O Profissional

This has to be, without a doubt, one of Jean-Paul Belmondo's finest hours on screen.

I can only guess that "Le Professionnel" is the kind of movie that helped inspire future action-directors like Luc Besson, the way it mixes raw violence with quirky charm and last but not least: some memorable, often cartoonish characters: Robert Hossein is creepy as hell as police captain Rosen, and Belmondo ignites the screen with charm and charisma, so much that the scene with the helicopter will just tear your heart out.

This French little gem has thrills, action and even a few laughs, it includes such showstoppers as a car-chase in front of the Eiffel Tower (!) and even a wild west style duel in broad daylight on the streets of Paris. To top it all of the soundtrack includes one of Ennio Morricone's most famous movie themes!

In short: highly recommended for fans of European action movies.

This is a fabulous movie. Probably the best work of Jean-Paul Belmondo ever. The musical score by Ennio Morricone is nothing short of fantastic. Too bad, that it is not easy to get in America.

Very melodic, beautiful orchestra score.

For me this is the best work of Bel Mondo. The story its just perfect, Joss (main character) uses the orders that the service gave to him to kill president N'jala even after he became friend to to his government. They betrayed him and left him to die in prison. The character of commissaire Rosen it's a perfect one. I have seen this movie maybe 20 times and every time I find something new. The speech in the end between the minister and capitaine Valeras it's my preferite moment: Is this call under surveillance? Of course Mr. Minister. The duel between Rosen and Joss in the best picture of Paris I have ever seen is also great. But the truth is every moment and every word is perfect. You don't have to miss this movie.

There are not many movies which impressed me as much as this one. Everything is perfect, actors, story and as the best) the music of Ennio Morricone..... One of the movies you can see as much as you want...you will never be bored! Forget modern/new action movies made in Hollywood. See this one. Today no one makes movies like this any more... Just unbelievabel and great!

Look at this movie with young and fresh eyes, and it shouldn't work.

Look at it with older eyes (I'm 42) and it shouldn't work either. I mean, so much has happened in over 25 years! But somehow magic is involved, and the movie works. There is something to be said about french cinema from the 60s/70s/80s. Timeless classics were made.

I might view this with rosy eyes since it's from my youth. But I actually saw it in my youth and didn't think much about it. Having re-viewed it a few times in my older years, I start to notice the details of the story, the beauty of the acting and the actors of the era. But while the story as such is fine, what really ties the movie together is the sound track. Ennio Morricone did something extraordinary here. The notedly beautiful "Chi May" (italian for "whatever") may not be from 1981 (it was done years before), but here it really finds its home. Rarely does music from a sound track of a relatively unknown movie induce such feelings almost 25 years later.

And with that said, I can only say this: If you enjoy real, old school cinema, this should really be on your "movie bucket list".