Léon Director's Cut   Starring: Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman and Danny Aiello Optimum Home Entertainment RRP: £15.99 OPTD1642 Certificate: 15 Available 14 September 2009

Léon is a deadly and elusive killer. He lives a routine life alone in New York with just his plant for company, until the day twelve year-old Mathilde rings his doorbell in desperation and so becomes part of his life. Mathilde has just narrowly escaped being murdered along with her parents by a ruthless man and his colleagues who Mathilde's father double crossed on a drug deal. Léon reluctantly takes Mathilde under his wing, and the two go on the run. But Mathilde wants revenge, and as she soon discovers, Léon can teach her how to exact it...

Léon: Director's Cut is more than just the theatrical version of the movie with a few cut scenes stitched back in. Interestingly enough director Luc Besson actually refers to this version of the film as "The Long Version." Besson calls the original theatrical version of the movie the "Director's Cut". The edition on this disc is also known as the "International Cut" and was previously only available in Japan theatrically. It's never been released in the UK, but has been issued twice on DVD in America (in 2000 and 2005) where it's better known as Leon - The Professional.

This cut has around 25 minutes of additional footage which helps to cement Léon and Mathilde's relationship much better. Mathilde falling in love with Léon is shown more in depth and her training is also explored. The result is a much more rounded and satisfying movie.

Extras include 10 Year Retrospective (25 min, 09 sec - which features new interviews with the cast and crew); Natalie Portman: Starting Young (13 min, 49 sec new interview with Portman); Jean Reno: The Road to Léon (12 min, 24 sec new interview with Reno); and the original theatrical trailer.

If you are a fan of the theatrical cut of the movie, then it's well worth picking this new collection up to see the extra depth given to the story.

10

Darren Rea