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Mathilda's Search For Love

posted 8 years ago by bowilly-88704
2 replies | jump to latest

The story between Leon and Mathilda is very emotional. Strong emotions are always present, in most scenes between them. Happiness is an emotion, that they seldom experience, it is very brief, and often eludes them. Sadness is the most noted emotion, which ultimately brings them together, and their story begins.

For years, Leon has lived a life of death and violence, isolated from the world and everything in it. Existing only to master his trade, and living in the world he created, built on revenge. Only when Mathilda comes along, does his life change, and his desire to live again, saves her life.

In Mathilda's world there is no chance for happiness, only pain and misery, and the loneliness that comes with it. She has been robbed of her childhood, and she is driven by the one thing that she wants most in life. She desperately wants someone to care for her, and show her the Love, she has never known before.

Only with the help of this dangerous and mysterious loner, is she able to recapture her childhood and escape her World of Despair. Along the way, she discovers the true meaning of Love and the happiness and sorrow it can bring. In the end, she is given a new chance at life, only because she was willing to sacrifice everything to find, what should have been given to her long ago.

As for Leon, what does he see in Mathilda? How is she able to change him so drastically, from a cold blooded killer, to her protector in such a short period of time? What power does Mathilda have over him, that no one else possesses?

I believe this story is beautifully written. Is it a hard premise to buy? Maybe So, but we are talking about film. Still, I believe there is a message, that lies within, for all to see.

[–] knobob1 8 years ago

I have a slightly different understanding.
What Mathilda is looking for is not just love, it's more what she always missed: fatherly love.
Unlike Leon, the crap Stansfield shot was far from a father figure.
Just young teen feelings might be confusing. Mathilda can't tell her need for a father from a crush on the hit man neighbor.

The hotel receptionist witnesses this confusion. she checked-in calling Leon "Daddy", then she calls him her lover in a bout of mythomania.

On Leon side, it's more simple. behind the cold blooded killer, there is an immature teenager. From this point of view, he's mentally not much older than Mathilda. That's maybe why he broke one of his safety rules and didn't kill her that first night, and then could never get rid of her.

In the scene with the pink dress (extended version) Leon put an end to the confusion turning down Mathilda's advances.
From this point, they both accept (for the few next hours) a kind of father/daughter relationship which will climax when Leon drops her in the fan conduit.

[–] bowilly-88704 8 years ago

When we first meet Mathilda, you can tell that she is a very sad and lonely girl, later we meet her family and we understand why. As we witness throughout the film, Mathilda is a very strong minded person, but I believe her loneliness runs much deeper than what she shows on the surface. In my opinion, Mathilda was searching not necessarily for a father figure, but for anyone willing to show her love and affection.

As it turned out, in her search, she did find true love. Leon's final act of love for her, was his willingness to die so that she might live.