Film Review : THE PROFESSIONAL * * * *

The Professional (1994)

CAST Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman, Danny Aiello

DIRECTOR Luc Besson

Action movies in recent years have been ruled by the indestructable hero who never gets killed or grazed by a bullet, usually possessing super human strength. Here in Luc Besson's The Professional, not only do we have a human hero, but one we care about.

Jean Reno plays Leon, a professional hitman who refers to himself as a "cleaner". He is so serious about his job, that he has developed a system for his own day to day life. He sleeps sitting down with one eye open, a gun at his side. When he moves in to different apartments he checks them extensively. He has been alone and has excepted that as how it is.

In the same apartment complex lives Matilda, played with such tenderness and grit by Natalie Portman. She is twelve and has a drug dealer for a father. One day while she is out getting groceries, a crooked cop named Norman "Stan" Stansfield (Oldman in a strong performance)comes to find out why his dope was cut. In the process he guns down Matilda's whole family, including her four year old brother. She slips in Leon's apartment virtually unnoticed. Leon and Matilda slowly bond and get close. She wants to learn how to "clean" so she can avenge her families death. Leon is sketchy about it at first, but gradually begins to show her some tricks.

The story is real to the touch. There is action, but not like in other lesser films where its non stop and has no substance. Luc Besson is careful in how his action sequences are used. The relationship between Leon and Matilda is complex for what it is. Certain passages between the two are critical in later exposing their meaning. Danny Aiello is wonderful as Tony, the man who hires Leon for certain jobs. Oldman is equally terrific as a psycho dirty cop. It's the relationship between Leon and Matilda however that steals the film. Not to mention we have a hero we can believe as to be a real man. Everything is handled perfectly in this film, which is both dramatic and sensitive. An intelligent action film with heart and substance, The Professional will leave you touched and satisfied.