The Film
With her family gunned down by corrupt cops, 12-year old Mathilda (Natalie Portman) is taken in by a lone assassin, and wants to learn his trade to seek revenge. Léon (The Professional) is not your average Hollywood tale, but then again Luc Besson (Le Femme Nikita) isn't your typical director. This story of the relationship that develops between the 12-year-old Mathilda and an Italian-born, Little Italy-trained hitman contrasts with the backdrop of a ragged New York and the dirty work at hand. The title character shows his skills as an accomplished assassin - or "cleaner" - while the rest of his life is sheltered and even undeveloped. As their friendship blossoms, Mathilda shows Léon how to exist in the real adult world, just as the pair head toward a climatic showdown.
The Picture
This film didn't try to show off the "improved" and "cleaned up" version of New York, instead focusing on the seedy and gritty world of old apartments and long-term hotels, which provide a somewhat vintage and timeless feel. These internal scenes have an almost sepia tint while external scenes show a more colorful New York, such as the sweeping Central Park, which possess crisp greens of trees that contrast with the gray and steel of skyscrapers. This all pops in HD thanks to the 2.35:1 widescreen 1080p presentation which brings to life both ends of the spectrum.
The Professional starts and ends with vicious shootouts, commanding every inch of the 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio. The surround sound also delivers in the quiet moments where a professional like Léon needs to sneak in the shadows to pull a knife on his target's throat. The various sounds, from almost ambient ping of a sliced high-powered sniper rifle to the target in Central Park to a missile launcher meant to take down Léon, each (and every other sound effect) is presented with stunning clarity. Quiet, loud and everything in between is available on this disc.
The Extras
After several DVD releases of the film over the years, the Blu-ray almost gets it right the first time. This disc includes both the original American version of The Professional, as well as the uncut international version of Léon. Rather than confuse the matter any further, this one is released with both titles, hence Léon: The Professional. The extended version includes 23 extra minutes of footage, and in addition to these two versions, the disc includes a (now dated) 10-year retrospective with interviews of the cast and crew. Two additional featurettes include Jean Reno: "The Road to Léon" and Natalie Portman: "Starting Young." The film also has a "fact track" version, which plays the film with facts appearing on the screen pop-up video-style.
However, the disc does come up a bit short. Missing from this release are the theatrical trailers and the international ad campaign, talent files, an isolated music score, production notes, and interactive menus, which appeared on the previous two DVD releases of the film. Some of those features, such as the talent files, become unnecessary since the Blu-ray version has three featurettes focusing on the cast and crew. But why these few extras couldn't all find a home in one place would have been as welcome as Léon's tree finding finally establishing roots in the earth.
Final Thoughts
Releasing the first Blu-ray version of The Professional with both the U.S. and international versions of the film makes for a classy - dare we say professional - package. Though a few extras from earlier DVD versions were omitted, the bonus features that are present are enjoyable and help the viewer to appreciate the film. A high quality video transfer and masterful surround sound complete the package. This endearing film, which captures the unlikely relationship between a hitman and a 12-year-old girl is certainly worth the upgrade to Blu-ray.
Product Details
Where to Buy:
| Overall | |
|---|---|
| Video | |
| Audio | |
| Movie | |
| Extras |
