Action films are not usually my thing but I thought 'Léon' was excellent. Unlike so many movies in this genre, it has a storyline with depth and substance and well-developed, intriguing main characters who the audience can connect with and care about. That's always been rare to find in action movies but it is virtually non-existent in the latest releases.
As the story in 'Léon' develops, the action becomes more prevalent, and the final half an hour or so is almost exclusively action sequences. It builds the drama and tension with great effect and holds your attention effortlessly. Jean Reno and Natalie Portman are both outstanding as Léon and Mathilda respectively, but my personal favourite performance was Gary Oldman as Stansfield - one of the best portrayals of a villain I think I've probably ever seen.
I watched the extended version of this movie, which contains a few 'romance' scenes cut from the original release for being considered inappropriate. While I would agree that a middle-aged man having a romantic relationship with a young girl is definitely inappropriate it was never taken too far, though admittedly these scenes are quite creepy and uncomfortable to watch.
As the story in 'Léon' develops, the action becomes more prevalent, and the final half an hour or so is almost exclusively action sequences. It builds the drama and tension with great effect and holds your attention effortlessly. Jean Reno and Natalie Portman are both outstanding as Léon and Mathilda respectively, but my personal favourite performance was Gary Oldman as Stansfield - one of the best portrayals of a villain I think I've probably ever seen.
I watched the extended version of this movie, which contains a few 'romance' scenes cut from the original release for being considered inappropriate. While I would agree that a middle-aged man having a romantic relationship with a young girl is definitely inappropriate it was never taken too far, though admittedly these scenes are quite creepy and uncomfortable to watch.