Yeah, my interpretataion of the movie (from years ago) was that Besson intended quite a bit of sexual tension between the two. They’re both incredibly scarred and damaged people. Leon by his so-called career and Matilda by what happened to her recently. Putting them together is a recipe for disaster, even if they truly work well together.
It’s also possible that the director was an idiot, and intended something for the movie that really wouldn’t have worked, but that the actors were good enough to make it work anyway.
I doubt it. More like “oh shit, now I’ve gotta figure out how to weasel my way out of paying him”.
He’s not only screwing Leon, he then screws Mathilda over as well. She even knows he’s doing it, and she lets him. I guess she decides she doesn’t need more shit at that point. And, well, what can she do about it?
Based on all his other films, that does seem to be the case. He seems to have lucked into a masterpiece via sheer random dumb luck.
(His film about divers wasn’t too bad, but almost everything else that Besson has done is B-grade action schlock.)
I never saw the one about divers, but I liked La Femme Nikita. But overall, I agree. I think the three Transporter movies were simply Besson trying to fund a cocaine habit or something similar. All 3 were a hot mess, but fun action sequences.
Forgot about Nikita. Yeah, I’m not sure whether Besson lost a writing partner sometime after Leon, or if his brain just died ala George Lucas.
You’re not the only one.
(I loved that Mireille had a pet potted plant in (Japanese TV series) Noir, because it was such a shout-out.)
I’ve seen enough Besson stuff that I now think that the movie was vastly improved by Natalie Portman’s parents, if indeed they were the ones who made Besson cut the sex scenes out of the script.
It works as well as it does because they’re not having sex, I think. Particularly the part where Matilda claims they are.
Fifth Element is one of the awesomest movies in awesome town.
I rather liked Angel-A.
And I’m looking forward to Lucy.
Those are the only three I could find among his imdb credits that I consider respectably good, and one I haven’t even seen yet. There’s a lot of movies on that page.
But still, one masterpiece (Leon) and three more good ones (Nikita, Element, Angel-A) isn’t bad.
No, Fifth Element is a really bad movie. It also happens to be an incredibly fun movie, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s really bad.
Yes, you must. However, I must suggest that EVERYONE watch Leon.
I wouldn’t use ‘incredibly’, but yeah, you nailed it. A movie doesn’t have to be good to be fun. I would say Fifth Element was more fun than The Transporter, but The Transporter was a little better (but still not good) and with better action sequences. Both are watchable if you let your brain sleep while watching.
I went to pull out my copy of The Professional and now I can’t find it. I may have to buy a new one. It is the uncut, international version that I want, right?
As long as you buy “Leon: The Professional,” you’re golden. So this…
or this…