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Léon: The Professional
Movie

Léon: The Professional

1994 • Action, Crime, Drama

Woke Score
2
out of 10

Plot

After her father, step-mother, step-sister and little brother are killed by her father's employers, the 12-year-old daughter of an abject drug dealer manages to take refuge in the apartment of a professional hitman who at her request teaches her the methods of his job so she can take her revenge on the corrupt DEA agent who ruined her life by killing her beloved brother.

Overall Series Review

The film focuses on the grim, intensely personal journey of an orphaned 12-year-old girl, Mathilda, and her unlikely guardian, the Italian-American hitman Léon. The narrative is driven by an elemental desire for revenge against a corrupt, psychopathic DEA agent, Stansfield. The core of the story is the complex, unconventional bond that forms between two emotionally isolated individuals as Léon reluctantly takes on the role of protector and mentor. The dark, often violent, New York City setting is a backdrop for themes of redemption, connection, and the persistence of innate goodness in a morally bankrupt world. The central conflict is purely a criminal and personal one between a professional killer and a corrupt government official, driven by character trauma and unique moral codes, rather than broader social or political commentary.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics2/10

Characters are judged by their actions, not their immutable characteristics. Léon is an immigrant hitman, and the antagonist, Stansfield, is a white, corrupt government agent, but the conflict is between an individual's personal moral code and institutional psychopathy. The narrative does not utilize race or ethnicity to lecture on privilege or systemic oppression, nor does it vilify 'whiteness' as a cultural construct.

Oikophobia2/10

The New York setting is depicted as a gritty, violent, and corrupt environment, particularly among drug dealers and the DEA. The critique is aimed at institutional corruption and the dark urban underbelly, not at Western civilization, heritage, or ancestors in general. The movie does not romanticize other cultures or utilize the 'Noble Savage' trope.

Feminism5/10

The 12-year-old Mathilda is a strong-willed, action-driving female protagonist who demands a male-coded profession (assassination) from a male mentor, aligning with 'Girl Boss' characteristics. She is not instantly perfect and requires training. Her biological family, including her mother, is dysfunctional and abusive, which is an anti-family element. However, her relationship with Léon is primarily one of a protective, paternal bond, which prevents a full 'emasculation of males' trope.

LGBTQ+1/10

The story centers entirely on the male-female relationship between Léon and Mathilda. The plot does not feature any alternative sexualities, nor does it contain any commentary, centering, or lecturing on queer theory or gender ideology. The focus is on the establishment of a singular, protective male-female pairing as a new, non-traditional familial unit.

Anti-Theism1/10

The movie explores themes of morality and redemption, establishing that a natural, innate goodness exists in Léon despite his profession. Léon's actions and ultimate self-sacrifice reflect a transcendent morality and personal code, rather than moral relativism. The narrative does not criticize or vilify traditional religion, as the core conflict is with corrupt law enforcement and crime.