It's true that some of his productions, especially the kung fu flicks, are trashy.

But why criticise a man who is eager to bring his childhood fantasies to life (The Fifth Element was written by Besson out of boredom during his adolescence) and share them honestly - whether we enjoy it or not - with the public?

There is a child in every man, and this is especially true in the case of Besson, whose movies always contain a comic book flavour that celebrates style over content, excitement over reason and action over emotions.

All of his major feature films, from Nikita to his animation debut Arthur and the Minimoys (released in Hong Kong this Easter), have style, excitement and action.

Their plots are incredibly thin, but Besson, who usually co-writes his own films, doesn't seem bothered.

It is the vertical shots of New York City, the silhouette of Leon the professional killer, the designer clothes worn by gorgeous actors and actresses in his futuristic Manhattan and the ethereal image of a sword from heaven landing slowly on the ground in Joan of Arc in which Besson invests his talent and passion.

Besson has a tendency to play pranks on everyone, including the deadliest villain.

Consider the scene in The Fifth Element where Gary Oldman's villainous character chokes on a cherry after delivering an evil speech, or the battle sequences in which Joan of Arc's sidekicks head into battle with the zest of schoolboys starting a fight in the playground.

These gags are disruptions to the plot, but they are great fun to watch. It's fun to imagine what a hilarious adventure comedy Besson could create if he decided to remake a story like Peter Pan - already full of pranks - with Oldman as the pirate and his onscreen persona Jean Reno as the boy wonder.

Love or loathe him, Besson remains one of the most influential figures in contemporary French cinema.

He attempts to beat Hollywood at their own game, and his results are admirable.

But Besson has talked about moving away from directing films, and has recently started writing children books.

And perhaps, given his childlike nature, this is where the French boy who won't grow up will excel.