Leon: The Professional Reaction
Added 2025-02-26 11:56:51 +0000 UTC
Comments
Great reaction ladies. Sorry to hear about the channel being taken down, and I hope it will be re-instated soon. You have such warm hearts and are a credit to the Vietnamese people. I'm with you now.
Phil R
2025-04-02 08:38:58 +0000 UTCOh, of course! 🙂 Agreed there - they *should* watch True Romance. Those two standout scenes (Slater / Oldman, and Hopper / Walken) are enough just for the theatre ticket 👍🏻
Duncan
2025-03-12 20:14:08 +0000 UTCUhhh it is the bad guy from Fifth Element. Gary Oldman.
Alex Anderson
2025-03-08 09:12:25 +0000 UTCHe was Drexyl in True Romance . . . . .They should watch True Romance.
RichieBIV
2025-03-08 05:21:52 +0000 UTCi would like to clarify that when i refer to something as "too difficult" for this channel to cover I'm not saying that the reactors are inherently stupid, but that it contains content one can't do justice to simple as a gut-response reaction on a simple youtube channel. The fact that this movie deals with a lot of issues with pedophilia, means that its very likely that a simple reaction to it in the moment will not appear favorable to ANYONE who publishes initial, first-gut reactions to movies. I'm not saying the reactors are too stupid or inept to comment on the movie, but what I am saying is that it may require more care, planning, foresight, and what-not in order to comment on the movie in a way that... well, frankly, doesn't involve the video reactors vigorously and proactively promoting pedophilia, because its a subtle enough theme and whose meaning is non-apparent that you might actually want to think about the movie before commenting on it. That is, they engaged in a lot of potentially offensive material, not because they're unsophisticated, but because the move is just a complicated movie and not every movie is appropriate for a reaction video if you're going to want to address the controversy, underlying meaning, etc. Its a genuinely more difficult movie to analyze for anyone, not this channel in particular.
Ryan N
2025-03-08 01:55:33 +0000 UTCNah… he looks more like Drexyl in True Romance. Dead ringer!
Duncan
2025-03-07 13:58:13 +0000 UTCRemarkable response. Thanks Henry! Please forgive me. My criticism of your original paragraph spacing was merely (I believe) due to aesthetics; If I’d read your comment on a larger screen rather than on my phone (which I did), the presentation of it would have been a lot more favourable! It raises an interesting point about how things can be interpreted when presented in alternative formats. Nevertheless, an excellent response, and not one to an argument (there’s quite enough of those in comments sections for the likes of you or I to add to)! Respect to you, Henry 👍🏻
Duncan
2025-03-07 12:11:26 +0000 UTCWhen I'm commenting on YouTube videos or texting people, etc. I don't really focus much on grammar, I just type. I also write semi-professionally, and do not generally use paragraph breaks sentence to sentence, but rather when signaling a new point or idea. I appreciate the friendly tip, but paragraph breaks aren’t a requirement for clarity—especially in concise comments (which I considered mine to be). My response was short enough that breaking it up would have been more a matter of aesthetic preference than necessity. That said, I find it interesting that my use of the word condescending prompted a response about formatting since we seem to be in agreement. Sorry for the long-winded response. Hopefully it didn't come off as condescending. Anyway, not really sure what we're arguing about lol. Nevertheless, I respect the intent behind your message and appreciate the civil tone.
Henry N.
2025-03-07 05:18:38 +0000 UTCA friendly tip. When you use the word ‘condescending’ in your comments, try to also break your comments in to paragraphs. That was very insulting of me, but trying to be nice! 🙂 Your opinion stands, though. Besson is a creep. (a comment with genuine respect ❤️)
Duncan
2025-03-07 03:43:24 +0000 UTCI replied something similar on a different comment but saying "this is perhaps too difficult of a movie for this channel to cover" is incredibly condescending. There are different kinds of love, and your one-dimensional take that Leon's love for Mathilda is purely romantic suggests to me that maybe it was too difficult for you. Leon rejects her advances and is clearly uncomfortable in the scene where she dresses up as Marilyn Manroe. Yes, it's a controversial film, I'm not denying that, but most interpretations of this aspect of the film are more nuanced (I have some issues with certain aspects, as well, mainly because Besson is a creep, but I certainly wouldn't character Leon as a creep)
Henry N.
2025-03-07 02:47:57 +0000 UTCDid anybody mention that the actor playing the bad guy in this movie also played the bad guy in The Fifth Element
SpunToTheLeft
2025-03-04 16:21:32 +0000 UTCThey don't have to read my comment, and neither do you. I said what I said. Besides, I disagree with you, I'm pretty sure they would prefer to have a better understanding of the FILM and the ENGLISH language nuances. Your problem is you think I'm condemning somebody when I'm giving them information. If my info isn't to your liking simply don't read my comment.
RichieBIV
2025-03-04 02:16:47 +0000 UTCEnglish isn't their first language. Don't be so pedantic about which words they use to describe things. Also, the boy wasn't shown being shot. The scene is frenetic and there is a lot going on and it isn't obvious on first watching what happened and who did it. I expect most people are happy, like I am, to hear them vocally react a lot. How do you expect them to know when they can or can't say something to avoid clipping dialogue?
Edward Olson
2025-03-03 16:34:51 +0000 UTCYou left out that Besson impregnated Maiwenn when she was 15 -- Maiwenn being the actress who played the teen prostitute in the beginning of the movie.
Edward Olson
2025-03-03 16:28:59 +0000 UTCOne more thing, this is one of the all-time greats to me. All three of you should have watched it.🍿
RichieBIV
2025-03-03 06:34:27 +0000 UTCFirst, Leon isn't a pedophile; he did not see her that way. Everybody knew she was 18. Gary Oldman played a corrupt DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) officer. Gary Oldman's character wasn't high and didn’t have superpowers for sniffing things out (not all of these movies will include magic or superpowers); he was just crazy and a cop. The white Rasta DEA officer killed her brother when he shot through the wall. (Sometimes you three or two are chatting it up too much😒 and missing important things.😐 Let's pay attention ladies!!!!🤪😉!) A bounty hunter isn't a hitman, at least not in America. Leon was a hitman/assassin who mostly worked for the mob. Luc Besson is the writer/director and he is also the writer/director of "The Fifth Element," and he's French(obviously). That's why the French film elements are present in this movie. Which starred Chris Tucker(Rush Hour) who was not in "Coming to America" Chi😉. Also, his plant isn’t a tree.
RichieBIV
2025-03-03 06:33:20 +0000 UTCMost people who know about this movie know about how controversial some of the subject matter within it is, and subsequently about Luc Besson.
Duncan
2025-03-02 18:32:25 +0000 UTCI agree
christopher brown
2025-03-02 16:00:04 +0000 UTCYou guys, Hella is not stupid. She has seen (and says in this) Padme in Phantom Menace, (1999) where Portman is playing 14. So clearly she can tell a 12 year old Portman in 1994 is younger than 18. She says she is believing (or pretending) she is 18 because (I think) she wants to have fun with getting caught up in the romance of love. She loves that stuff. It’s hard to tell, but she specifically says at one point, that she’s going to roll with 18. I think it’s like when you watch a movie with a plothole or something you don’t like and you say “well, it has cool something else, I’m choosing to ignore it.” I hope. For those that don’t know, the director Luc Besson was in his 30’s when he started dating a 13 year old, whom he married when she turned 16, and that inspired this story.
Jef Etters
2025-03-02 12:30:23 +0000 UTCI wasn’t in reference to alcohol. We were entering a casino. She still looked 20 at 44.
Noal McInnis
2025-03-02 12:23:56 +0000 UTCPeople in some supermarkets in the US are required to ask ID for alcohol for anyone who appears around 35. They know the person is clearly old enough to buy alcohol. It doesn’t mean anything, really.
Jef Etters
2025-03-02 12:22:10 +0000 UTCExcellent comment. When he sends her off in the air vent, he believes he’s not going to leave that room alive. So he just agrees and tells her that he loves her, to help her be happy. I focused too much on Oldman in this movie (natch, great performance); I forgot how good Jeon Reno was as a kind of damaged person just trying to get by hand to mouth with a tragic backstory. It’s brilliant. He found a lost soul and they connected.
Duncan
2025-03-02 01:41:22 +0000 UTCIt all kicked off on the chat again didn’t it! Munchies - can you react to Dunkirk please? Excellent Christopher Nolan stuff! 🙂👍🏻 🇪🇺 🇨🇦🇬🇧🇻🇳
Duncan
2025-03-02 01:38:21 +0000 UTCLeon did not "fall in love" with Mathilda. He came to love her, but not romantically or sexually. Mathilda was a broken child who was exposed by her upbringing to things that she should not have, and was acting out, trying to act adult and believe that those things were okay for her. Leon was a child himself, emotionally stunted and never growing past the trauma he experienced as a 19 year old. Leon tried over and over again to get her to act her age. He NEVER would have treated her as an adult until she actually was an adult. Don't insult Hella by suggesting that she can't understand the movie because it's "difficult." In movies, actresses are almost always much younger than the leading man, and the movie multiple times said she was 18, and I've met many 18+ year olds that look 12.
Edward Olson
2025-03-01 19:02:41 +0000 UTC65. Settle down? He's not a Muslim. Do you know that I finally realized after all these years the first dope dealer who got a warning was sent by the DEA agent. And milk is good for your bones. I've been drinking it for years and you women need to start drinking it. Women are more prone to osteoporosis thats why. While your still young start drinking milk. There are 2 releases of this film and I saw the theatrical release. I was under the impression that he was more of a father figure towards her and still do with this extended version. She did give him purpose again after killing so much. In the beginning he was cold but in the end he changed. So far this reaction channel has been delivering excellent movies and this one is good. If you noticed its a Luc Beeson film. Excellent review. On to the next
Saints_Madness
2025-03-01 06:19:28 +0000 UTCThis is a good example of a movie with an anti-hero. The narrative "hero" of the movie is not necessarily right morally. Its supposed to challenge you. This movie makes you empathize with the bad guy. This is perhaps too difficult of a movie for this channel to cover. They understand the Hollywood movement, but no the underlying moral meaning and problems associated with it.
Ryan N
2025-03-01 03:49:55 +0000 UTCWow, I uh.. don't really know what to say about this one. Mathilde is clearly a damaged and traumatized young child, and seeing the girls (especially Hella) cheer on her sexual advances towards a much much older man is uncomfortable and a bit weird.
Chris
2025-03-01 03:09:46 +0000 UTCOkay, further into this movie, let me clarify. Literally in real life she is 12. This is a child. This is a movie about a man who falls in love with a literal child. I get that the movie is... presented as sort of pro-Leon, but that's the narrative element. The viewer is expected to be more sophisticated than that. This is a man that kills people for a living. He's not *actually* a good person.
Ryan N
2025-03-01 03:05:28 +0000 UTCDude, Natalie Portman is 12 years old in this movie. Kind of important context to be missing 1:20 into the movie.
Ryan N
2025-03-01 02:40:02 +0000 UTC"Hollywood types"? This is a French film. This is not a Hollywood production.
Joel Purvis
2025-03-01 01:12:13 +0000 UTCGreat Reaction, Gary Oldman is very good in Air Force One (1997) also Matilda (Natalie Portman) will change her name to Evey move to England and meet V
christopher brown
2025-03-01 00:48:35 +0000 UTCAlso, Training Day
Joe Stüll
2025-02-28 15:32:37 +0000 UTCI would like to recommend a movie from around this time that also features a young Natalie Portman to a lesser extent. The movie is Heat (1995). It is also fitting since you have been doing crime movies lately.
Joe Stüll
2025-02-28 15:19:05 +0000 UTCWhen this movie came out in the theaters, everyone knew a star was born. Natalie Portman had acting chops at age 12, and still does today.
TippedDuke
2025-02-28 02:43:09 +0000 UTCtop tier movie!
Bangors Mostbaked
2025-02-27 22:30:05 +0000 UTCFrom what I understand it was also Portman's parents that threatened to remove her from the film if they didn't get rid of the planned sex scene. I don't understand how Besson thought that would go over okay with audiences.
Henry N.
2025-02-27 20:19:46 +0000 UTCRumor is her mother never let her out of her sight. lol Probably knew not to trust these Hollywood types alone with her daughter.
Manospondylus
2025-02-27 15:14:24 +0000 UTCThe Gary Oldman character was an officer in the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) but he was also dealing drugs. He was a criminal and a cop.
Eric Muirhead
2025-02-27 05:12:46 +0000 UTCI had the same thing happen to my ex when she in her mid 30s trying to get alcohol from the supermarket. It's can be very difficult telling the age of people from different countries.
Andy Worthington
2025-02-27 04:06:41 +0000 UTCyeah I got that too! (no woodchipper necessary)😆 jk
Mark W
2025-02-27 03:09:21 +0000 UTC😌 another good one!
Mark W
2025-02-27 03:06:21 +0000 UTC🔥 Man on Fire 🔥 next please 🙏
Blackwargreymon00
2025-02-27 02:12:02 +0000 UTCHella, "She's 18!" Katie, gives sideways glance, pats Hella on the arm, as if to say, "you keep believing that girl..." LOL!
Jeffrey Roberts
2025-02-27 01:44:11 +0000 UTCAlso, just gotta say, some ppl in these comments are unbelievably soft, or thin skinned. I assume most are adults, grow up.
Brett Norman
2025-02-27 00:59:05 +0000 UTCGreat Reaction Ladies! One of my top 50 favorite films of all time, and one that was hugely influential to artist working in many different mediums, all over the world.
Brett Norman
2025-02-27 00:55:39 +0000 UTC00:14:01 - Hella…. “Oh… I know him!” Yep, there he is! Gary! 😂
Duncan
2025-02-27 00:48:13 +0000 UTCOne of my favourite movies ever. Thanks Munchies. After about 10 months of enjoying your channel I’ve finally decided what movie I’d like you to watch. A Time to Kill 1996. Your reactions to comedies are usually my favourites, but the heavy dramas of the 90’s are what made me love movies and you seem to enjoy them too. Please consider it. Thanks ladies!
shaymus
2025-02-27 00:12:46 +0000 UTCGood grief. Clearly a lot of the commenters have never lived in any other country. Guessing a teenager’s age from another country is not easy. My wife is Asian and still got carded at 44. She looked like a teen until her late 30’s. An American mistaking Mathilda’s age would be odd, but not someone from another country who’s never even been here before.
Noal McInnis
2025-02-26 23:32:46 +0000 UTCI like Movie Munchies and all the girls or else i wouldnt support this channel with my hard earned money.I did mean it in a playful way but if reactors cant take a little criticism now and again even if its in jest then maybe they are in the wrong job.Plenty of other people have pointed out the same thing what Hella thought and that first guy who complained about my post must have got his feelings hurt lol
Scottish Smurf
2025-02-26 22:50:53 +0000 UTCMatilda is 12. Natalie Portman the actress was also 12 when she did this movie.
N2Joker
2025-02-26 22:41:34 +0000 UTCGood to see both channels getting some Natalie Portman action, she's had some iconic roles
Juice
2025-02-26 21:19:54 +0000 UTC"Not the sharpest tool in the box" isn't exactly the worst insult in the world but still a bit derogatory. I'm sure you meant it in a playful way but tone can be hard to read through text haha. I find it likely that Hella wouldn't even know what that means but if she reads the comment she might google it, and google tells people they might have cancer if they have a runny nose.
Juice
2025-02-26 21:14:39 +0000 UTCI do like it when the Munchies channel gets heavy! Avengers movies are fine for others’ cups of tea, and The Munchies are great for their mixing up of all the genres for everyone! But….. ‘Dead Man’s Shoes’ next….? 😂
Duncan
2025-02-26 20:55:03 +0000 UTCI think some of you missunderstood Hella she knows Portman was underage but she said she was going to Pretend that she was 18 that is why katie laughs whenever Hella mentions her age
Blackwargreymon00
2025-02-26 20:40:50 +0000 UTCThere’s controversy in this movie…. but let’s keep this a happy place 🙂👊🏻
Duncan
2025-02-26 19:58:57 +0000 UTC1:04:04 That's a pretty hot pose there Hella.
Manospondylus
2025-02-26 19:54:36 +0000 UTCIf you *do* have the power to influence the movie picks…. can you recommend True Romance? Because now I want The Munchies to react to Drexyl Spivey. Ta! 🙂👍🏻
Duncan
2025-02-26 19:47:08 +0000 UTCI think part of it might be the fact that Hella is kinda tiny herself, and so I imagine that she was mistaken for being much younger than she actually is in the past, so when Matilda says she's eighteen, Hella believes her and just thinks that everyone else is underestimating her.
Austin Lee Moyer
2025-02-26 19:30:38 +0000 UTCI never saw anyone mention The Untouchables though….. 👀
Duncan
2025-02-26 19:25:07 +0000 UTCI agree. I think that this movie is controversial for many reasons not least how much the relationship is open to interpretation. I didn't know that Jean Reno changed Leon's character that way but for me that's where the intrigue in their relationship lies. It's in the interaction of a street-wise and manipulative, young teenage girl, who is very smart and now the centre of attention with a crush on her saviour. And, an extremely vulnerable, emotionally immature and obviously troubled guy who comes across as having difficulty managing feelings and communicating with people. It's the way it elicits those really strong feelings you get watching them interact in those awkward scenes that is one of the most powerful aspects of this movie I think. I can see why they made big cuts after test screenings because it's no way an easy watch and it's very controversial subject material but still an absolute masterpiece of a movie.
Andy Worthington
2025-02-26 19:07:11 +0000 UTCOh, I don't think it was my suggestion alone but ceratinly one I'd asked for. American Psycho is a good call, though. I'm sure they read through the comments and keep a list going of suggestions.
Andy Worthington
2025-02-26 18:34:07 +0000 UTCthe comments are not making me want to watch this reaction, this is already kind of an uncomfortable movie if you know the various controversies behind it and it seems hella misunderstood the main relationship if i'm reading some of these comments right, i'd be careful uploading this to youtube as the comments are not going to be kind, it is a good movie if you watch it as it is and Luc Besson is a very talented director who has made many good films, he is unfortunately also a massive creep, we have jean reno to thank for changing the character of leon to not accept mathilda's advances
Jonathan Kidman
2025-02-26 18:31:20 +0000 UTCHmm I wouldn't say looked past. I'd say it's more innocent/familial love than anything remotely romantic. A preteen knows what sex is, but doesn't understand it. Her drug dealing father marryin a bimbo and walking in on them bangin in the bathroom doesn't lead you to knowing what a relationship of a mature nature is lol. Leon got taken advantage of by some woman in his life, he's also naive. He loves her like he loves his plant, though obviously a human being is far more personal lol. They both were lost and found solace in each other while not knowing how inter-personal relationships are supposed to work. That is as far as it goes: like Joel and Ellie from The Last of Us. I don't want to picture what goes on in Luc Besson's head hahaha, though I do love many of his movies.
Thalanoth
2025-02-26 18:27:54 +0000 UTCI think we tend to look passed it, but I think the girls see what was meant to be seen. The director was well known to be a creep.
Daryl
2025-02-26 18:09:22 +0000 UTCSuggest American Psycho for me?
Manospondylus
2025-02-26 18:08:25 +0000 UTCI would expect being from an Asian country they don't always see it as clearly as we can. Just as they could probably get closer to guessing the age of a Vietnamese person.
Manospondylus
2025-02-26 18:06:14 +0000 UTCGreat reaction. Great movie. Appreciate what you girls are doing 😁
Francisco
2025-02-26 17:30:55 +0000 UTCIt's just my opinion; as per usual they ask what you thought of the reaction in the end and post in the comments below. So I did; I find it creepy and weird to think a grown woman can look at someone that is clearly a child for almost two hours and continue to either not see or figure out that she is a child but also push for a truly adult relationship between them. You can argue Luc Besson wanted that to be the case, but, I found Hella's perspective beyond awkward. Katie obviously knew and even tried to tell her a few times (uhh, she's clearly not 18), and somehow that just slipped past her? It was simply too weird for me. Makes me wonder what the common perception on extremely young girls in adult relationships (by our standards) are like in comparison to Vietnam, and leaves a really sour taste in my mouth due to my western bias. Does that clear it up for you?
Thalanoth
2025-02-26 17:19:40 +0000 UTCI wouldn't be surprised if someone told Besson to tone down Leon lol; I think that's been a recurring theme with him
Thalanoth
2025-02-26 17:13:54 +0000 UTCExplain to me how it is out of line?
Scottish Smurf
2025-02-26 17:11:09 +0000 UTCYour terrible comment before wasn't enough and you felt the need to double dip? Shameful.
David Collins
2025-02-26 17:09:14 +0000 UTCYour comment is completely out of line. I genuinely hope you have to common sense to delete it yourself.
David Collins
2025-02-26 17:05:27 +0000 UTCI haven't watched the reaction but it's often hard for ethnicities to guess the age of other different ethnicities. Portman is also kind of dolled up in this film. If you want to really be disturbed read the original script for Leon.
Henry N.
2025-02-26 16:43:19 +0000 UTCHella thinking Mathilda is 18 when she is clearly a child, yeah she is cute but not the sharpest tool in the box lol
Scottish Smurf
2025-02-26 16:41:08 +0000 UTCWhy being so harsh with them. You could just explain the situation without the personal attack…
Puceron
2025-02-26 16:33:04 +0000 UTCyou are a God amongst locust..no, a diamond in the rough.
Mark W
2025-02-26 16:14:38 +0000 UTCTop marks for requesting!
Duncan
2025-02-26 15:59:49 +0000 UTCWell, that was hands down the most uncomfortable I've ever felt from any reaction video I've seen. Not understanding the agent is a corrupt DEA officer is one thing, different country, different law enforcement, but Mathilda and Leon's relationship should be obvious. Not realizing she's clearly a child and not 18 is just... I don't know how to describe that. That's not a cultural thing lol, she's obviously a desperate kid from a crap family, and Leon saved her life; what follows is just her developing a complex from that salvation. It's generally cute and funny when y'all miss something, I think probably most everyone thinks that way about your videos... but this one, man; that was just straight up disturbing. Of course their relationship is controversial, she's a pubescent girl creating sexual tension amidst her life falling apart and he's an uneducated loner immigrant hitman lol but c'mon. I can't understand how it takes the entire movie to realize she's not 18; that's just... blind or something, I don't know, can't describe that.
Thalanoth
2025-02-26 15:54:28 +0000 UTC"She's 18!" Oh boy. Do we tell her?
Grumples
2025-02-26 15:52:12 +0000 UTCTHIS is the best community so far! Someone keeps recommending these great movies. 😎👍
Mark W
2025-02-26 15:23:41 +0000 UTCI forgot to mention the cinematography of Luc Besson in this movie, also. That scene where Leon opens the door to Mathilda!
Andy Worthington
2025-02-26 15:22:53 +0000 UTCI think that the only one of the 5 I originally suggested that hasn't been done now is Jojo Rabbit. I love how Sam Worthington manifests his inner Gary Oldman in that movie. Come on Munchies, let's see you do Jojo now.
Andy Worthington
2025-02-26 15:20:53 +0000 UTCWhomever Recommended this Movie = IQ > 9000 \m/
Proto Type
2025-02-26 14:46:07 +0000 UTCI have a beaded curtain on the doorway to my kitchen. It’s permanently hooked either side of the doorway, however now I’m going to let it hang free so every time I go in my kitchen I can part it theatrically and pretend I’m Gary 😂
Duncan
2025-02-26 14:19:23 +0000 UTCOoh they didn't? This was one of my requests and I can't wait to watch it this evening. Natalie Portman, Jean Reno and Gary Oldman's best performances in my opinion!
Andy Worthington
2025-02-26 14:17:03 +0000 UTC1:01:30 I know France is weird, but damn how messed up is Vietnam lol? She's 12 years, old cmon Hella lol...
Thalanoth
2025-02-26 14:11:10 +0000 UTCAwesome! One of Gary Oldman’s very best roles too! 👍🏻
Duncan
2025-02-26 14:03:21 +0000 UTCI ❤️ Luc Besson's movies. He has made a couple of other awesome movies; " Lucy" and maybe his best "Valerian"
Johnny Sondergard
2025-02-26 12:45:29 +0000 UTCLove this movie. The acting all around was great, and this may be Natalie Portman's best performance in any movie.
PapaXan
2025-02-26 12:26:48 +0000 UTCOmg! One of my favorite movies ever! I can’t believe how well you are feeding us lately. Keep it up Munchies!
Noal McInnis
2025-02-26 11:58:40 +0000 UTC
