The Professional (1994)

LE FEMME NIKITA's Luc Besson reexamines the art of assassination, this
time by pairing a 12-year-old orphan (Natalie Portman) with a reclusive
hitman (Jean Reno).  The hitch is that the girl wants to become a
"cleaner" herself.  She wants revenge on the men who killed her family.
Distasteful?  Exploitive?  Maybe-- but no one choreographs violent death
quite like Luc.  Ballet should be so brutal.

There's style to spare in director Luc Besson's first American feature,
though the story needs more midsection.  Running a mere 93 minutes, THE
PROFESSIONAL is over before it begins.  With Gary Oldman and Danny Aiello.
(Rated "R"/112 min.)

Grade: B