Norman Stansfield (Léon: The Professional) by Gary Oldman

Norman Stansfield is dangerous, apart from slaughtering an entire household in cold blood, because he is unpredictable. His contempt for social norms is displayed in the nonsensical outbursts, bizarre body gestures, and insistence on smelling people in the middle of conversations. Norman views the world as if it were entirely his — which is why, as the movie develops, we begin to get the sense that the main characters - Léon and Matilda - are evading something inescapable.

However, although Gary's Norman exuded absolute wrath and infused every scene with dread, he appeared mainly as a counterpoint to the characters. He was not explored beyond his bond with Matilda. For many viewers, this lack of character development is not a flaw: Norman Stansfield is in no way in need of it. A one-dimensional antagonist works brilliantly in Léon since the film's major emphasis is on the unusual, heart-warming yet sorrowful bond between Matilda and Léon. It is not about Norman's personal history. Hence, he should be restricted to the simple role of "villain" and nothing more.

The most frightening antagonists are those with whom you cannot connect or empathize and those who — literally or symbolically — lurk in the shadows. Norman's status as a terrible killer (with an unfettered bloodlust and a vicious temper) elevates him to a fully malignant force, in line with the film's overall realism. By omitting his background and past stories, the film encourages us to believe in Norman's actuality, endowing his wickedness with a sense of omnipotence.