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by Troler

Free Software fundamentally misses the point. It fails on a practical, ideological, economic, and political level. Let’s examine precisely how (in a slightly different order for the purposes of presentation).

Tension is one of the most important concepts in storytelling. Get it right and the unfolding events are going to pay off. Get it wrong and the pursuing story-line is going to be a slog.

Tension is useless without payoff. As the body stiffens up, as the mind wonders what is about to happen, there is a desire for something to occur. When nothing comes off of the build-up, it comes of as deception. By continuously building up more and more tension without a climax, the viewers are trained to not expect the tension to be paid-off. The boy cried wolf, but no wolf was there. As the people keep hearing about wolves, but seeing none, they'll stop paying notice. c:0

Luc Besson's 1994 film Leon: The Professional is a feature with layered tension. As the assassin and the titular character Leon (Jean Reno) goes by his depressing life, there is a depressed 11 year old girl standing besides — Mathilda (Natalie Portman). As is the case with depressed people, they simply don't care about themselves. Knowing that, the director, who also wrote the story, can push them to the edge.

Humans are not absolute in their character. Push them hard enough and at some point they'll break. Luc Besson handles plays with this fact, by pushing the characters deeper and deeper into trouble. There is an expectation of the crack, that means there is involvement and care for the characters. That's possible because the viewer was trained to expect quandary to be worth it. Be it the beginning of the film, where some shady men are picked out in the shadows. Corpses keep piling up. First dead man found in the elevator, then the other one is hanged. As the action unfolds, the camera shows the reaction of the overlord. There is expectation of the whole death typhoon to reach that particular man. The whole movement displays a climax building up in the eyes of the big dawg. Until... a hand with a knife comes from the shadow. The boss is now a marionette. After the viewers are able to soak in what had just occurred, a head leans forward to the light. The assassin's face is finally fully seen. Before, the only detailed given were the eyeglasses.

The viewers were conditioned for the build-up to pay off. The relationship between the little girl and the oversized professional murderer boy is tense, they do not meet eye to eye. Because the viewers already know whatever they put trust in is likely going to payoff, care is put into the characters. The relationship between Mathilda and Leon is both familiar and romantic. On top of action scenes, it creates a multi-layered build-up. The viewers are intrigued where the story is headed. The world reacts to the love between the little girl and the Italian man.

In one case, they are kicked out of a hotel, because Mathilda told the receptionist (George Martin) she's in love with her "dad". It occurred so, because the girl had a conversation with the key-holder. At first viewers are intrigued where it's headed, but as the topic pivots to more and more spicy areas tension builds up. Once she says the words "lover", the viewers are in suspended animation. As they see the bald hitman with the little girl walk packed, the build-up pays off.

The whole movie is just layers upon layers of build-up and pay-off. If it were sex, the viewers would likely drop dead from exhaustion. It just so happens, Luc Besson knows when to take a break. As a result, the viewers would walk away after a good intercourse. There is play between Mathilda and the Italian. Here, I don't mean fore-play, although that likely occurred in between time skip, as there was supposed to be a sex scene, but the actress mother didn't allow it. I understand her, Luc Besson does have a pussy curse, but that's a whole another rabbit hole out of scope of the review. Let me clear, when I say rabbit, it doesn't mean Playboy bunny girl type of hole. Even with arbitrary restrictions set by a concerned parent, the movie pulses with action, emotion and lots and lots of worthwhile pay-off. c:1

The towns-folk were trained to expect the boy to cry wolf. In Leon, the viewers came were trained to expect the built-up to go out with a climax, like they've never felt before. Boy did Luc Besson deliver.

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  Blender Dumbass c:0 February 09, 2026




Interesting analogy.

  Blender Dumbass c:1 February 09, 2026




What the fuck did this movie do to your brain?

... replies ( 1 )

  Troler c:3 February 10, 2026



@blenderdumbass A lot...

  Blender Dumbass c:2 February 09, 2026


I like that you chose the Russian poster for this review. I don't know what that means. But I sense a presence of some sort of reference here.

  Troler c:3 February 10, 2026

... c:1

  Blender Dumbass c:1 February 09, 2026

when I say rabbit, it doesn't mean Playboy bunny girl type of hole

What the fuck did this movie do to your brain?

@blenderdumbass A lot...

c:3 @Troler
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