Leon is the "brutal assassin with a heart of gold" trope to a tee. Sure, he works for a gangster and doesn't seem to care all that much about who he's killing, but he's rendered human, not to mention heroic, through his relationship with young Mathilda (Natalie Portman), who he trains in his craft. When Mathilda eventually becomes captured by the violent DEA agent who killed her family, Stansfield (Gary Oldman), Leon metes out a ton of heroic bloodshed while allowing Mathilda to escape. Leon nearly makes it out of the apartment block too but is gunned down by Stansfield, though has one final surprise for the DEA agent: a jacket full of active grenades primed to blow. Callous killer gets humanised? Check. Saves the girl? Check. And dies a sacrificial death? Yep, that's a classic anti-hero alright, and the fact that Leon seems almost child-like at times makes it much easier to root for him despite his murderous ways.
Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes).
General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.
