Léon - The Professional (Deluxe Edition) (DVD)

I deserve a slap in the face considering this was my first time seeing The Professional, or as it is called here Léon, since it is being presented in its unrated entirety on this Deluxe Edition DVD.

Léon is the second Besson film being released in a deluxe edition by Sony along with The Fifth Element on January 11th and it is well worth the treatment it gets here with the Superbit presentation and DTS sound.

This movie taps into human emotion as it creates characters that are immediately identifiable. Jean Reno has become a quiet, yet recognizable, talent as he always offers up stellar performances as well this film features the young Natalie Portman at the ripe age of 12 in a film not necessarily meant for that delicate age group.

Mathilda (Portman) has just come home from grocery shopping to find her family slaughtered and the murderers still in her apartment. In an effort to escape, she calmly walks down the hall to Léon's (Reno) apartment passing the killers on her way. She is, from that point on, was witness to a world she would have never expected but eagerly accepts as she learns Léon's profession is far from ordinary.

Léon is a professional assassin and at the sound of this Mathilda perks to the thought of becoming "a cleaner" herself and becomes her new found friend's protégé, on her way to seeking revenge for her family's untimely death.

Portman and Reno both offer up amazing performances but there is no overlooking Gary Oldman's part in this play as he shows us just what it means to be psychotic as he plays a corrupt DEA agent.

Just like The Fifth Element DVD this one comes with a worthless trivia track, but a couple of good bits on disc two that are worth checking out in your spare time, primarily a visit with Portman as she discusses the film, her parents' reaction to the script and the filming of the movie itself.

On top of that is a look back at the film featuring all those involved as they look back on the film 10 years later as well as a look at Jean Reno's career leading up to Léon.

As for what unrated and extended means with this edition you get approximately 24 minutes of footage left out of the 1994 theatrical release here in the States. This footage will be nothing new to international viewers as they were seen abroad, but is what you get is a little more of the training of young Mathilda as well as a much more sensuous look at her infatuation with Léon, scenes that were seen as a bit too racy for American audiences to cope with, go figure.

I don't think I have to spell it out for you, but I will anyway... Buy this DVD.