a bluffer's guide to leon


Give me a random quote that will lead into an informative Q and A

"Mathilda: Leon, what exactly do you do for a living?

Leon: I'm a cleaner.

Mathilda: You mean you're a hitman.

Leon: Yeah.

Mathilda: Cool."

What's it about?

Mathilda is a wise 12-year-old living in a run-down New York block. When her parents are killed by a corrupt DEA man and his cohorts, the girl hires nice but dim hit man Leon to wax the bad guys. Leon loves very little except his plant but when Mathilda comes into his life, he realises there's more to things than just being a killer. And that's about it.

Great. Can I have that in a nutshell?

An assassin who moves without sound. Kills without emotion. Disappears without trace. Only a 12-year-old girl knows his weakness.

What's so good about it?

One of the few movies shot in New York that looks like it was made in France. Less is definitely more as Luc Besson fleshes out the unique tale of a child in a man's body and a woman's mind in a little girl's head. Great performances from all and an outstanding turn from Gary Oldman as the corrupt DEA officer. The finale is also superb.

What does it remind me of?

There's the obvious comparison with Besson's earlier smash Nikita. Elements may remind you of The City of Lost Children which was made a year later.

What's bad about it?

Mathilda's guardians come across like cartoon characters, but then again, so do many scumbag villains in real life. The closing track by Eric Serra is hideous. As with Goldeneye and The Fifth Element, he did insist on singing over the closing titles. A really bad idea. Great composer, awful singer. Casting Reno as an Italian was also a dubious choice.

Who would like it most?

Students; Besson fans. Anyone who likes a good thriller. Fans of Oldman and Reno of course.

So, any chance of a sequel then?

Unlikely unless it's centred on Mathilda as a young woman. For those who haven't seen it let's just say that the chances of Leon or Stansfield re-appearing are unlikely.

Give me another quote that's a bit poetic and sounds cool

"I take no pleasure in taking a life if it's from a person who doesn't care about it." Stansfield

Thanks very much. How about a list of credits?

Leon: Jean Reno; Stansfield: Gary Oldman; Mathilda: Nathalie Portman

Written and directed by Luc Besson.


roger crow 1998

Disclaimer: All of the above is just my opinion. This does not reflect that of my employer or anyone else. So don't sue me. Cheers.