History YMMV / TheProfessional

* CompleteMonster: [BigBad Detective Norman Stansfield]] is a [[RabidCop psychotic DEA agent]] who takes advantage of his position to [[DirtyCop terrorize, extort and kill who he wants]]. On a drug bust, Stansfield, after finding out that Mathilda's father has been cutting the stashed cocaine he gave him, decides to get high on drugs and slaughter Mathilda's family, including her [[WouldHurtAChild baby brother]], only caring about how he'll explain the deaths to his superiors. Foiling Mathilda's plan to kill him, he attempts to kill her while she's crying, taking pleasure in killing people who value their life. When Leon kills one of his men during a drug deal and rescues Mathilda, Stansfield leads a raid on Leon's apartment with the intent to kill the two, later shooting an injured Leon InTheBack before he can escape, fatally wounding him in the process.

* CompleteMonster: [[RabidCop Detective]] Norman [[AxCrazy Stansfield]] is a [[DirtyCop DEA Agent]] who takes advantage of his position to terrorize, extort and kill who he wants. On a drug bust, Stansfield decides to get high on drugs and, while [[WickedCultured playing classical music]], slaughters the whole family, including the couple's baby son. His only emotion over it is how he'll explain the death to his superiors. Stansfield, when confronted by the couple's 12-year-old daughter later, think that she's there to kill him, but when she can't bring herself to and breaks down crying, Stansfield asks her if she enjoys living. When she says she does, Stansfield makes clear [[WouldHurtAChild his intent to kill her]], saying he takes no pleasure in taking the life of someone who doesn't value their own.

* TheWoobie: The main characters. Léon especially, who even as a hired killer, behaves rather childishly and innocent. He drinks milk, waters potted plants and watches old musicals with the look of a fascinated boy.

** This wouldn't be the last time Gary Oldman plays a cop in a corrupt precinct in a city full of psychopaths. His character was just a wee bit different [[Film/TheDarkKnightTrilogy the next time around, though...]]

* LoveToHate: Norman Stansfield is a [[AxCrazy raging, psychotic,]] drug-addicted, DirtyCop who will kill at the drop of a hat. However, thanks to Gary Oldman's incredible over-the-top and oftentimes funny performance, it's almost impossible not to love him as a villain.

* HilariousInHindsight: This wouldn't be the last time Gary Oldman plays a cop in a corrupt precinct in a city full of psychopaths. His character was just a wee bit different [[Film/TheDarkKnightTrilogy the next time around, though...]]

* AwesomeMusic: Sting's "Shape of My Heart", the end credits theme.

* CrossesTheLineTwice: Stansfield is so over-the-top with his violence, from stopping a massacre to lecture someone about classical music to shooting at an old lady for not going back into her apartment when told, his psychosis is often as amusing as it is horrifying.
* HilariousInHindsight: This wouldn't be the last time Gary Oldman plays a cop in a corrupt precinct in a city full of psychopaths. His character was just a wee bit different [[Film/TheDarkKnight the next time around, though...]]

* CompleteMonster: [[RabidCop Detective]] Norman Stansfield is a {{Dirty|Cop}} DEA Agent who takes advantage of his position to terrorize, extort and kill who he wants. On a drug bust, Stansfield decides to get high on drugs and, while [[WickedCultured playing classical music]], slaughters the whole family, including the couple's baby son. His only emotion over it is how he'll explain the death to his superiors. Stansfield, when confronted by the couple's 12-year-old daughter later, think that she's there to kill him, but when she can't bring herself to and breaks down crying, Stansfield asks her if she enjoys living. When she says she does, Stansfield makes clear [[WouldHurtAChild his intent to kill her]], saying he takes no pleasure in taking the life of someone who doesn't value their own.

** Of course, [[TropesAreNotBad it doesn't detract from the movie]].

* CompleteMonster: [[RabidCop Detective]] Norman [[AxCrazy Stansfield]] is a [[DirtyCop DEA Agent]] who takes advantage of his position to terrorize, extort and kill who he wants. On a drug bust, Stansfield decides to get high on drugs and, while [[WickedCultured playing classical music]], slaughters the whole family, including the couple's baby son. His only emotion over it is how he'll explain the death to his superiors. Stansfield, when confronted by the couple's 12-year-old daughter later, think that she's there to kill him, but when she can't bring herself to and breaks down crying, Stansfield asks her if she enjoys living. When she says she does, Stansfield makes clear [[WouldHurtAChild his intent to kill her]], saying he takes no pleasure in taking the life of someone who doesn't value their own.

* {{Narm}}: Léon's slow motion, cross-eyed yell right before his room gets hit with a grenade.

** WeirdAlEffect: Those who are not familiar with this film will believe it originated in the 2005 video game, ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeed: [[VideoGame/NeedForSpeedMostWanted Most Wanted]]''.

* TearJerker: [[spoiler: Léon's death. A rewatch of the movie (and a reminder of his status as TheWoobie) only makes it worse.]]

* CompleteMonster: Detective Stansfield is an AxCrazy [[DirtyCop DEA Agent]] who takes advantage of his position to terrorize, extort and kill who he wants. On a drug bust, Stansfield decides to get high on drugs and, while [[WickedCultured playing classical music]], slaughters the whole family, including the couple's baby son. His only emotion over it is how he'll explain the death to his superiors. Stansfield, when confronted by the couple's 12-year-old daughter later, think that she's there to kill him, but when she can't bring herself to and breaks down crying, Stansfield asks her if she enjoys living. When she says she does, Stansfield makes clear his intent to kill her, saying he takes no pleasure in taking the life of someone who doesn't value their own.

* CompleteMonster: Stansfield is such a manic psychopath that even his own men are afraid of him. He thinks nothing of killing a family, including the children, for shits and giggles while listening to classical music. Even though he seems upset about his henchmen killing Mathilda's little brother, he is really more worried about answering to his superiors for killing the little brother and his compassion seems to be more about finding out who sent Mathilda. Also, his voluntary going through lots of pills is to be taken into account, for any emotions he shows might be because of his wild, drug-addled mood swings. When one of his henchmen responds with disdain after the little brother is killed, Stansfield himself seems to have no concern one way or the other. As he later puts it:
-->'''Stansfield:''' It's always the same thing. It's when you start to become really afraid of death that you learn to appreciate life. Do you like life, sweetheart?
-->'''Mathilda (whispering):''' Yes.
-->'''Stansfield:''' That's good — because I take no pleasure in taking a life if it's from a person who doesn't care about it.

* {{Narm}}: Léon's slow motion, cross-eyed "AAAAAAHHHHHHH" right before his room gets hit with a grenade.

* CompleteMonster: Stansfield is such a psychopath that even his own men are afraid of him.

* MoralEventHorizon: Stansfield crosses it faily early on, when he kills Matilda's family.

* SpecialEffectsFailure: [[spoiler:Stansfield discovers the grenades in Leon's vest. Cut to outside, where one of the cars blows up before the explosion happens in the building itself.]]

* CrowningMomentOfFunny: Leon showing Tony his new apprentice.
-->'''Tony:''' Isn't there supposed to be an age limit?
** Also, the scene where Matilda fires a gun randomly... followed by she and Leon being forced to move.
--->'''Léon''': Mathilda, don't you ever do that again or I'll break your head. You got that?
--->'''Mathilda''': OK.
--->'''Léon''': I don't work like that. It's not professional. There is rules!
--->'''Mathilda''': OK.
--->'''Léon''': And stop saying "OK" all the time! [[HypocriticalHumor OK?]]
--->'''Mathilda''': [[RuleOfThree OK.]]
--->'''Léon''': Good.

* TheWoobie: The main characters. Léon especially, who even as a hired killer, behaves rather childishly and innocent. He drinks milk, waters potted plants and watches old musicals with the look of a fascinated boy.

* {{Narm}}: Léon's slow motion, cross-eyed "AAAAAAHHHHHHH" right before his room gets RPGed.