we kinda got a sequel.
Leon/The Professional is a 90s classic. That really made international stars of the leads, especially Natalie Portman. She became a household name.
I can still remember seeing Leon at the movies. This was such a surprise of a good movie. We walked out loving this movie and still do to this day. I'm so glad people are still discovering what a good movie Leon is, and will continue to make new fans.
It wasn't rejected by Natalie. Natalie has repeatedly stated she wants to star in a sequel to Leon.
I will have to say this ash, Hannah does have one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard. You are a very lucky guy so never take her for granted.
Underrated film. I remember working at the theater in 94 and watching this at 19 and it was so damn good. Definitely in my top 10 of all time.
The movie is on 39. place on IMDB of greatest film of all time. This is no underrated.
Luc Besson was inspired to write based on his relationship with his wife. He was 29 and she was 12 when they met. He married her at age 33 when she was 16 and pregnant with their child.
we don't know that it was the inspiration at all, this is only alleged by his then wife long after the fact during the #metoo movement
I JUST FINISHED WATCHING LEON AND I LOVE YOUR CHANNEL OMG TY FOR REACTING TO THIS!!
I was maybe 14 when i saw this film, not much older than Matilda, and I remember asking my older brother, "Why does their relationship seem super inappropriate?" He said, "French film." Thats all he had to say 😂
I don't buy that. Even French films have limits and standards when it comes to depicting illicit love affairs.
One of these days, Ash is going to stumble onto a symbolism so hard that he won't actually be able to be wrong. I'm here for it!
One of my forever favorite films. A masterwork by Luc Besson. Utterly brilliant acting by Gary Oldman, Jean Reno, and Natalie Portman.
Honestly I think it was one of the most phenomenal child performances ever, especially for a first time movie. Portman was extraordinary. I hold her in the same level as I do Dakota Fanning and Haley Joel Osment as phenomenal child actors. She followed this performance with another compelling one as Pacino's troubled stepdaughter in the classic film, Heat. Her movie filmography is extraordinary, including films like Black Swan, Jackie, Annihilation, and Garden State. I have heard she is great in May December (2023) on Netflix. Have to watch that soon. I adore her as a person and actress.
I am a huge fan of Jean Reno. Utterly enjoyable and talented actor. He was brillant in the movie Ronin with Robert De Niro. I've heard he is awesome in Wasabi too. Have to watch that soon.
And my Lord, Gary Oldman. Wow! What an extraordinary perfomance, as always. One of the all-time great actors of our times. I like him in everything he does.
This has to be one of my most favorite movie response videos. My Lord, the two of you are so awesome, so genuine, so funny, so adorable in your responses to the film and to each other. You are such an utterly gorgeous couple as well. I think Ash is one of the most beautiful and adorable persons I have ever seen. I will probably watch this video many more times. So enjoyable. 😊❤️👍
I love Jean Reno! Another film of his that I would love to see your reaction to is a comedy called Just Visiting. I searched and couldn't find any other channels reacting to it.
Great reaction like always guys yall are the best of the best to do it.This movie is hands down one of the best under rated action movies of the 90s love this damn movie.
The acting in this movie was crazy perfect!
"You don't like Beethoven" line is funny as Gary portrayed him in "Immortally beloved" which is a great film based on the composer's life and Oldman plays..Beethoven 😎
Jean Reno being the cleaner was a side character in "Nikita" another Luc Besson classic. Besson was so impressed by Reno that he made a whole movie for his character.
I had to pause the video when the two of you kept saying 'don't say it, don't say it'! I couldn't stop laughing!! You two are awesome!
I'm from NYC but I met Jean Reno in Charles De Gaulle airport and he's the nicest actor/celeb I ever met.
This movie is great but the "ick" you may be getting is from the original screenplay, which was later changed
In the original, Mathilda was supposed to be a child prostitute and the girls in the house were supposed to be two other working girls. The father was originally a pimp who gets killed over a bad drug deal and everything else in the film happens relatively the same with a few exceptions. Unfortunately, in the original screenplay Mathilda and Leon engage in a sexual relationship. It was originally envisioned as an "us against the world" action movie.
To be clear, the age of consent in France is 15, and has been since 1945 so there is a bit of a culture-clash in that respect. Luc Besson himself is known marrying the girl at the very beginning of this film who was serving the mob boss Leon threatens. She was 16 at the time of filming and had been in a relationship with Besson since she was 15 (at least, officially). They met when she was 12 and he was 29. Keep in mind, Mathilda is 12 in the film. Maiwenn (Luc's ex-wife) confirmed the film was written as inspired by her relationship with Besson.
For the record, many of the changes to the script were made at Jean Reno's...insistence. He said he found the original premise disgusting and said he'd only do the film if there were changes. Since he had worked with Besson on "La Femme Nikita" (Reno played a similar character in that film) the director relented. Reno played up Leon being childlike and on the spectrum or "slow" so that it would change the dynamic of the relationship and make it less predatory back and forth but rather two damaged people on an even playing field who learn to open up and find familial rather than sexual love. Leon is a killer but too innocent and romantic to take advantage of a little girl. Mathilda grew up in a hard life of abuse and sudden intense trauma but is smart and a borderline sociopath as a means of coping.
What's even crazier is that there was a planned sequel centering on Mathilda. It was never made but the script was taken and used to develop the film "Colombiana" starring Zoe Saldana.
Apologies for the wall of test but I think it'd be great if you guys watched Colombiana and tried to interpret it as a continuation of Leon the Professional.
Just a note: There is a director's cut of Leon in which there are a few more scenes, but these are probably not in the reaction video. But since it's just excerpts, I don't know if anyone watched the DC in the reaction video, but I suspect it's the edited version.
At least someone here acknowledged what actually inspired Leon and Mathilda's friendship.
Even ickier... Maiwinn met Besson because she was dating a friend of his... when she was 12!
Jean Reno, gary oldman, Natalie Portman, Benny (R.I.P Keith A. Glascoe) did a fantastic Job in this movie
"Yeah, but he ruined my suit."
While Luc benson doesn’t have the best track record, and as a parent I wouldn’t have allowed my child to play this role due to the sexual undertones, what ppl miss is that she never had a healthy example of male love. She is also prepubescent and her mother was a sex worker, so she likely was developing feelings, while at the same time finding a father in him. He was emotionally stunted so he didn’t know how to handle either of their feelings, and was afraid to care for her. Which is why he considered shooting her while she slept, it was easier than caring for her.
My husband and I won the films riot scene remake challenge by recreating the Russian roulette scene, it’s such a classic film.
Her first Role..Think she got some awards
I really feel bad for the first bully in Mathilda's new school, trying to mess with her.
Because... she would show him the true meaning of 'old school'
Hannah your first instincts are always right. It wasn’t a brotherly love…. I really have always loved this movie. I always cry when Leon dies
Hey Hannah and Ash, I absolutely love this movie! Gary Oldman wasn't scripted to scream "EVERYONE!" --------- He wasn't feeling the scene and decided to take things into his own hands and motioned discreetly at the sound guy to take his headphones off. ------- He caught the actors and crew completely off guard lol. Epic!🎉
Been here 20 minutes and just keep replaying Hannah singing, I can't stop
The professional is a hidden gem. Congrats to you for reacting to it. You too are now my newest heroes ❤️
I knew that there was something wrong about this film. Turns out it is the director. The age difference between him and his wife is stark. He started dating her officially when she was 15( presumably to avoid getting into legal troubles. But if there were no courts he'd have started earlier). Mind due he was 35. He married her at 16 after getting her pregnant. This movie was inspired from this relationship,
"Besson's( the director's) second wife was actress and director Maïwenn Le Besco, whom he started dating when he was 32 and she was 15. They married in late 1992 when Le Besco, 16, was pregnant with their daughter Shanna, who was born on 3 January 1993. Le Besco later claimed that their relationship inspired Besson's film Léon (1994), where the plot involved the emotional relationship between an adult man and a 12-year-old girl."
"Maïwenn, Luc Besson's sixteen year old wife at the time of filming, says the film was inspired by their relationship. She says "When Luc Besson did Léon, the story of a 13-year-old girl in love with an older man, it was very inspired by us"; Besson met Maïwenn when she was 12 and he was 29, and he officially started dating her when she was 15, the legal age of consent in that country. Besson married her at age 33 when she fell pregnant at 16. At the time of the accusations, Natalie Portman discussed her "complicated feelings" about the film.."( these are from Wikipedia)
But from sbs. com/au..."Mathilda falls in love with him. In the long version (found here) on this really superb looking DVD release from Madman, there are quite a few scenes included that US preview audiences rejected; like Mathilda getting drunk in a restaurant and another where she suggests she become Leon’s 'lover’. According to producer Patrice Ledoux, interviewed in a short 'making of’ doco included on the DVD’s extra features, this kind of content, no, this kind of relationship, was in no way mysterious to the French filmmakers of Leon. Maïwenn Le Besco (she plays a bit part in the film, a prostitute) who was married to Besson for a time, says in the same featurette that Leon is about her relationship with Besson. She says they met while she was still an adolescent, and eventually they started dating when she was fifteen. Still, the relationship in the film stays 'innocent’ (as well as frankly a bit icky). The 'making of’ reveals that at the urgings of Portman and her very protective parents, some of Besson’s more 'extreme’ beats concerning the film’s central relationship were excised at script stage; like a scene where Leon accidentally walks in on Mathilda as she takes a shower (he’s embarrassed, she’s oblivious!)."
Hannah got it. She was exposed to a horrific childhood and thought she loved Leon. He was he hero. But Leon loved her like a daughter, it the way I took it. Natalie Portman’s first movie and made her an instant super star. th-cam.com/video/RmV_6-2PY0g/w-d-xo.htmlsi=1_D5SsGfk6QG3nM_
Matilda just developed a crush on Leon. He doesn't know how to teach her the difference.
One of my all time favorite Movies!😍
Thank you both for reacting to this!❤️
Jean Reno and Gary Oldman are one of a kind actors
Gary Oldman is a freaking LEGEND!!! That man has more talent in his pinky finger than some of these would be "actors" do in their entire body. He is easily among my top 5 favorite actors of all time. He's one of those actors who, even if I don't particularly enjoy the movie as a whole, I ALWAYS love his performance.
Hannah's got a voice wow! Sing it girl!
So many people have problem with understanding the movie just because they see age and automaticly they have mental blockage making them unable to see anything else, but this movie is really amazing and its still easly one of my favourite movies ever. First thought of yours of him being almost childish like but her mature, was so on point. But in the end they both were damaged, not really understading the world they leave in, there are so many details telling us who their are from their behaviour, from their interactions with others, from environment and all.
The relation they had is waaay deeper and complicated and saying grown man and girl are attracted to each other is such a crime. Him being kinda a kid, not really schooled, not knowing about world, being cheated by people around, he didnt know what relations are.. And her, obviously from abusive home, literally family killed in fron of her, the only adult that showed her care was him... but at the sane time she saw well how actually 'weak' he is.... i do believe tgere was some of romatic feelings, especially from her side, but this was not all of it, and it goes way further than that. Really amazing movie
Hanna is right about being lost and conflicted. Luc Besson, the director, has admitted that the story was based on his real-life love story with his partner at that moment. He met her when she was 12 and he was 29 and they started dating when he was 32 and she 15. Then she got pregnant when she was 16, so they married.
They always tell on themselves 😒
HELL YES gotdamn i love this channel, yall are making me relive my favorite movies and series’ again, its like watching it for the first time with some enthusiastic ass friends, thank you both for this
The villain (Stansfield, played by Gary Oldman) was Zorg in the Fifth Element and Mason Verger in Hannibal and Gordon in the Dark Knight and Churchill in Darkest Hour and Dracula.... he's amazing.
Sid and Nancy
He played Sid Vicious in "Sid & Nancy" which he played well.
Not listing True Romance is wild
Ironically he also played Beethoven that same year, 1994's immortal beloved
Leon the professional is a classic
Been waiting for this reaction for awhile 😌🤙🏼🙏🏼
What I want to know is, is Ash getting ready for WM40 and The Final Boss this weekend, I'm 38 and I've not enjoyed it in years until recent hype!
This is a total fookin classic. One of my favourite films...
I'm only 5 mins in but the intro so far is golden. You two are lightning in a bottle on camera. Thank you for brightening our days
If you enjoy Jean Reno, I highly suggest "The Crimson Rivers I & 2." Get the subtitled or dubbed versions.
6:18, the fat guy's girlfriend was played by Maïwenn Le Besco. Maïwenn was the real life girlfriend of director Luc Besson at the time and only 17 or 18 when this movie was filmed. They met when she was very young and started dating shortly after. The year before Leon was released, she gave birth to a daughter by Besson.
Besson has said that the relationship between Leon and Mathilda was inspired by his relationship with Maïwenn. So if you start feeling a little creepy watching this movie it's not just you.
Just FYI, I was very confused at first because I only knew this movie as "The Professional"
And after readying through Wikipedia it appears it was released in the UK/France as Leon and in the US as The Professional. So it may help viewership if you can add "Leon: The Professional" or The Professional (Leon)". Now I am gunna enjoy the react video :)
I live in America and I first saw this film. When I was pretty young (around 13 or 14) I still remember the cover of the DVD case said Leon: the Profesional. But I also remember seeing others that just said the professional. Weird choice wonder why they did that
In Germany it is mostly known as "Leon: Der Profi" (Leon: The Professional [short form]) as well. Which is good since there is another 90s film just called "Leon" here, the Jean Claude Van Damme flick called "Lionheart" elsewhere (which btw. is great).
That little girl was so badass that she ended up getting married to Darth Vader...
Gunfire and explosions are common here in NY. People know not to open their doors and investigate.😮
This picture is a masterpiece from Luc Besson. deep drama with actors who have become legends. This is not entertainment like Hitman or John Wick. this is art.
Ash/Hannah. You have absolutely NAILED what viewers are looking for with reaction videos👌 the attentiveness to detail for the film your watching, as well as the humor to keep the viewer entertained. Just Trust Ash best reaction channel on TH-cam🌹 keep em coming!!
What a beautiful compliment mate, proper appreciate you ❤️
I haven't seen this movie in close to 30 years, but wasn't there a final scene with Matilda and Leon's boss?
You should watch Sexy Beast, its not as bloody as Leon but Ben Kingsley does a similar intense psychopath to Gary Oldman thats definitely worth watching for the performance.
Just watched it, yeah it was unhinged for sure haha
love the movie and the acting. The whole love angle I ignored when I was younger and as I got older became more trubbling more I paid attention to it, after looking into it is based on the Directors relationship with his second wife. So yeah it is weird and you picked up on it.
Leon actually shows up in Le femme Nikita, the original one not the remake. He loved the character so much he made this movie.
After you mentioned the guy with the dreads I realized that is the exact costume and hair Oldman wore in True Romance. I think you did a reaction to that movie a while back.
Portman is awesome in this and does a really good job as a child actress. Should do Annihilation another great movie she was in.
The priest from V for Vendetta was upset he didn't get this Natalie Portman instead of the grown up one.
Natalie Portman is sooo good in this... It's unbelievable, unreal.... ❤
For your next movies: Mamma Mia, Sound of Music, Zulu, Twilight, Ten Commandments