Director Luc Besson was ambitious during the
1990s, hot off his French hit “La Femme Nikita,” about a troubled woman trained
to become an assassin back when such ideas were, “Whoa, who woulda thunk?” (Recall, this was long before the silly “Lucy.”
“Leon” –- known in the U.S. as “The Professional”
–- offers a spin on that as a 12-year-old NYC girl (Natalie Portma, in her
debut) is taken in by a hitman (Jean Reno) after her uncaring, vile family is
murdered by DEA thugs. She mourns only her toddler brother. Gary Oldman is the
head DEA agent, an evil freak who pops Quaaludes like chocolate. Young Matoilda
wants to learn the assassin trade to kill Oldman and his badged thugs. Leon
reluctantly agrees. But Matilda is troubled as she mistakes adoration for a
fatherly figure for sexual attraction. In a huge misstep, Besson introduces this
dynamic and then runs away from it. He opts for massive, very artsy gunplay
instead, and it is wildly entertaining, the entire long climax involving Leon
and every cop in the city. My college pals all loved the film, but I still find
it a bit too loose for its own good. Oldman’s cop is far more amusing than
dangerous. Put this guy up against any Joe Pesci character from the era, he’d
fold like pancake batter. Reno has never been better. And I knew back then
Portman was something to behold: Tragic, funny, confused, angry; she amazes. B
“Fifth
Element” gleefully torches any set standard. Oldman returns as the villain,
doing a twisted take on -– I gather -– Marvin the Martian as an arms dealer out
to steal precious alien stones that could save Earth from annihilation. Oldman’s
Jean-Baptiste Emmanuel Zorg (awesome name!) insists he’ll make money off the
ensuing chaos. A Republican? No matter. He’s up against Bruce Willis as Korben
Dallas, ex-soldier turned cab driver in 23rd century Brooklyn. By winking
coincidence, Korben has stumbled on Earth’s new savior, a fiery ginger head named
Leeloo (Milla Jovovich). Part action/comedy, “Firth” is a love letter to “Star Wars” and “Blade Runner” -– both made when Besson was a teen. He spills references
-- Leia hair buns, a familiar brown robe, and Brion James (RIP) – so fast, they
fly by. “Fifth” also is a must for oddball film score buffs, thank you, Eric
Serra. The best joke: Willis’ hero and Oldman’s villain never meet, separated
by the most (purposefully) contrived circumstances. VIP is Chris Tucker as an androgynous
DJ who ends up narrating the action. Some found his Ruby Rhod a disaster, I
love the WTF attitude of him (her?). A-
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