Top 5 Films by Luc Besson

His newest movie, The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec, recently hit the screens in France, and will possibly give a fresh start to director and screenwriter Besson’s once tremendous career.

Most underground

Subway, 1985

Subway is a surrealistic movie whose plot seems as meandering as the Parisian Métro’s corridors. After stealing compromising documents from a shady businessman, professional safecracker Fred (Christopher Lambert) takes refuge in the secret hideaways of the subway. There he encounters a subterranean society of eccentric characters and two-bit lowlifes, including the bag-snatching Roller Skater (Jean-Hugues Anglade) and the Florist (Richard Bohringer). Chased by the Métro police, Fred develops a peculiar relationship with the wife (Isabelle Adjani) of a  businessman he is blackmailing, while trying to start a band with subway musicians (Besson’s stalwarts Jean Reno and Eric Serra). With its unique New Wave-like atmosphere, Subway was seen by almost 3 million moviegoers and marked a breakthrough for the director’s career. It was nominated for 13 Césars, including best film, best director and best actress, and Christopher Lambert won for best actor.

Most idealistic

Le Grand Bleu (The Big Blue), 1988

Jacques Mayol (Jean-Marc Barr), a young free diver, is determined to dethrone record-holder Enzo Molinari (Jean Reno), a childhood acquaintance. But Mayol is torn between his love for Johanna (Rosanna Arquette), his relationship with a dolphin, and his fascination for the sea. Besson displays magnificent underwater photography here, but this very personal film—as usual, he also wrote the scenario—is mostly an obsessive quest for a deeper meaning, beyond human frontiers. Upon its release, Le Grand Bleu became an iconic movie for a whole generation of fans who listened endlessly to Eric Serra’s serene, César-winning score. Twenty-two years later, this story of competition and friendship between two men driven by a shared passion still ranks among the best of French cult movies.

Most psychological

Nikita (La Femme Nikita), 1990

A thrilling movie about a young heroin addict, Nikita (Anne Parillaud), convicted of killing a policeman, who is offered an uneasy choice: either life in prison or a job as a secret assassin for the French government. Choosing the latter, she’s given a new identity, educated and trained by various mentors (among them Jeanne Moreau and Tchéky Karyo) and sent on a series of deadly missions. But when she meets a cute clerk at a grocery store (Jean-Hugues Anglade), she realizes that a third path might still be possible. Both edgy and smart, Nikita revealed the talent of Anne Parillaud; her character’s evolution from a scrawny, lost teenager to a confident woman is at the core of this psychological thriller. She won the César for best actress, and Nikita won the US Golden Globe award for best foreign language film.

Most gripping

Léon (The Professional), 1994

Remember when Natalie Portman wasn’t yet a huge star, but a tiny 12-year-old newcomer? In Léon, her first film, she delivered a superb performance, along with co-stars Jean Reno and Gary Oldman. Luc Besson’s first American film might actually be his masterpiece. Set in New York, it’s the story of two loners, the cold and illiterate immigrant hit man Léon (Reno) and a young orphan girl, Mathilda (Portman), who develop a peculiar relationship, tainted with blood and revenge against a corrupt DEA agent (Oldman) responsible for the massacre of her family in a drug-deal debacle. Raising shady issues, including drug addiction and childhood sexuality, the film shocked its early viewers, but over the years it has become the object of a growing cult. If you can find it, try to watch the long version, with 26 minutes of additional footage, which digs deeper into Léon and Mathilda’s whereabouts.

Most futuristic

The Fifth Element, 1997

Léon‘s success allowed Besson to pursue his dream of directing a blockbuster packed with stars and special effects. Set in the 23rd century, The Fifth Element is a highly enjoyable sci-fi movie that mixes an American cast with a French technical team (including musician Eric Serra and costume designer Jean-Paul Gaultier). Cabdriver—and former Special Forces officer—Korben Dallas (Bruce Willis) must protect redhead Leeloo (Milla Jovovich), a “perfect being” sent from space to prevent the Great Evil from destroying Earth. Visually stunning—special kudos to the traffic jams in the skies of New York—The Fifth Element remains Besson’s biggest hit to date, grossing over $260 million at the box office. Besson has been struggling ever since to repeat that feat.

 

Tied for Sixth

Le Dernier Combat (The Last Battle), 1983. Sci-fi

Jeanne d’Arc (The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc) 1999. Biopic/History

Angel-A (2005). Fantasy/Romance

Arthur et les Minimoys (Arthur and the Invisibles), 2006. Fantasy/Family

 

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Originally published in the May 2010 issue of France Today.