MUBI

Luc Besson’s first English language film is an entertaining mix of action, sentiment, comedy, and brilliantly conceived, over-the-top shoot-outs.

Besson imports his favorite star, Jean Reno, to star as Leon, a quiet hit-man for a mob boss who, quite inadvertently, takes in young Natalie Portman after her entire family is wiped out by a psycho drug-dealing DEA agent (Gary Oldman, in full throttle). The hit-man, an emotionally distant, childlike auto-bot, begins to feel a sort of parental responsibility for the girl, who wants to learn his craft for revenge purposes, but when she starts feeling a true love for the older man, we’re made to feel as uncomfortable in the situation as Leon.

Portman, only eleven at the time, holds her own against vets like Reno, Oldman, and Danny Aiello, and she’s really what makes the film work so well, blending a Lolita-like precociousness with the vulnerability of a school-girl who just saw her family murdered by drug dealers; it’s a tricky, edgy part for a first time actress, and she’s unforgettable.

As for the action scenes, anyone who remembers “La Femme Nikita”, Besson’s most successful French film, knows what to expect; lots of cool close-ups and dizzying tracking shots, blood packets, and loud explosions. Exciting, but the unusual relationship between Reno and Portman is the key, and they’re fascinating.