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 discretely at the sound guy to take his headphones off. He caught the actors and crew completely off guard lol. Epic!
Natalie Portman was so extremely talented from a young age. And Gary Oldman really steals the show in this one. His "EVERYYYYYYOOOOOONE!" line will forever be iconic.
And that just happened because he was getting tired of doing the scene over and over, and just let his frustration out. And that ended up being the one they used.
"What are you doing, he's dead?" "But he ruined my suit!" Oldman manages to be terrifying and hilarious all at the same time in this classic. What an actor.
The child-like innocence of Leon (minus his job) vs the "aged too quickly" life of Matilda.... Such A unique contrast that makes the movie so interesting.
I recently learned that because of delays with the production of The Fifth Element, Besson used that film's production team to make Léon, as "a filler". Wrote it in a month, filmed it in 90 days. Wild.
@@redfrenchmoon2405 I believe it had something to do with Bruce Willis' schedule, so he made use of the crew instead of dismissing them, which led them to make a superior film it seems.
This film is in my top 10 easily, one of my favorites of all time. I absolutely love the unique relationship between Leon & Mathilda, and Gary Oldman as the bad guy is just -chef’s kiss* - !
You check out a movie called “Ronin”. It stars Robert DeNiro and Jean Reno. It’s a pretty good action movie paced about like this one. The car chances are amazing and real.
The actor who played "Benny" is named Keith A. Glascoe. While trying to make it as an actor, he also played for the New York Jets and stayed employed with the FDNY Ladder 21 to pay the bills. On September 11, 2001, he and most of his ladder died when the Twin Towers collapsed on them after the terrorists drove jet liners into each tower. Rest in peace.
Luc Besson directed a French film in 1990 called NIKITA (La Femme Nikita). It's early Besson but it's incredible. Ultra stylistic and heart-felt. Definitely worth checking out. Leon is brilliant.
Alao here to recommend La Femme Nikita, in some ways it could be considered a prequel to Leon as there is a character called the cleaner in it, also played by Jean Reno (if memory serves).
_"That's pretty unusual, for the protagonist and the antagonist to never even speak."_ Think back to The 5th Element Shan, Gary Oldman and Bruce Willis never even meet... not sure they ever really even know about each other. Sure Zorg knows Korban's name but only as some contest winner to steal the identity and ticket of (Although ultimately he was 'very disappointed' in that regard).
Fun Fact: the mobster's girlfriend at the beginning of the movie played the Diva (blue alien opera singer) in 5th Element. Not so fun fact, Besson dated her when he was in his 30s and she just a young teenager. She stated in a "behind the scenes" bit that she believes their relationship inspired the relationship betweein Mathilde and Leon.
Exactly. The age difference btwn Besson and 'Diva' is the same as Leon and Matilda. AFAIK, the French, at that time, had more lenient views of age differences btwn lovers than US culture does. That's what got cut out of the US version--the scenes which made it more obvious it was a romantic relationship btwn Leon & Matilda and not a father-daughter one.
I wish I could upvote this react 100 times. This has been my favorite film since I was a kid. The version outside the US ‘Leon the Professional’ changes the story so much from the US version ‘The Professional’ - the relationship between them is not border lining on romantic. Thank you!
I think it’s been mentioned a couple of times, but I’d also recommend Besson’s La Femme Nikita. It’s a kind of thematic prequel to this film and was remade in the early 90s as “Point of No Return.”
If you read the original script for Leon it's described that they killed Manolo, so Tony had to say where they are. I don't know if they shooted that scene and removed or if it was just discarded. But worth reading the original script if you like the movie, it gives a bit more details about some scenes.
Tony never scammed or betrayed Leon. Leon has no skills outside killing, he's like a child, he doesn't understand how things really work. Tony IS holding the money for him and only gave him up cos he was clearly tortured and beaten.
Tony is holding the money yes. But I always felt it was implied that he kept 99% of them for himself and just threw Leon a few dollars to survive on once in a while.
@@QuayNemSorr I think it's safe to assume Tony gets more money for these jobs than he lets on. Leon is getting his cut but it's probably much less than he should receive. Since he doesn't know much, he doesn't know to question the logistics of the jobs he's sent on.
I don't think Tony cheated Leon. Probably not a good idea to cheat even a child-like hitman. But I definitely think he was holding out on Matilda when she asked for money at the end.
Yes we all know shan would love the true romance movie!,also shan check out the crime type modern noir with Oldman called Romeo is bleeding ,very under rated performance with Gary oldman
Ohhh such a cult classic! Natalie and Jean had such a chemistry! Gary uffff 🤯 I can’t listen to that Sting’s song without thinking of Lion, sitting next to his plant with a glass of milk, finally in peace.
Leon is one of my favourite films of all time, with one of the best soundtracks (from Eric Serra). I'm more used to the theatrical version which cut out the scenes of Mathilda working with Leon as a cleaner. It also cut out the scenes about Leon's past love life and toned down Mathilda's "love" for Leon. Both versions are great but they are almost like different films in some ways. If you haven't seen 'True Romance' you should check that out for Gary Oldman's performance (if you even recognise him that is!).
This is an awesome movie. The first time I saw it I couldn't believe what I had just seen. It's like Luc Besson, Jean Reno, Natalie Portman and Gary Oldman decided to give a master class in film making and acting.
Besson has written some fun action films. Kiss of the Dragon, and Unleashed, both starring a great Jet Li are plenty cool. I'm not the biggest fan of The Transporter, but Jason Statham is a beast in it. District B13 was a game changer as far as parkour becoming a huge deal to the world and a known factor into action films onward.
I have to admit, this is one of the few cases where I actually enjoyed the theatrical cut better than the full story. Because in the theatrical cut Leon never actually takes her on jobs, they only train. To me this change made Leon more realistic, and sympathetic to me, and it made the situation seem hella more seriosu when the finale goes down because she's NOT used to killing and explosions at that time and she has to grow up THAT instant. I just prefered it that way myself.
Of course. Shan was quite wrong to assume this was the "definitive cut" or what fans wanted to see. Every time someone suggests the Director's cut, 4 commenters respond No Thank-you. The studio edit is superior.
I prefer the theatrical cut. I feel it's perfect and sussinct. Showing her as part of his hits ultimately slowed the film down and made her going after Oldmans DEA character seem slightly less frightening. I never saw the extended scenes and I felt horrible dread thinking she was completely over her head having not had any training. The cut scenes show she at least is aware of some things.
Glad I'm not the only one who feels this way. Her extra training lessens the impact of that final confrontation between her and Oldman and the creepy sexual tension between her and Leon is much more subtle and effective in the shorter version.
It is great that you are reacting to this film. Pretty much much anything Besson is worth watching, but he has made some true masterpieces, and this is one of them. His last film to come out was Anna in 2019, but the last one you might have heard of was Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets in 2017. In 2018, Besson was accused of rape, but the case was dropped in 2019 and he was cleared by a second investigation just now in January of 2021, so maybe he will be getting back to making movies some time not too long from now.
OH man, I was waiting for this one ever since I found your channel. I loved that intro-- "G A R Y O L D M A N ! ?" Also you are now in on the Gary Oldman "EVERY ONE!" meme. Also I remember correctly the theatrical cut mostly cut out the scenes where Natalie Portman's character gets a little more adult with Leon, they didn't think it would play well with American audiences.
Gary Oldman makes it... He's chewing that scenery, hamming it up, to the benefit of the movie. I don't know how it would have worked with some one else in that role. He over plays it so much and has so much fun doing so. I can't even think of an actor that could do it so over the top, yet so convincing. It really is riding the line of great or terrible. He finds that balance.
This is one of those amazing films that lingers in your mind and heart for a long while. The dynamics between Leon and Matilda strums a chord inside you that continues on and on, maybe even forever every time you think about the movie. For a long time, people have been clamoring for a sequel with Matilda as a cleaner. Luc Besson has made some very creative movies with depth many people don't see. Valarian and the City of a Thousand Planets should be your next one. World building was really good if you liked the Fifth Element. And let's not forget the original Nikita. The Transporter. Taken. Lucy. All very cool.
I sat my housemates down to watch this a few years ago. Ive loved this film for years. They totally didnt get it or appriciate it which was so annoying! Love the Sting song at the end....Very fitting. Gary Oldman and Natalie Portman...FANTASTIC!
I've seen this movie like a dozen times and never saw the compilation scene where they are going door to door putting gum on the peep holes and cutting the chains. I guess it's safe to assume that was cut, as well as the scene in the pink dress. Gary Oldman in Bram Stoker's Dracula is my favorite role he portrayed.
Great seeing someone watching this for the first time with _so little knowledge_ of what its about, and being really surprised and shocked and emotional at all the key moments.
Yeah, Keanu Reeves was shockingly poor casting, only rivaled by Coppola casting his daughter in Godfather III. As for Keanu Reeves, I think it was that he couldn't focus on the accent and act at the same time, but you just have to look past it. His role isn't all THAT big either, thank heavens. The rest of the cast more than makes up for it though, especially Gary Oldman as Dracula..
@@phj223 I'm not sure Winona Ryder's performance is much better, for both of them there is just a little too much dude in their line delivery, but I love this movie and just don't care.
@@jonathanhill4366 Hehe, Winona's performance never bothered me (though I know she's been critical of it herself). What can I say, I was 18 when the movie came out and crushing so hard on her. 😅
The first mobster's girlfriend "I'll see you later sweetie" the director's girlfriend at the time . She played the Opera deeva in 5th element. 'Matilda ' is a good movie but you got to be in the right mood. It's a dark comedy for kids. Directed by Dany Dr Vito. The song at the end credits is one of my favorite Sting songs. The video implies it was written for the movie. Oldman's performance is one of his most iconic. The "EVRYONE" line is so famous. Portman's first performance
You should watch Wasabi, main actor Jean Reno, written by Luc Besson and directed by Gérard Krawczyk. Quite a lighter story, but the same asskicking Reno.
2:04 No :( 4:11 More like she wants to rebel. 6:16 "-Is life always this hard or just when you are kid. -Always like this." 7:46 That scene (like many others) is amazing. 7:52 In this movie she did her best acting. She was better young than older. 13:04 She is a traumatised 12 year old. 13:35 I have used that line :) 13:44 'More than meets the eye, robots in disguise...' :) 20:03 Good that Leon got to feel what bed feels like before the end :( 22:33 Like... The Fifth Element ;) 22:45 How Leon says "This is from..." then he almost chokes with emotion saying "Mathilda". Beautiful.
@26:00 sorry Shan I think you're wrong. I think the love is romantic. The US test market didn't respond well to it, that's why some of those scenes were cut, to leave a father-daughter impression. Also the mob gf in the beginning and Besson were dating at the time and the age difference btwn them is the same as Besson and his gf. @shan watches movies
Great film, cool reaction and excellent review. Another great film with Gary Oldman to watch is Immortal Beloved, where Oldman plays Ludwig Von Beethoven.
A Besson flick that I feel doesn't get enough credit is "The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc". Might be a good one to check out some time! He also wrote Wasabi, which might be my favorite Reno flick, just a fun watch all around!
One of those movies that would be worth watching for the finale alone, so that the rest of it is just as worthwhile is a testament to how brilliant it is.
Leon and his character appear in La Femme Nikita, also Besson. The story goes that Besson calls him and says, “How would you like to be a Star?” He was writing an entire story about his little part. He accepted the part. Leon The Cleaner. La Femme Nikita is a Legendary Film and one of Besson’s earlier work.
What really shined in this movie was how authentic Jean Reno and Natalie Portman's characters were, and how they made a lot of sense from a psychological standpoint. Reno's character not being allowed to have friends or companionship, along with the trauma he endured when he was younger with his first girlfriend being killed, allowed him to immediately empathize with Mathilda. Mathilda, herself, never having a positive male role model in her life, as well as being exposed to a very adult lifestyle at an ealy age, left her longing for the love of a father figure while confusing it for romance.
great film + reaction! My fav by Luc Besson! His early films are great, Subway(1985), The Big Blue(1988), and La Femme Nikita(1990). Oldman was fantastic in this film, and is great in True Romance(1993)
Another Besson movie where Reno also plays a 'cleaner' (albeit, in a much smaller role), is: La femme Nikita. Also worth watching Reno in the excellent movie: Ronin. Le grand bleu, a movie abouf sea divers, also starring Reno and directed by Besson has a great, great soundtrack, a trademark of Besson.
Yes one of the best movies out there. Besson is a fine director. And Gary Oldman? Untouchable, so great at his craft. He so inhabited that character, made him eminently hateable. And do you remember Oldman in The Fifth Element? I know you said you liked it. Again Oldman played a villain, very different from this wacko DEA agent, and very memorable. He was Zorg, evil and quirky. Reno and Portman were also simply great. All in all a wonderful story, masterfully told. Glad you reacted to this Shan.
Leon such an amazing movie, more deep than it seems at first glance... I hope you might react to some other Luc Besson movies. 🎞️🎬🎞️🎬La femme Nikita (1990)🎬🎞️ a really really good movie, and you that enjoyed Ripley or Sarah Connor you might love Nikita...on a other gendra but still great there is Le grand bleu (the big blue) 1988...both in Nikita and the big blue there is Jean Reno... Though Nikita and the big blue are in French.
This is one of my favorite movies. So very good, and Gary Oldman was great as usual in this. Everyone Gary Oldman plays is done to perfection... EVERYYYOOONNNEE!!
I love this movie. I've lost track how many times I've seen this. You have great selection of movies you've reviewed. If I may make a suggestion for a future video: Hero. Starring Dustin Hoffman and Gina Davis. In my opinion the most underrated movie ever made.
Besson has been a gift to lovers of mid-to-low-budget action films, not only because his action scenes are inventive and inspired, but also because his stories are often loaded with unexpected humor and/or legitimate human drama. If you want to immerse yourself in work, consider viewing some of these... As a writer/ director: The Big Blue (with Jean Reno; not an "action" movie, but as a story based on a true story - about a free diver trying to set a new depth/time record for diving without - its VERY much worth seeing) La Femme Nikita (kind of a prequel to Leon, with Jean Reno playing a small part that inspired Besson to write The Professional specifically for Reno) Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (an unofficial sequel to The Fifth Element, it isn't technically set in the same universe, but visually its clearly from the same brilliant mind) As a writer/producer only: Taxi films (action/comedy series) The Transporter series Unleashed Kiss of the Dragon - both Jet Li films Bandidas Revolver 3 Days to Kill (with Kevin Costner) District 13 & District 13: Ultimatum And that's far from a complete list. Had Valerian been better, he'd have become France's Peter Jackson, starting a whole new industry for films with larger budgets, but sadly, like The Fifth Element, its mainly a cult classic. As for another Jean Reno film you should see (if you haven't already), try Ronin, with Robert DeNiro and Sean Bean, directed by the legendary John Frankenheimer.
The film Léon is watching is called "It's Always Fair Weather" by Gene Kelly. He probably had all these routines just to fill his simple life, outside killing.
I don't know if anybody has commented this, but the movie that Léon sees in the theatre starring Gene Kelly is "It's Always Fair Weather" from 1955. Just found your channel about a month ago and think you're awesome; you review movies most other reaction channels don't and you are very perceptive. Keep it up! 🙂
Did you see 'Apocalypto' yet? Sometimes you watch a movie without expecting much and it totally blows you away; 'Leon' did that to me, and so did 'Apocalypto'.
Great movie and reaction. But I just want to point out real quick that I don't think Tony was scamming Leon or Mathilda by holding on to their money for them "like a bank". I never got that vibe from him in the film. I think he was an honest, genuine guy who was simply doing that for them because they weren't able to store their cash in actual banks, you know? Leon was an illiterate "cleaner" and Mathilda is a child.
Ok had to stop halfway through your reaction because I realized I never saw this version. I’ve seen the professional at least 5 times and never saw the version you’re reacting to. Gotta watch it now
This was the first time Jean Reno played a dead-pan serious character, as he is normally a comedic actor. When I saw this in the theatre, I said to my brother "That kids going somewhere" and look at her today, WOW!
Another great movie reaction, Shan. First and foremost, I love this movie. I am a fan of the collaboration between Luc Besson, Jean Reno, and composer Eric Serra. They had also done Le Dernier Combat (aka The Last Battle), Subway, The Big Blue, and Nikita prior to this, and then later Wasabi and 22 Bullets (although not directed by Besson, but he wrote it and produced the latter two films, and Serra didn't compose the music for 22 Bullets, just to clarify). Btw, those are the films by Luc Besson you should react to in the future. A couple of other Besson films I can suggest are Taxi, Joan of Arc, Angel-A, The Family, Lucy, and his most recent film Anna from 2019. And also, yes the movie Matilda (1996) is definitely good and I suggest you put that on your list as well. There's only so much I can say, but I guess I can stop here for now. Have a good day, Shan!
For those that are looking for another good film and more Jean Reno if you haven't already seen it and even if you have, it certainly is rewatchable 1998's RONIN with Jean Reno and Robert De Niro a film I feel doesn't get nearly the attention it deserves considering what a quality movie it is. Not to mention what an amazing cast it has even beyond the 2 leads. I would say more but don't want to give anything away for those of you who haven't watched this gem. So yes Shan I highly recommend reacting to Ronin at your earliest convenience. Great job on the reactions and look forward to many more to come.
Luc Besson's magnum opus. And last REAL good movie, as a matter of fact. Eric Serra's soundtrack is phenomenal, the way it works with Bessons' film making is impressive.
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 discretely at the sound guy to take his headphones off. He caught the actors and crew completely off guard lol. Epic!
Natalie Portman was so extremely talented from a young age. And Gary Oldman really steals the show in this one. His "EVERYYYYYYOOOOOONE!" line will forever be iconic.
And that just happened because he was getting tired of doing the scene over and over, and just let his frustration out. And that ended up being the one they used.
"What are you doing, he's dead?"
"But he ruined my suit!"
Oldman manages to be terrifying and hilarious all at the same time in this classic. What an actor.
"I don't have tiiiiime, for this mickey mouse bullshit!!!" - gary oldman collector moment
Gary Oldman‘s name was in front of Natalie Portman‘s not because his role was so much bigger, but because it was Natalie Portman‘s first role.
The child-like innocence of Leon (minus his job) vs the "aged too quickly" life of Matilda.... Such A unique contrast that makes the movie so interesting.
Exactly this 👌 Leon's a child in an adult body; Mathilda is an adolescent in a child's body. They're like Yin and Yang.
@@DevilsM4rk Doesn't a 12-year-old have an adolescent's body?
Although, the movie was somewhat spoiled for me when I learned that it was the director's treatise on pedophilia as a positive.
I recently learned that because of delays with the production of The Fifth Element, Besson used that film's production team to make Léon, as "a filler". Wrote it in a month, filmed it in 90 days. Wild.
really ?never knew that, that makes it even more outstanding
@@redfrenchmoon2405 I believe it had something to do with Bruce Willis' schedule, so he made use of the crew instead of dismissing them, which led them to make a superior film it seems.
@@kylegacy that's pretty amazing, such a masterpiece... Thx for Bruce Willis schedule ☺️☺️😂
Same thing with Won Kar-Wai's "Chungking Express". It was shot during a break of filming "Ashes of Time".
This film is in my top 10 easily, one of my favorites of all time. I absolutely love the unique relationship between Leon & Mathilda, and Gary Oldman as the bad guy is just -chef’s kiss* - !
You check out a movie called “Ronin”. It stars Robert DeNiro and Jean Reno. It’s a pretty good action movie paced about like this one. The car chances are amazing and real.
This, this, this. Please review this film. It is such an underrated movie. So many recognizable faces, a fun, smart story, and incredible car stunts.
Came to the comment to suggest exactly this!
Great movie. Good action, great car chases and amazing acting.
YES.
I just suggested "Black Swan"...I think "Ronin" would be great too.
6:00 thats Gene Kelly, legendary actor, “It’s Always Fair Weather”
Not Singin in the Rain?
And actual funny D'Artagnan on screen. Usually it's either of the three musketeers. Also funniest swashbuckling scene because of him.
Everyone loves this movie, and actors, especially Gary Oldman. "Who even knows about this movi- EVERYONE!"
The actor who played "Benny" is named Keith A. Glascoe. While trying to make it as an actor, he also played for the New York Jets and stayed employed with the FDNY Ladder 21 to pay the bills. On September 11, 2001, he and most of his ladder died when the Twin Towers collapsed on them after the terrorists drove jet liners into each tower. Rest in peace.
Tried to make a living as a fictional hero; died as a real hero.
"EVERYONE!"
Oldman at his best.
I don’t have TIME.....For this MICKEY MOUSE BULLSHIT!!!
I rather enjoyed his "...be careful" as he warns the SWAT guys knowing they're walking into something they've never seen...
Luc Besson directed a French film in 1990 called NIKITA (La Femme Nikita). It's early Besson but it's incredible. Ultra stylistic and heart-felt. Definitely worth checking out.
Leon is brilliant.
Alao here to recommend La Femme Nikita, in some ways it could be considered a prequel to Leon as there is a character called the cleaner in it, also played by Jean Reno (if memory serves).
@@karllong Just don't watch the American remake.
The TV show was very good too with Peta Wilson.
Fun fact: The old lady during the family massacre was woody Allen’s old Biology teacher
woah really? jajjajjajaj so funny
_"That's pretty unusual, for the protagonist and the antagonist to never even speak."_ Think back to The 5th Element Shan, Gary Oldman and Bruce Willis never even meet... not sure they ever really even know about each other. Sure Zorg knows Korban's name but only as some contest winner to steal the identity and ticket of (Although ultimately he was 'very disappointed' in that regard).
The closest they get to one another is at the elevators, and even then they don't see one another.
Dallas worked for Zorg's cab company. He was fired (and won free lunch) just before he learned he won the contest
He said it's pretty unusual, not that it never happens.
Did he react to The Fifth Element? I don't see it on the channel.
@@Qdub34 Here's another one: Luke never spoke to Vader in Star Wars: ANH.
Fun Fact: the mobster's girlfriend at the beginning of the movie played the Diva (blue alien opera singer) in 5th Element. Not so fun fact, Besson dated her when he was in his 30s and she just a young teenager. She stated in a "behind the scenes" bit that she believes their relationship inspired the relationship betweein Mathilde and Leon.
And then he got together with Mila Jovovitch on the set of "5th Element"
@@QuayNemSorr And before all that he got together with Anne Parillaud, who he made his lead in La Femme Nikita.
Everytime I hear this I am disgusted all over again. It's like it's such an unsettling fact my brain tries to wipe it from my memory.
YUCK this explains so much lmao
Exactly. The age difference btwn Besson and 'Diva' is the same as Leon and Matilda. AFAIK, the French, at that time, had more lenient views of age differences btwn lovers than US culture does. That's what got cut out of the US version--the scenes which made it more obvious it was a romantic relationship btwn Leon & Matilda and not a father-daughter one.
Matilda gave Leon a reason to live and something to die for. He gave his life out of love for Matilda.
I wish I could upvote this react 100 times. This has been my favorite film since I was a kid. The version outside the US ‘Leon the Professional’ changes the story so much from the US version ‘The Professional’ - the relationship between them is not border lining on romantic.
Thank you!
I think it’s been mentioned a couple of times, but I’d also recommend Besson’s La Femme Nikita. It’s a kind of thematic prequel to this film and was remade in the early 90s as “Point of No Return.”
... and Nikita also features Jean Reno as the 'cleaner', although a different character than Leon. ;)
Gary Oldman's character listens to Beethoven when he is high.
Gary Oldman actually played Beethoven in 'Immortal Beloved', made the same year as Leon.
When Mathilda visits Tony in the end you can see that his face is bruised, I take this as a hint, that he didnt sell them out easy.
If you read the original script for Leon it's described that they killed Manolo, so Tony had to say where they are.
I don't know if they shooted that scene and removed or if it was just discarded.
But worth reading the original script if you like the movie, it gives a bit more details about some scenes.
I've seen this movie so many times and never noticed his face being bruised. I had hated Tony so much because I always assumed he just sold out Leon.
You should definitely watch "Matilda." It's a fun movie.
The roller skating scene is from It’s Always Fair Weather (1955), with Gene Kelly. Leon is a huge fan apparently.
Tony never scammed or betrayed Leon. Leon has no skills outside killing, he's like a child, he doesn't understand how things really work. Tony IS holding the money for him and only gave him up cos he was clearly tortured and beaten.
I've always believed that Tony was cheating Leon but it is true that he appears to have beaten for his information about him.
Tony is holding the money yes. But I always felt it was implied that he kept 99% of them for himself and just threw Leon a few dollars to survive on once in a while.
Tony isn't stupid, and (to paraphrase the IRA) knows that Leon only has to be unlucky once and then the money will be all his.
@@QuayNemSorr I think it's safe to assume Tony gets more money for these jobs than he lets on. Leon is getting his cut but it's probably much less than he should receive. Since he doesn't know much, he doesn't know to question the logistics of the jobs he's sent on.
I don't think Tony cheated Leon. Probably not a good idea to cheat even a child-like hitman. But I definitely think he was holding out on Matilda when she asked for money at the end.
I recommend the movie True Romance.
More awesome Gary Oldman. Also, his True Romance character was partially inspired by the dredlocked dude from this movie.
YESSSSSS
This 1,000%
Yes we all know shan would love the true romance movie!,also shan check out the crime type modern noir with Oldman called Romeo is bleeding ,very under rated performance with Gary oldman
Holy cow yes.
Ohhh such a cult classic! Natalie and Jean had such a chemistry! Gary uffff 🤯 I can’t listen to that Sting’s song without thinking of Lion, sitting next to his plant with a glass of milk, finally in peace.
excellent song to end the movie! it's iconic - and I'm not even really a huge Sting fan, but that song is perfect
This is a great movie, I’m glad you’re watching it Shan!
Would love to see you react to Gary Oldman and Tim Roth in “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead.”
"I'm enjoying this film in the most uncomfortable way" Yep, exactly!!! 😃
Leon is one of my favourite films of all time, with one of the best soundtracks (from Eric Serra). I'm more used to the theatrical version which cut out the scenes of Mathilda working with Leon as a cleaner. It also cut out the scenes about Leon's past love life and toned down Mathilda's "love" for Leon. Both versions are great but they are almost like different films in some ways.
If you haven't seen 'True Romance' you should check that out for Gary Oldman's performance (if you even recognise him that is!).
Eric Serra did amazing work with Besson. His absence was immediately noticeable on Valerian. I was personally disappointed.
This is an awesome movie. The first time I saw it I couldn't believe what I had just seen. It's like Luc Besson, Jean Reno, Natalie Portman and Gary Oldman decided to give a master class in film making and acting.
Besson has written some fun action films. Kiss of the Dragon, and Unleashed, both starring a great Jet Li are plenty cool. I'm not the biggest fan of The Transporter, but Jason Statham is a beast in it. District B13 was a game changer as far as parkour becoming a huge deal to the world and a known factor into action films onward.
This is such a great movie. And with a great soundtrack to boot. Anyone who ever doubted Natalie Portman's acting skills needs to watch this.
TBH I still think this is the role of her career. To this day.
Love to see you watching this. It is one of my all-time favorite films. You should consider checking out La Femme Nikita as well.
I have to admit, this is one of the few cases where I actually enjoyed the theatrical cut better than the full story. Because in the theatrical cut Leon never actually takes her on jobs, they only train. To me this change made Leon more realistic, and sympathetic to me, and it made the situation seem hella more seriosu when the finale goes down because she's NOT used to killing and explosions at that time and she has to grow up THAT instant. I just prefered it that way myself.
Of course. Shan was quite wrong to assume this was the "definitive cut" or what fans wanted to see. Every time someone suggests the Director's cut, 4 commenters respond No Thank-you. The studio edit is superior.
I prefer the theatrical cut. I feel it's perfect and sussinct. Showing her as part of his hits ultimately slowed the film down and made her going after Oldmans DEA character seem slightly less frightening. I never saw the extended scenes and I felt horrible dread thinking she was completely over her head having not had any training. The cut scenes show she at least is aware of some things.
Glad I'm not the only one who feels this way. Her extra training lessens the impact of that final confrontation between her and Oldman and the creepy sexual tension between her and Leon is much more subtle and effective in the shorter version.
It is great that you are reacting to this film. Pretty much much anything Besson is worth watching, but he has made some true masterpieces, and this is one of them. His last film to come out was Anna in 2019, but the last one you might have heard of was Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets in 2017. In 2018, Besson was accused of rape, but the case was dropped in 2019 and he was cleared by a second investigation just now in January of 2021, so maybe he will be getting back to making movies some time not too long from now.
"Shape of my Heart" by Sting is such a great song.
This is one of my all time favorite movies. The bond that developed between the two is very palatable.
I think you mean palpable
OH man, I was waiting for this one ever since I found your channel. I loved that intro-- "G A R Y O L D M A N ! ?"
Also you are now in on the Gary Oldman "EVERY ONE!" meme. Also I remember correctly the theatrical cut mostly cut out the scenes where Natalie Portman's character gets a little more adult with Leon, they didn't think it would play well with American audiences.
Great choice as usual. You might want to check out "The Big Blue", best Luc Besson's movie in my opinion.
I love this movie. Few of my friends have watched it but it's on my list of movies to make sure everyone I know watches it.
Gary Oldman makes it... He's chewing that scenery, hamming it up, to the benefit of the movie. I don't know how it would have worked with some one else in that role. He over plays it so much and has so much fun doing so. I can't even think of an actor that could do it so over the top, yet so convincing. It really is riding the line of great or terrible. He finds that balance.
This is one of those amazing films that lingers in your mind and heart for a long while. The dynamics between Leon and Matilda strums a chord inside you that continues on and on, maybe even forever every time you think about the movie. For a long time, people have been clamoring for a sequel with Matilda as a cleaner. Luc Besson has made some very creative movies with depth many people don't see. Valarian and the City of a Thousand Planets should be your next one. World building was really good if you liked the Fifth Element. And let's not forget the original Nikita. The Transporter. Taken. Lucy. All very cool.
I second all those recommendations! Of the trilogy, I liked Transporter 2 the best.
Just like the famous line in Sin City: "An old man dies, a young woman lives. Fair trade."
I sat my housemates down to watch this a few years ago. Ive loved this film for years. They totally didnt get it or appriciate it which was so annoying! Love the Sting song at the end....Very fitting. Gary Oldman and Natalie Portman...FANTASTIC!
I've seen this movie like a dozen times and never saw the compilation scene where they are going door to door putting gum on the peep holes and cutting the chains. I guess it's safe to assume that was cut, as well as the scene in the pink dress.
Gary Oldman in Bram Stoker's Dracula is my favorite role he portrayed.
Great seeing someone watching this for the first time with _so little knowledge_ of what its about, and being really surprised and shocked and emotional at all the key moments.
...oh and being uncomfortable as well of course. That is always entertaining.
For more of Gary Oldman's early and great performances, check out of Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992). :)
Out of the many many adaptations of Dracula, it is also probably the one that is the most faithful to the source material.
Yeah, Keanu Reeves was shockingly poor casting, only rivaled by Coppola casting his daughter in Godfather III. As for Keanu Reeves, I think it was that he couldn't focus on the accent and act at the same time, but you just have to look past it. His role isn't all THAT big either, thank heavens. The rest of the cast more than makes up for it though, especially Gary Oldman as Dracula..
@@phj223 I'm not sure Winona Ryder's performance is much better, for both of them there is just a little too much dude in their line delivery, but I love this movie and just don't care.
@@jonathanhill4366 Hehe, Winona's performance never bothered me (though I know she's been critical of it herself). What can I say, I was 18 when the movie came out and crushing so hard on her. 😅
The first mobster's girlfriend "I'll see you later sweetie" the director's girlfriend at the time . She played the Opera deeva in 5th element.
'Matilda ' is a good movie but you got to be in the right mood. It's a dark comedy for kids. Directed by Dany Dr Vito.
The song at the end credits is one of my favorite Sting songs. The video implies it was written for the movie.
Oldman's performance is one of his most iconic. The "EVRYONE" line is so famous.
Portman's first performance
You may want to check "The Big Blue" by Besson, also starring Jean Reno. Try to get the European version in English, the US version is edited.
Wasabi (2001) also Jean Reno in an action comedy.
Directed by Gérard Krawczyk and written and produced by Luc Besson.
You should watch Wasabi, main actor Jean Reno, written by Luc Besson and directed by Gérard Krawczyk. Quite a lighter story, but the same asskicking Reno.
2:04 No :( 4:11 More like she wants to rebel.
6:16 "-Is life always this hard or just when you are kid. -Always like this." 7:46 That scene (like many others) is amazing.
7:52 In this movie she did her best acting. She was better young than older. 13:04 She is a traumatised 12 year old.
13:35 I have used that line :) 13:44 'More than meets the eye, robots in disguise...' :)
20:03 Good that Leon got to feel what bed feels like before the end :( 22:33 Like... The Fifth Element ;)
22:45 How Leon says "This is from..." then he almost chokes with emotion saying "Mathilda". Beautiful.
So glad you watched this movie I love your movie choices glad I subscribed
Lighting, mood/atmosphere, music, characters, the camera work, the actors, they way you noticed & reacted to all those amazing features was great 👌
@26:00 sorry Shan I think you're wrong. I think the love is romantic. The US test market didn't respond well to it, that's why some of those scenes were cut, to leave a father-daughter impression. Also the mob gf in the beginning and Besson were dating at the time and the age difference btwn them is the same as Besson and his gf. @shan watches movies
Venus as a Boy is a great song choice for that montage
Great film, cool reaction and excellent review. Another great film with Gary Oldman to watch is Immortal Beloved, where Oldman plays Ludwig Von Beethoven.
Waited FOREVER for Shan to react to this film. He did not disappoint. Now I'll hold my breath for "Road to Perdition."
Leon is one of my all-time favorite characters. Thanks for sharing your reactions Shan!
3:46 That's actress and director Maïwenn, that played the diva in The Fifth Element.
One of my favorite movies. All three leads, as you say, "Act their asses off!" ♥
OMG, I didn't realize how much was cut from the original release.
There was the American version and then the real world version.
classics never gets old
A Besson flick that I feel doesn't get enough credit is "The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc". Might be a good one to check out some time! He also wrote Wasabi, which might be my favorite Reno flick, just a fun watch all around!
The movie Leon is watchin in the cinema at the beginning is It's Always Fair Weather with Gene Kelly singing in the scene.
One of those movies that would be worth watching for the finale alone, so that the rest of it is just as worthwhile is a testament to how brilliant it is.
Leon and his character appear in La Femme Nikita, also Besson. The story goes that Besson calls him and says, “How would you like to be a Star?” He was writing an entire story about his little part. He accepted the part. Leon The Cleaner. La Femme Nikita is a Legendary Film and one of Besson’s earlier work.
What really shined in this movie was how authentic Jean Reno and Natalie Portman's characters were, and how they made a lot of sense from a psychological standpoint.
Reno's character not being allowed to have friends or companionship, along with the trauma he endured when he was younger with his first girlfriend being killed, allowed him to immediately empathize with Mathilda. Mathilda, herself, never having a positive male role model in her life, as well as being exposed to a very adult lifestyle at an ealy age, left her longing for the love of a father figure while confusing it for romance.
Among my three favorite Besson movies, " La Femme Nikita " take the first palce followed by Leon and 5th element.
great film + reaction! My fav by Luc Besson! His early films are great, Subway(1985), The Big Blue(1988), and La Femme Nikita(1990).
Oldman was fantastic in this film, and is great in True Romance(1993)
Another Besson movie where Reno also plays a 'cleaner' (albeit, in a much smaller role), is: La femme Nikita.
Also worth watching Reno in the excellent movie: Ronin.
Le grand bleu, a movie abouf sea divers, also starring Reno and directed by Besson has a great, great soundtrack, a trademark of Besson.
All 3 movies you mentioned are great and well worth reacting to (let's hope Shan does!)
I loved this movie soooo much when it came out. I loved it even more with all the additions of the Director's Cut.
THANKS FOR THIS! You are one of only two youtubers I'm aware of that has reacted to one of my favorite films.
Yes one of the best movies out there. Besson is a fine director. And Gary Oldman? Untouchable, so great at his craft. He so inhabited that character, made him eminently hateable. And do you remember Oldman in The Fifth Element? I know you said you liked it. Again Oldman played a villain, very different from this wacko DEA agent, and very memorable. He was Zorg, evil and quirky. Reno and Portman were also simply great. All in all a wonderful story, masterfully told. Glad you reacted to this Shan.
Leon such an amazing movie, more deep than it seems at first glance... I hope you might react to some other Luc Besson movies. 🎞️🎬🎞️🎬La femme Nikita (1990)🎬🎞️ a really really good movie, and you that enjoyed Ripley or Sarah Connor you might love Nikita...on a other gendra but still great there is Le grand bleu (the big blue) 1988...both in Nikita and the big blue there is Jean Reno... Though Nikita and the big blue are in French.
This is one of my favorite movies. So very good, and Gary Oldman was great as usual in this. Everyone Gary Oldman plays is done to perfection... EVERYYYOOONNNEE!!
I love this movie. I've lost track how many times I've seen this. You have great selection of movies you've reviewed. If I may make a suggestion for a future video: Hero. Starring Dustin Hoffman and Gina Davis. In my opinion the most underrated movie ever made.
I love this movie, seen it many times, but I've never this version. I'll have to look for it. Great reaction!
I saw this when it was new, it's a favorite. Interesting script and such good acting.
Dude, you should watch The Big Blue, another great Besson film, with a tour de force performance from Reno.
Besson has been a gift to lovers of mid-to-low-budget action films, not only because his action scenes are inventive and inspired, but also because his stories are often loaded with unexpected humor and/or legitimate human drama. If you want to immerse yourself in work, consider viewing some of these...
As a writer/ director:
The Big Blue (with Jean Reno; not an "action" movie, but as a story based on a true story - about a free diver trying to set a new depth/time record for diving without - its VERY much worth seeing)
La Femme Nikita (kind of a prequel to Leon, with Jean Reno playing a small part that inspired Besson to write The Professional specifically for Reno)
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (an unofficial sequel to The Fifth Element, it isn't technically set in the same universe, but visually its clearly from the same brilliant mind)
As a writer/producer only:
Taxi films (action/comedy series)
The Transporter series
Unleashed
Kiss of the Dragon - both Jet Li films
Bandidas
Revolver
3 Days to Kill (with Kevin Costner)
District 13 & District 13: Ultimatum
And that's far from a complete list. Had Valerian been better, he'd have become France's Peter Jackson, starting a whole new industry for films with larger budgets, but sadly, like The Fifth Element, its mainly a cult classic.
As for another Jean Reno film you should see (if you haven't already), try Ronin, with Robert DeNiro and Sean Bean, directed by the legendary John Frankenheimer.
The film Léon is watching is called "It's Always Fair Weather" by Gene Kelly. He probably had all these routines just to fill his simple life, outside killing.
I don't know if anybody has commented this, but the movie that Léon sees in the theatre starring Gene Kelly is "It's Always Fair Weather" from 1955. Just found your channel about a month ago and think you're awesome; you review movies most other reaction channels don't and you are very perceptive. Keep it up! 🙂
Did you see 'Apocalypto' yet? Sometimes you watch a movie without expecting much and it totally blows you away; 'Leon' did that to me, and so did 'Apocalypto'.
Great movie and reaction. But I just want to point out real quick that I don't think Tony was scamming Leon or Mathilda by holding on to their money for them "like a bank". I never got that vibe from him in the film. I think he was an honest, genuine guy who was simply doing that for them because they weren't able to store their cash in actual banks, you know? Leon was an illiterate "cleaner" and Mathilda is a child.
Great reaction as usual!
I honestly don't know how your channel isn't 10x as big as it is. Your reactions are phenomenal.
Ok had to stop halfway through your reaction because I realized I never saw this version. I’ve seen the professional at least 5 times and never saw the version you’re reacting to. Gotta watch it now
this was filmed while luc besson was waiting for THE 5TH ELEMENT to get into production-it was filmed very quickly
If you notice, Tony got the crap kicked out of him, he didn't just give Leon up. Tony is a man of his word, but has to do right for his business.
Yay for the extended cut! 👍
This was the first time Jean Reno played a dead-pan serious character, as he is normally a comedic actor.
When I saw this in the theatre, I said to my brother "That kids going somewhere" and look at her today, WOW!
Could've been an interesting sequel with Portman as a grown woman with the skills Leon taught her.
Oh god, please no ^^
Don't jinx us with even more shitty sequels and remakes.
That movie was written and eventually became Colombiana
Love the effort and depth you put in these reviews, Shan!
Another great movie reaction, Shan. First and foremost, I love this movie. I am a fan of the collaboration between Luc Besson, Jean Reno, and composer Eric Serra. They had also done Le Dernier Combat (aka The Last Battle), Subway, The Big Blue, and Nikita prior to this, and then later Wasabi and 22 Bullets (although not directed by Besson, but he wrote it and produced the latter two films, and Serra didn't compose the music for 22 Bullets, just to clarify). Btw, those are the films by Luc Besson you should react to in the future. A couple of other Besson films I can suggest are Taxi, Joan of Arc, Angel-A, The Family, Lucy, and his most recent film Anna from 2019. And also, yes the movie Matilda (1996) is definitely good and I suggest you put that on your list as well. There's only so much I can say, but I guess I can stop here for now. Have a good day, Shan!
Steve Martin and Jean Reno in PINK PANTHER movies are hilarious 😂
For those that are looking for another good film and more Jean Reno if you haven't already seen it and even if you have, it certainly is rewatchable 1998's RONIN with Jean Reno and Robert De Niro a film I feel doesn't get nearly the attention it deserves considering what a quality movie it is. Not to mention what an amazing cast it has even beyond the 2 leads. I would say more but don't want to give anything away for those of you who haven't watched this gem. So yes Shan I highly recommend reacting to Ronin at your earliest convenience.
Great job on the reactions and look forward to many more to come.
"Matilda" is definitely great choice, will definitely see if you want to check it out
Luc Besson's magnum opus. And last REAL good movie, as a matter of fact.
Eric Serra's soundtrack is phenomenal, the way it works with Bessons' film making is impressive.