The director's cut (international). This is clearly a case of censorship, because some audiences had problems with a 12 year old girl's sexual awakening... The story is fuller, and Leon's burst in the end ("you teached me to live", or something like that) doesn't seem to come out of nowhere like in the shorter cut.
shareDirector's cut because it doesn't feel compromised. Even though it's set in New York, this is a French arthouse film through and through, and the theatrical cut always seemed a bit off. Like it was trying to be more of an Hollywood thriller for the masses, and the revenge aspect was the most important part of the film. But it never was. The most important aspect of the film was always the relationship between a lonely killer and a lost girl.
shareMy favorite 2 scenes are the restaurant scene and the russian roulette scene, so... yeah.
shareInternational all the way. Even though it’s longer the pacing is much better, it focuses on the Leon/Matilda relationship which is the real heart of the film, the incredible final act is much more heightened because of this.
The only downside is that the super-awkward ‘I love you Leon’ stuff is shoved in your face more, and Leon’s reason for not deflowering her is some sob story when it really should be ‘because you’re a fucking kid?’
It’s awkward but it’s the directors’s vision and these are two fucked up people who form a bond. Crucially, the sexual stuff is one-way, she has a crush on him, he doesn’t show signs of lusting after her. From his end it’s father-daughter.