Léon: The Professional (1994)
90%RT Audience Score: 95%
Awards & Nominations: 6 wins & 15 nominations
Pivoting on the unusual relationship between seasoned hitman and his 12-year-old apprentice — a breakout turn by young Natalie Portman — Luc Besson’s Léon is a stylish and oddly affecting thriller.
Luc Besson’s The Professional is like a twisted version of Annie, but with more guns and less singing. It’s a stylish and thrilling ride that keeps you on the edge of your seat, even if it’s a bit excessive at times. The performances from Natalie Portman, Jean Reno, and Gary Oldman are top-notch, and the final showdown is a thing of beauty (if you’re into beautiful violence, that is). Overall, it’s a masterpiece that still holds up today as a classic action film.
Production Company(ies)
Armory Films, 1993 Lucky Treehouse
Distributor
Columbia Pictures, Columbia TriStar Home Video
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Paris, France
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for scenes of strong graphic violence, and for language
Year of Release
1994
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital Dolby Atmos
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Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
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Runtime:1h 46m
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Language(s):English, Italian, French
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Nov 18, 1994 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 24, 1998
Genre(s)
Action
Keyword(s)
starring Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman, Danny Aiello, Peter Appel, Michael Badalucco, directed by Luc Besson, written by Luc Besson, action, R rating, box office gross $19.0M, reviewed by Ed Potton, Peter Travers, Steven Rea, Michael Wilmington, Jay Boyar, Jeff Shannon, Mike Massie, Emilie Black, Andrew Pollard, Ed Travis, Pat Padua, thriller, hitman, apprentice, abusive father, corrupt police officers, crooked DEA agent, revenge, family, drama, affection, shoot-’em-up, character study, outstanding performances, thrilling action, well-rounded script, unique amalgam of genres, showcase for acting talents, young breakout turn by Natalie Portman, stylish, oddly affecting, disturbing, weirdly moving, less than subtle, kinky twist, Orphan Annie, Daddy Warbucks, French writer-director, La Femme Nikita, American action movies, Luc Besson’s first English-language hit, less here than meets the eye, pretty darn thrilling, singular style, directorial sensibility, exciting, dangerous ride, city, breathtaking, beautiful violence, absolute masterpiece, jaw-dropping performances, turned-up-to-11 Gary Oldman, tricky character dynamics, remarkable performances, well-rounded script, intriguing amount of depth, endearing thriller, superb performances, bombastic second half, unique amalgam of genres, showcase for acting talents, orphaned, loner cleaner, become a family, learning the trade
Worldwide gross: $19,552,639
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $39,557,440
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,442
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 4,313,788
US/Canada gross: $19,501,238
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $39,453,449
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,171
US/Canada opening weekend: $5,306,558
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $10,735,832
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 934
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): FRF 115,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Gary Oldman – Stansfield
Natalie Portman – Mathilda
Danny Aiello – Tony
Peter Appel – Malky
Michael Badalucco – Mathilda’s Father
Director(s)
Luc Besson
Writer(s)
Luc Besson
Producer(s)
NA
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
6 wins & 15 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (64) | Top Critics (20) | Fresh (47) | Rotten (17)
Luc Besson’s first English-language hit is, like much of the Frenchman’s work, less than subtle, yet it is stylish, disturbing and weirdly moving.
November 11, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Ed Potton
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Leave it to french writer-director Luc Besson (La Femme Nikita) to put a kinky twist on Orphan Annie and Daddy Warbucks.
June 4, 2014
Peter Travers
Rolling Stone
TOP CRITIC
Ultimately, like La Femme Nikita, there may be less here than meets the eye. But what does meet the eye is pretty darn thrilling.
June 4, 2014 | Rating: 3/4
Steven Rea
Philadelphia Inquirer
TOP CRITIC
The sheer craziness and excessiveness of the movie — no crazier, perhaps, than many of the American action movies it copies — never finds a center of gravity.
June 4, 2014 | Rating: 2/4
Michael Wilmington
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
The Professional is strictly amateur-hour.
June 4, 2014 | Rating: 1/5
Jay Boyar
Orlando Sentinel
TOP CRITIC
Like Quentin Tarantino, Besson has a singular style and directorial sensibility that keeps you watching.
June 4, 2014 | Rating: 2.5/4
Jeff Shannon
Seattle Times
TOP CRITIC
There’s a surprising amount of depth, drama, and affection for a film marketed primarily as a shoot-’em-up thriller.
September 14, 2020 | Rating: 10/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
… the awesomeness of some of its scenes like the final showdown which is just breathtaking in its beautiful violence.
April 19, 2020 | Rating: 5/5
Emilie Black
Cinema Crazed
Unquestionably, Leon is an absolute masterpiece with some jaw-dropping performances from Natalie Portman, Jean Reno, and a turned-up-to-11 Gary Oldman.
November 19, 2019 | Rating: 10/10
Andrew Pollard
Starburst
The tricky character dynamics, remarkable performances, and thrilling action of Leon has never been topped in Besson’s 30+ year career.
November 6, 2018
Ed Travis
Cinapse
Holds up as an exciting and dangerous ride through a city that still exists in the mind.
August 28, 2018
Pat Padua
Spectrum Culture
Leon: The Professional is a wonderful character study, enriched by outstanding performances, thrilling action, and a well-rounded script that gives the film an intriguing amount of depth.
November 17, 2015 | Rating: 4/5
Jeff Beck
The Blu Spot…
Plot
After her father, step-mother, step-sister and little brother are killed by her father’s employers, the 12-year-old daughter of an abject drug dealer manages to take refuge in the apartment of a professional hitman who at her request teaches her the methods of his job so she can take her revenge on the corrupt DEA agent who ruined her life by killing her beloved brother.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Gary Oldman’s performance as crooked DEA agent Stansfield in The Professional is described as “turned-up-to-11” and “jaw-dropping” by critics.
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