Review: Leon

Leon is great example of how all the right ingredients can be combined to create a great tense, action, thriller. First take one Jean Reno, cast him as the withdrawn uncompromising assassin.  Now reach to the top shelf take Gary Oldman, as a the off the rails psychotic, reckless two-faced cop. Throw in Natalie Portman, aged 12 as an abused, unloved child whose family has been slaughtered by Oldman and has now sought refuge with the hitman next door.

But rather than just being a film about revenge, Leon allows each of it’s start actors the freedom to develop their character beyond the norm. Gary Oldman’s insane speach regarding Beethoven just moments a gun-fight is a gem. Jean Reno as Leon is more than just a loner but also shown to be quite emotionally immature and this is absolutely vital for the film to work.

Having recommended watching the film to some friends I’d forgotten about the *possible* hint of sexual tension between the very young Portman and Reno.  The scenes with these two however are portrayed brilliantly and very carefully. Leon is a simple and kind man who relies on his mob connection ‘Uncle Tony’ to hold his money, get him jobs do most of the thinking. Portman teaches Leon how to read and although the two clear form a great friendship the film never eludes to a sinister child abuse story.

Leon still holds up well despite it’s age and although it’s rated as an 18 would probably weigh in much lower today. It’s not about guns, guts or the gore and it’s not really about the girl. It’s about Leon an assassin with one rule ‘No women, no children’.

Review: Wall-E

Pixar’s Wall-E is a joy to watch, set 800 years in the future our lonely Wall-E robot continues to clear the trash-ridden waste land of a long ago abandoned Earth. Imaginative and charming Wall-E is a solar panel for your heart, unfortunately that glow slowly dims leaving you smiling but not enthralled with a tale of robot romance and misadventure.

Wall-E is the sole surviving mute yet adorable robot on a bleak planet Earth. Followed by his seemingly indestructible cockroach sidekick, Wall-E’s life is a mundane repetition of refuse collection. Somewhere in between ET and Johnny 5; Wall-E is curious little fellow that often strays from his directive of creating giant blocks of garbage and collects interesting objects like the odd Rubik cube and the occasional Ipod. Until Eve arrives, a more advanced robot probe searching for signs of life. Infatuated by Eve, Wall-E stumbles into a inter-stellar romantic voyage to find the surviving human race and return home.

Pixar are masters at breathing life into their creation, but the film isn’t as enjoyable as it’s main character. Somewhere along the way Wall-E the robot steals the show and Wall-E the film is just a distraction. Wall-E the film lacks the childhood nostalgia that Toy Story and Monsters Inc delivered in abundance. It’s hard to relate to almost apocalyptic Earth but fortunately Wall-E is there to save us.

One thumb up.