La Femme Nikita (1990) User Reviews

Accept no substitutes

[DennisLittrell · 8/10 · 9 July 2000]

This, the French La Femme Nikita, directed by Luc Besson, is one of the strangest, most bizarre, yet psychologically truest movies ever made. The story on the surface is absurd and something you'd expect from a grade 'B' international intrigue thriller. Anne Parillaud plays Nikita, a bitter, drug-dependent, unsocialized child of the streets who is faster than a kung fu fighter and packs more punch than a Mike Tyson bite. She's killed some people and is given a choice between death and becoming an assassin for the French government.

This premise should lead to the usual action/adventure yarn, with lots of fists flying, guns going off, people jumping off of buildings, roaring through the streets in souped up vehicles, spraying bullets, etc., as blood flows and bones shatter. And something like that does happen. However there is a second level in which Nitika becomes the embodiment of something beyond an action adventure heroine. She is coerced and managed by society. Her individuality is beaten out of her so that she can be molded into what the society demands. She comes out of her 'training' with her individuality compromised, her free and natural spirit cowed, but undefeated and alive, and she sets out to do what she has been taught to do. And then she falls in love. And she notices, somewhere along the way, amid the murder and the mayhem, that there is something better than and more important than, and closer to her soul in this world than killing and being killed. She finds that she prefers love to hate, tenderness to brutality. She sees herself and who she is for the first time, but it is too late. She cannot escape. Or can she?

Parillaud brings a wild animal persona tinged with beauty and unself-conscious grace to the role of Nikita. Marc Duret plays Rico, the tender man she loves, and Tchéky Karyo is her mentor, Bob, whom she also loves. Jeanne Moreau, the legend, has a small part as Amande, who teaches Nikita lipstick application and how to be attractive.

Now compare this to the US remake called Point of No Return (1993), starring Bridget Fonda. (Please, do not even consider the vapid TV Nikita.) What's the difference? Well, Fonda's flashier, I suppose, but nowhere is there anything like the psychological depth and raw animal magnetism found in the original. The Fonda vehicle is simply a one-dimensional action flick stylishly done in a predictable manner. Besson's Nikita is a work of art that explores the human predicament and even suggests something close to salvation.

As always with a French film, get the subtitled version. The dubbing is always atrocious, and anyway there's really not that much dialogue.

(Note: Over 500 of my movie reviews are now available in my book "Cut to the Chaise Lounge or I Can't Believe I Swallowed the Remote!" Get it at Amazon!)

Exciting, romantic, and stylish!

[grendelkhan · 8/10 · 27 September 2005]

I fell in love with this film from the moment I first saw a brief clip of it on an entertainment program. At first I was drawn to the action elements (being young and somewhat immature in my dramatic tastes), but I was blown away by the romance and character interplay. I loved the composition of the scenes, the noirish lighting, and the quirky humor. This movie, along with Pedro Almodovar's films, really opened my eyes to European films, particularly those with a signature style.

The performances are great across the board. Anne Parillaud plays all facets of Nikita well, from her rebellious, drug-hazed beginning, to her growing confidence, and her near breakdown as her mission falls apart. Tcheky Karyo made a huge impression, mostly through his body language and his eyes. He says more with an expression than most actors do with dialogue. Jeanne Moraeu is a treasure, a truly beautiful woman in appearance and spirit. Jean-Hughues Anglade has the harder part, the "normal" guy who Nikita falls for. He is adept at comedy, but is tender in the love scenes. He carries himself well in his face-off with Bob. Finally, the actor who really stands out in memory, Jean Reno. Reno oozes charisma and talent, even in bad films. He steals the film the moment he enters.

Luc Besson is a tremendous stylist. His films are beautiful, even when the story is a bit obtuse. He is adept at using light to portray and enhance emotion and his compositions are stunning. His main fault is that he lets style overtake story, but he gets away with it because the style is always interesting. He is a fine writer, although more care seems to go into the scripts he directs than those he has written for others.

Finally, one can't discuss the films of Besson without discussing the music of Eric Serra. Serra creates an atmosphere that is much a part of the setting as the lighting or set decoration. His compositions convey mood and emotion, adding another layer to the story. His signature bass and percussion gets your heart pumping during action sequences, while the melodies bring a softness to intimate moments. He demonstrates the proper way to use synthesizers, to transform the music, rather than make up for lack of an orchestra (or talent). Serra's soundtracks were the first that I bought for instrumental music, rather than for pop songs used in the film.

This is a film that appeals to many audiences. There is plenty of action and intrigue for thrillseekers, unique character studies, quirky humor, and above all, romance. It has spawned many imitations (Point of No Return, Black Cat, Nikita TV series) but has never been equaled. If you are a fan of film noir, action/espionage, character drama, or romance, you should see this film; then you should own this film. You'll want to watch it again and again.

Ground-breaking assassin flick

[bowmanblue · 8/10 · 14 February 2018]

I think I probably watched this film at the wrong time. I first saw the American-language remake 'Assassin' back in the early nineties and have only just got round to watching the film it was based on, 'Nikita' (or 'La Femme Nikita' to be precise). Therefore, it's hard to accept that the French version is the original source material and not the remake. Both stay pretty much on the same story-telling path, telling the tale of a down-and-out, drug-addled young woman, killing a police officer in a burglary gone wrong, but eluding the death penalty in favour of working for a secret government agency to 'off' those who need disappearing. Yes, the plot is possibly a little far-fetched, but, if you can suspend your disbelief long enough, you'll find that it's well worth it.

What you get is the story of a tortured soul who's trying to make a fresh start of her life and yet keeps finding herself dragged back into the covert ways of the spy agency to do their dirty work. You will definitely feel for the lead and the writing is pretty solid for her and all those she encounters. It's one of those rare films where there isn't a discernible 'baddie' to take on. The 'bad-guy' (if it can be considered so) is the situation she's found herself in and her attempts to - once again - change her life for the better and truly escape the shackles she's found herself in - whether a slave to drug abuse or the government's whims.

I think the best thing about Nikita is its realism (yes, I know I've already said you have to suspend your disbelief to appreciate it, but hear me out...) - in many modern films where the lead is a female action hero who spends her time beating up dozens of burly men who stand in her way, you feel that - although cool to look at - it may not happen that way in real life. However, in Nikita she never uses her physical strength to overpower and take-down her targets. Instead, she uses her wits and deadeye with a sniper's rifle to get the dirty job done (and get home in time for tea with her new fella).

I'm glad I've watched the original. It's a decent film which blends action with genuine emotion for the characters, plus it's worth noting that it was good enough to inspire whoever greenlit its American remake NOT to change it so much that it's barely recognisable and remained true to what made it great in the first place.

Twenty years have done nothing to diminish this solid action-drama.

[lewiskendell · 7/10 · 22 August 2010]

"You could say I work...for the government. We've decided to give you another chance."

I've been wanting to see La Femma Nikita for ages, as I used to be quite the fan of the TV show based on it when I was a kid. It's nice to be able to say that the movie was just as exciting and entertaining as I remember the show being.

The plot is about a young drug addict who kills a cop when she and some guys are caught robbing a pharmacy. The French government fakes her death, and she's given little alternative but to join a training program to become an agent in the government's employ. The stress of living a violent life that she doesn't want and having to keep it secret from her fiancé eventually becomes too much for her to cope with.

La Femme Nikita has several impressive action sequences, but it's more than just an action movie. Nikita transforms over the course of the story from a drugged-up junkie with nothing to live for to a capable and dangerous woman who wants control over her own life.

All in all I thought La Femme Nikita was a solid blend of assassination and drama. The heroine is probably one of the most interesting female action protagonists ever put up on the big screen, and it's hard to overstate the impact Nikita has had on other female protagonists in these kinds of movies in the last twenty years. Recommended.

plenty of verve and style, and a (rightfully) perennial favorite of French spy thrillers

[Quinoa1984 · 9/10 · 31 January 2008]

Luc Besson was on a hot streak in the late 80s/early 90s, and La Femme Nikita (or just Nikita for short) is almost as good as he got at putting his own distinctive stamp on a genre that many auteurs have trouble molding. The spy thriller is great for blockbuster audiences, but to make it into a strong romantic drama is always tricky, as there's the chance for too much one-dimensional theatrics or more attention paid to the plot convolutions than actual human emotions. Nikita squares this problem away just with the protagonist: a young punk (Anne Parillaud, in her most recognizable, near star-making performance) who kills a cop in the midst of a shoot-out is sentenced to life, but then sort of resurrected following the lead of a member of a covert spy organization, and given an ultimatum: become a spy/assassin, or die. She complies, and in a few years time turns into Josephine, who gets orders on the outside from time to time to do tasks like dress up in a maid's outfit to serve potential targets, or to ready herself to kill someone long-range at a moment's notice.

Besson crafts his main story by creating a sort of love triangle between Nikita/Josephine/Marie, her boss Bob, and her conventional lover Marco, a grocery store cashier who doesn't know what she really does. Besson tools with the elements for a much more conventional thriller, and from time to time it could appear like La Femme Nikita will veer into that realm and not return. But Besson is smart; he crafts the first hour like a kind of 'Taming of the Shrew' saga (or 'Taming of a Shrill Bad-ass'), filled with juicy, dark humor ranging from the ultra-violent (pencil in the hand anyone?) to the silly and playful (training with karate instructors). And as pure director of action sequences Besson shows himself as one of the more distinct masters; it's succinctly fresh and tense while holding the ingredients for what mainstream audiences crave, chiefly in that centerpiece as she is told to kill someone on the night of a seemingly hot date with Bob. Even in the little things, like the scene where she watches the spy put together the concoction for the target in the hotel, works on the purest technical terms.

But La Femme Nikita, for the most part, also works on emotional levels too. Besson won't be above throwing in a hard-boiled killer in the midst (Jean Reno's Victor, my favorite supporting character if only for a few pivotal scenes, and a precursor to Leon), but he'll also subvert it just a tinge for good measure. I loved seeing when Josephine has to take out the woman in Venice, her shot in sight, and is moved to tears through the words that Marco speaks to her, truthfully, not in any terms that deem him as the boring "safe" character, but as her kind of salvation from a life that she's been forced into as a final alternative. As happens often in Besson's work, in fact, the female character is put into a realm of personal chaos that is created by or leads to murder and, at the least, harrowing times with the one she cares for or about (i.e. Portman in Leon, Leeloo in Fifth Element, Joan of Arc, even Angela in Angel-A). It's not simply a gimmick in having the character be a woman- it's essential to Besson's track as a filmmaker, and Praillaud is excellent for the sort of ups and downs the character goes through, sometimes in the same scene!

This isn't to say there are a few minor liabilities, if only from my perspective: the music is usually effective in that early electronic-techno beat style for a modern thriller, yet sometimes it's also a cross between a soft-core porn and Weather channel muzak; the ending felt abrupt, or at least on a first viewing (albeit it's hard to top the scene at the ambassador's HQ); and, as a minor criticism, what happened to showing how Nikita learns how to smile? (Seems a little crucial as something of her personality that's skipped over, when made to seem like a big stepping stone by Jeanne Moreau's enigmatic character.) Otherwise, a must-see, and one of Besson's best films.

Might be a little slow, but what a ride!

[Stibbert · 7/10 · 6 October 2005]

The convicted cop-killer is "kidnapped" by a government agency to be given one new chance. Only this time she is to become a trained spy and assassin.

Luc Besson sure know how to fill a film with passion, humanity and action. This is a truly beautiful movie. It is a rather slow movie compared to your typical Hollywood movie, but then again the story and characters are also stronger. You get hooked and the movie is finished before you know it.

The story is strong. It's cool, original and intriguing, yet it's simple and not hard to keep track of. You really get caught up with it. It has elements of all genre. It's got action, love and passion, drama, thriller and even some comedy in it. It's kind of a dark story, yet there are lot of funny elements to light it up a bit. Not much, just as much as it needs.

The actors are great. Anne Parillaud does a great job as Nikita. She makes a psycho-like character that you, in the beginning, don't really like much, but through out the movie her real personality is revealed. At the end you won't let go of her. The rest of the cast is also truly great. Jean Reno has a small, yet very nice part. I found his character really funny. The way he just barge into the story.

Eric Serra has given the movie a nice score. It supports the story, but may seem a little late 80's every now and then, but never the less it sounds good. It is passionate when needed and suspense when called for.

You won't get disappointed of cinematography. It's simply beautiful. You can just sit back and enjoy the shots. Nice contrasts and nice composition and the use of wide angle lenses are really cool. The lightning is good as well. It's all really enjoyable.

This movie has something for everyone. It's not a guy movie or a girl movie. It's not a adult movie or a teenage movie. This is simply a movie for everyone who enjoys good movies! I can, with no doubt, give this movie my recommendations.

Parillaud Is THE Nikita

[ccthemovieman-1 · 9/10 · 7 January 2006]

This 1989 French film was justifiably so popular that an American re-make followed later and then a cable television series followed after that.

In this - the original - you see "Nikita" at its beginning and, most people agree, at her best. Anne Parillaud, an actress I've always found fascinating, is riveting as the lead character. Jean-Huges Anglade, Tcheky Karyo and Jean Reno provide a very strong supporting cast.

The characters were believable and it was refreshing to see a no-nonsense approach to a murder story, meaning if someone had to be killed, they were shot quickly with no questions asked. Some of the action scenes are brutal.

Parillaud's character is memorable. She can change appearances, from a hard- nosed hysterical animal to a real lady. It's also interesting to see Reno in a familiar role as a "cleaner," a role he made famous four years later in "Leon: The Professional."

The DVD provides either easy-to-read subtitles or a well-done dubbed version. If sound is important to you, you'll hear better stereo with the subtitled version.

"The best ones always take more training time."

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 4 May 2012]

Admittedly this is a slick and stylish film, but in between the high spots, I found it to be long on exposition and dare I say it, almost boring. What was never developed well enough for me was the idea that this punk teenager/cop killer was deemed suitable to undergo an intensive rebirth as a government assassin. What elusive ingredient was part of Nikita's (Anne Parillaud) makeup that justified agent Bob (Tcheky Karyo) to go out on a limb to mentor her training? That whole part of the story was a disconnect for me, and kept rearing it's ugly head every time Marie/Josephine went into a sob over one thing or another. I offer that bathtub scene with the co-assassin who panicked to support my argument. I thought she was going to have a nervous breakdown right there. Well this one's been around a long time now, twenty years, and I finally got around to seeing it based on it's reputation, but I can't say that I was enthralled the way some of it's bigger fans on this board were. For some perspective, I went back and took a look at my review for that other Luc Besson genre film "Leon: The Professional", but that only confirmed my initial reaction here. The two hours can be spent better elsewhere.

Brilliant, tense and artful

[mstomaso · 9/10 · 6 May 2005]

Anne Parillaud is phenomenal as a terrifyingly vulnerable, beautiful and human young anti-hero with an incredible talent for violence. A drug-addict murderous teen is given a second chance by a government agency looking to exploit her penchant for conscience-less killing. Mentored by a man whose compassion for her is only matched by his ambition and Machiavellian sadism, Nikita ventures on a roller-coaster ride leading a double-life as assassin and clean-living young woman in love. Her passionate affair with Marco and the clarity of her un-drugged consciousness, combine to promote the development of a conscience - a dangerous thing in her line of work. Nikita is, nevertheless, a victim of her circumstances, and like the rest of the characters on both sides, seems stuck in a very bad situation. In addition to the artistry with which this story is told, this film has a very nihilistic sense of justice and not-so-subtly points out the fact that state authorized murder is still murder.

Jean Reno fans will enjoy his brief typecast cameo as "the cleaner".

This is one of the best, if not the best, of Besson's films. It is extremely well paced, starkly and beautifully shot, and features some of the best acting and writing of the entire action genre. The script is just a little better in French than English. Nikita does not have the feel of an action film, but rather, feels like a fatalistic drama riddled with almost continuous tragedy and heartbreak, and spiced with just a tad of hope. Parillaud's multi-layered and complex construction of her character is so mesmerizing that it is frankly difficult to think of anything else while attempting to reflect on this film.

A triumph for a concept movie

[FilmCriticLalitRao · 7/10 · 30 December 2008]

Every time when a film by Luc Besson is released in France,it invariably ends up in the creation of a major event of unmatched intensity.This was exactly the feeling felt in France when Nikita hit French screens in 1990.Luc Besson is an important director in the history of French cinema.He is one of the few French directors whose works have been hailed by critics as well as viewers.If one states that cinema of look concept has been initiated by Jean Jacques Beinex, it must be added that Luc Besson merits a justified place in that category.Nikita is a complete concept film.Although it has its fair share of weaknesses but its strengths in many departments has made it a cult film.The weak areas are something about which director Luc Besson could not have done much as it is difficult to incorporate comedy and love story in an action film.A major weak spot concerns the role played by famous French actress Jeanne Moreau.Her presence was completely out of focus in a film dominated by major action stars like Tcheky Karyo and Jean Reno.The theme of love felt by the boyfriend of an ex junkie transformed into spy was also too hot for Jean Hughes Anglade to handle.This is one reason why nothing much can be said about the love chemistry between Anne Parillaud and Jean Hughes Anglade.The strengths of this film include its hypnotic musical score and taut editing.A couple of sentences should also be written about action scenes filmed in Nikita".They seem to be the handiwork of nihilists hell bent on destroying the social fabric of a civilized society.

An Amazing Transformation

[seymourblack-1 · 8/10 · 14 June 2017]

It's smart, stylish and violent with numerous well-directed action sequences but what's more surprising about "La Femme Nikita" is its preoccupation with character development and the effective way in which it changes pace at various points to meet the needs of its story. Its well-written plot describes how a young woman who begins as a drug-addicted criminal, is transformed into a more complex young lady who finds love and works for the French government as an assassin. The changes that take place as this originally hostile, defiant and volatile punk is moulded into a slightly more polished, disciplined and caring individual, are really entertaining to watch, not least, because of her unpredictability which makes the whole process so challenging, edgy and even on some occasions, humorous.

Soon after a group of junkies break into a Paris pharmacy, a squad of heavily-armed police officers arrive on the scene and the ensuing gunfight results in fatalities on both sides. In the mayhem, all the gang members appear to have been killed but when one of the cops checks more thoroughly, he finds a teenager called Nikita (Anne Parillaud) crouching down under a piece of furniture. When she's approached by the cop who hesitates because he isn't certain whether or not she's a gang member, she callously shoots and kills him. After being sentenced to life in prison for her crime she's given what she suspects is a lethal injection and later wakes up in a white room where a man called Bob (Tcheky Karyo) visits her.

Bob, who works for an unnamed government agency, shows her evidence that her death has been faked and recorded as a suicide with her body having been buried in row 8, plot 30 of the Maisons-Alfort cemetery. He goes on to offer her the opportunity of a new life working for the government which she readily accepts when she realises that the only other option is row 8, plot 30. Three years of intensive training follow during which she becomes proficient in the use of guns, martial arts and computers, as well as learning various points of etiquette and also how to act like a lady. After successfully completing her final test, which involves carrying out an assassination in a restaurant, Nikita is given her freedom and a new identity (Marie). As a covert agent, however, she knows she'll be expected to respond immediately whenever she's called upon to carry out any assassinations.

Nikita soon finds happiness in her new life as a result of meeting supermarket check-out man, Marco (Jean-Hugues Anglade) who's good-natured, friendly and charming. The couple fall in love and move in together and although she's blissfully happy in the relationship, Nikita feels uncomfortable about not being able to share any details of her past with Marco and also having to be disingenuous on certain occasions when she has to cover-up for being involved in carrying out a hit. Despite this difficulty, she manages to continue satisfactorily with both her relationship and her job until she decides that a change of course is necessary after Marco discovers that she'd lied to him about being employed at a hospital and she nearly gets killed when one of her government jobs goes horribly wrong.

As Nikita, Anne Parillaud is astonishingly good because she's equally credible as the nasty, vicious and feral punk who's initially seen in the robbery as she is in the various stages that she goes through as she morphs into the more controlled and emotionally mature person that she gradually becomes It's unusual for an action movie to feature a character of this type and also for their portrayal to be so convincing.

"La Femme Nikita" is an ultra-stylish movie that features some great action sequences, one of which culminates in a superb stunt when the eponymous anti-heroine escapes danger by leaping down a laundry chute. Despite such excitement however, what remains most memorable about the movie is its central character and the amazing transformation that she goes through.

French thriller finely directed by Luc Besson about a violent junkie who becomes undercover assassin

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 23 June 2011]

Exciting and stirring movie that is remade in American style by John Badham (1993) . A gang of armed drug-addicts break into a shop to try and steal drugs to fuel their habit and then takes place a bloody tour of force . However, the police arrive too fast and all addicts but one are killed .The hardened criminal (Anne Parillaud , role subsequently played by Bridget Fonda) , a punk-junkie sociopath acts with consistence violence, even in police custody and is given a life sentence .But after being drugged by her captors she wakes up to find that she has been spared in order to train her as a government assassin . However, top-secret agency official (a Svengali alike ,Tcheky Karyo , character interpreted in the American version by Gabriel Byrne))arranges a stage , so she can be elaborately trained as phantom killer and subdued into obedience. After a dramatic transformation, she is allowed to leave and start a new life for herself .On her eventual release she turns into a sophisticated girl thanks to an old lady (Jeanne Moreau , role also acted by Anne Bancroft) . As a cover, she gets a new identity . And with a wonderful house-mate, a broad-minded, gentle boyfriend (Jean Hugues Anglade , posteriorly performed by Dermot Mulroney) . The two fall in love, but that complicates jobs. His good influence extends to breeding her a conscience that puts love over business, alas unlike agency. However, she begins to discover that there is more to life than she previously thought and soon begins to wish she could escape from her obligation. But the government aren't so easy to evade .

This exciting noir-thriller is packed with thrills , tension , suspense and lots of noisy action .From the start to the ending the action pace is fast moving, provides fast and furious entertainment with spectacular scenes. Displays nonstop action and is extremely entertaining and thrilling . Some scenes are brutal and with a load of violence. Still it's a good movie, I think furthermore the incredible chemistry between Parillaud and Karyo ,the plot was moving and intense , it makes you want to know what happens after . Anne Parillaud is pretty good as the heroine who turns in violent tendencies to patriotic use , both as the anti-social rebel of the early scenes and the sophisticated, seductive young lady of the later ones . It benefits enormously from a memorably assured performances from veteran as Jeanne Moreau , Jean Reno , Philippe Leroy and Jean Bouise whom is dedicated the movie . Atmospheric musical score by Eric Serra , though with excessive use of synthesizer . Colorful cinematography by Thierry Arbogast and perfectly remastered . The motion picture is lavishly produced and well directed by Luc Besson with his ordinary visual pyrotechnics . He often casts Jean Reno and music always by Eric Serra. Besson is the greatest producer and director from France with hits as ¨Leon¨ , ¨Joan of Arc¨ , ¨The fifth element¨ , the ¨Taxi¨ series , ¨Big blue¨ , ¨Arthur and the Minimois¨ , of course ¨Nikita¨ and many others .

Hasn't lasted

[benjones-11 · 4/10 · 27 March 2011]

Oh dear. A film that is hailed as a "classic". But I'm afraid it doesn't live up to its hype. There are plenty of problems with Nikita, and the gravity of these, in this modern day, outweighs its good points. The main problem is the story itself. The government decides to fake the death of a mentally deranged murdering drug addled junkie, in order to spend years training her to become a covert operative/assassin. Erm ... of all the people to chose from, they opted for that? Didn't they have any applicants?

O.k. We'll try and move past that and get on with the film ... only to find that the film doesn't really get on. Nikita settles down with a man, and then occasionally gets assigned jobs. However, these jobs are not particularly interesting, nor are they numerous enough to let quantity make up for quality. Then the film ends, after a "climax" which offers nothing of interest, and then leads to a bizarre end. I watched the credits arrive and I honestly thought I must have accidentally skipped the DVD forward by 10 chapters. Where's the rest of it? When's the good stuff going to start?

The film just doesn't know where it is supposed to be going. Is it an action film? Is it a film about a woman trying to change her life? Is it a film about the strengths of feminine guile? I'm not sure even Besson knows, and this shows in the fact that it seems to explore a few angles at various points in the film, but doesn't cement any of them, so you really don't get inspired by any of the options for discussion.

Perhaps 20 years ago the flaws would have been hidden somewhat by the "exciting" style of film making that Besson employed. But since many many films have copied this style since, you will be watching nothing new.

Spontaneity starts here

[hakapes · 7/10 · 4 December 2005]

Nikita lived in my mind as an action movie with lots of blood, aggression, fear, all kinds of things I'm not very fond of to watch in a cinema. But I have seen this film more than ten years ago and things change and now Nikita is not that cruel movie anymore.

I came back to re-watch Nikita after a lecture I heard about spontaneity and creativity. The speaker cited Nikita as an example for spontaneity. He told about the scene when Nikita gets the guns in the red box as a present and is told to kill a man behind her in the restaurant, run out of the room, look for the men's toilet, check the last cabinet and climb out on the small window there with place only for a women of her size to get through; the car is waiting for her for 5 minutes outside. Nikita does as told, shoots, runs, searches, opens the window - but then the windows is walled. And here starts spontaneity - what to do now? In fact, I watched the entire movie to see this scene - wow I learned again something!

Otherwise, Nikita is rather a 'sweet action movie' by my standards of today. The storyline is interesting, the playing is OK, just the whole is unpolished and a bit rough to me. However, no question, back then, this movie was the starter for a whole series of story lines and Luc Besson merits credit for his originality. 7/10

This film is cooler than a fortnight in Antartica wearing a bikini, drinking chilled vodka with ice-packs strapped to your body.

[MarilynManson · 10/10 · 9 January 1999]

Forget the awful series. Forget the even worse Hollywood remake 'The Assassin'. Remember Luc Besson's La Femme Nikita.

This has got to be one of the most stylish, moody and gripping films in existence. Luc Besson's direction is refreshing whilst the cinematography is simply stunning, particuarly the scene in the hotel where Nikita gets her first assignment. The soundtrack by Eric Serra is simply genius and actually adds something to the film...soundtracks usually seem to be an afterthought but refreshingly; not in this case.

The beautiful Anne Parillaud is perfect in the lead role (unlike Bridget Fonda) and the subtle romance between her and Tcheky Karyo is pure eloquence. The hugely talented Jean-Hughes Anglade (of Betty Blue fame) shines in this film but of all the male roles, Jean Reno (also fabulous in Luc Besson's Leon)is outstanding as the completely unbalanced Victor The Cleaner. Jeanne Moreau as Amande makes a notable appearence following years of contributions in countless films.

Luc Besson established himself as one of the leading innovative directors with this film and you can easily see why. This movie certainly rates among the top 10 films of all time.

I could pontificate about this film all day and all night but the best thing is for you to watch it yourself as a matter of priority...it is a 'must see'.

I'm off now to pursue a career in international assassinations.

What gulfs between her and the seraphim!

[rmax304823 · 6/10 · 19 August 2012]

It opens with a burst of violence as a handful of Parisian skinhead dopers break into a drug store and start smashing everything in sight under the neon blue lights. There's a shoot out when the police arrive. Shelves of glass containers explode under the fusillade. The bodies pile up, shot to shreds. Anne Parillaud, a gang moll, senselessly blows the head off a helpless gendarme. The editing is quick, the air filled with curses, the colors garish. In other words, it's an imitation of an American action movie.

It was remade in 1993, as "Point of No Return," with Bridget Fonda in the starring role of the drugged-out psychopath coerced and trained to be a cool government assassin. Let's see -- that would make the later production an American imitation of a French imitation of an American action movie. A few shots are identical. Bridget Fonda is cuter than Anne Parillaud and sexier too, but she's not nearly Parillaud's equal as an expressive actress. Watch Parillaud's infantile delight when she dines out with her government mentor and he gives her a birthday present in the fancy restaurant.

There's quite a bit of gore but not nearly as much as in most American action films of the 80s. After that initial shoot out, deaths tend to take place in singles, not in grand slams. Released from the Institute (or whatever the agency is called) and only drafted for occasional special killings, Parillaud begins to enjoy her freedom. She has an affair with Jean-Hugues Anglade, an affable guy with a kind but slightly goofy face. This generates a bit of jealousy on the part of her government guru, Tchéky Karyo, who has developed a subdued yen for her. But it's just as well he doesn't get her. He has a face like a tractor with a steel plow attached to its front end.

I don't know how well the chips fall into place from a psychological point of view. Parillaud is a real beast at the beginning, a maniacal puppet who tries to bite the ear off her judo instructor. She beans her mentor over the head with a crockery pot and he almost bleeds out. She breaks into wild dances for no reason. I would think professional assassins need to be something other than impulsive and unthinking. They need the soul of a tax auditor not the showmanship of a vaudeville clown. However, the Frog temperament sometimes insists on doing things upside down.

Jeanne Moreau shows up as a tutor in the finer feminine arts. My God, what a face. It's made for the camera. She was never a Hollywood-gorgeous beauty but she was always magnetic. Same with Jean Reno, who shows up at a botched murder as "the cleanup man." There have been so many cleanup men in these kinds of movies that if I see any more I'll start to think they exist.

This movie is a longie at one hour and fifty-seven minutes but it's not slow. The sets are perfectly done, from grand to ruined. The acting is professional throughout. The camera doesn't wobble drunkenly and the editing slows down after the first five minutes so that it's possible to tell who is doing what to whom.

Worth catching if it's on.

Femme Fatale

[Galina_movie_fan · 9/10 · 8 September 2004]

Welcome to the world where a woman can handle a gun and be as merciless and seemingly unemotional as any man. The anti- heroine, a woman named Nikita (Anne Parillaud in a performance of her life) is given a reprieve from a death sentence by government agents that want to use her as an undercover assassin. Stylish, ultraviolent, cynical but strangely engrossing - this is a must see for the fans of clever action movies.

Director Luc Besson somehow manages to keep a high level of energy and our interest - from the opening scene – a violent drugstore shootout until the very last moment.

Terrific cast include also Jean-Hughes Anglade (Queen Margot, Killing Zoe), Tcheky Karyo (Kiss of the Dragon, Addicted to Love 1997), Jeanne Moreau - the legend of the French cinema ("Jules and Jim", "Elevator to the Gallows", "Going Places"), and Jean Reno ("Leon", "Ronin")

Don't bother with the American remake (Bridgett Fonda) or TV series with the same title - see only original.

"Smile when you don't know something.You won't be any smarter,but it's nice for others."

[morrison-dylan-fan · 7/10 · 11 May 2016]

Reading up about the Cinéma du look movement,I found out that before his collaborations with Liam Neeson, Luc Besson was one of the leaders of the movement.With having heard about the impact that the film had for years,I decided that it was time to meet the original Nikita.

The plot:

Going with some pals to rob a pharmacy, Nikita gets caught up in a shoot out with the local police. Horrified to see her friends get killed,Nikita kills a cop at point-blank range. Arrested,Nikita ends up getting sentenced to life in jail. Taken by Nikita's anger,the police decide to fake her death.Revealing Nikita's death certificate,the police reveal to Nikita that they have decided to give her a second chance in life,as a secret agent government assassin.

View on the film:

Sliding along on Eric Serra's ice cool score,writer/director Luc Besson & cinematographer Thierry Arbogast treat the pulpy tale of Nikita to lavish Cinéma du look glamour.Covering the film in neon yellows,lush greens and burning blood reds,Besson and Arbogast turn Nikita into a living comic-book,where the vibrant colours burst on the screen,and glamorous tracking shots place Nikita in comic-book style frames.

Keeping a distance from going too in-depth into Nikita's background,the screenplay by Besson cuts Nikita as a razor sharp femme fatal,whose thrust for a drug hit Besson transforms into an assassination hit. Inspired by Film Noir,Besson takes a clinical approach to Nikita's training into being an assassin,that is trapped in a world where doubt/remorse are locked away for a successful "hit", which causes Nikita to question her role as a soulless femme fatale.

Gliding in with a real swagger,Jean Reno gives a wonderfully animated performance as Victor "The Cleaner" Nettoyeur,whilst Jeanne Moreau gives the title a graceful touch as Nikita trainer Amanda.Entering the film kicking & screaming, Anne Parillaud gives a powerful performance as Nikita,thanks to Parillaud snarling with a Punk Rock anger over where she has ended up,which Parillaud neatly balances with a calculating side,as Nikita sets her sights on a new hit.

One of the high points of the cinéma du look movement

[Red-Barracuda · 9/10 · 1 September 2016]

I remember back in the 90's I had the iconic Nikita poster, which had a very leggy Anne Parillaud kitted out in a little tight black dress while cocking a huge hand gun. It was one of the definitive movie posters of its day and went some way in adding to the film's overall reputation as something cool that had to be seen. Over the years Nikita has become less well remembered but it definitely remains one of the high points of the French cinéma du look movement. It follows the story of a violent drug addicted young woman, who is imprisoned for killing a police officer during an armed robbery. Recognising her skills as useful, a secret government agency fakes her death and gives her the opportunity to be reborn in a new life as a professional killer.

Directed by Luc Besson, this is a fairly typical example of his work at its best where we have an action-thriller which is elevated by an ultra-stylish presentation. It has a very glossy veneer to it, with some chic fashions and ornate locations but in amongst that it does have some grit. The central character played by Parillaud really exemplifies this, where she is moulded into a sophisticated killer but who underneath is a feral street fighter. Parillaud definitely covers a lot of ground here in a strong performance. She isn't afraid to play the character very unglamorous and annoying where required - the slinky creature on the poster is only part of the deal here! The transformation of this character is overseen by an enigmatic agent called Bob who develops feelings for his charge while reconfiguring her. It's a story-line which has definite parallels to Pygmalion. In fact, much of Nikita isn't really in thriller territory at all. Much focus is made of the relationship Nikita embarks on in the latter half of the film with a shop assistant played by Jean-Hugues Anglade, who in a neat role reversal plays a part which is typically played by women in most films of these kinds. Anglade is the good natured partner who is Nikita's anchor on reality while she embarks on her secret and deadly missions. One particularly exemplary example of this occurs in a scene in Venice where she assassinates a designated victim while having a conversation with Anglade through a bathroom door. It's scenes like this one and others where the central character embarks on her missions where the film usually peaks for me. In one of these latter sequences we are introduced to the sinister character of 'The Cleaner' in a role played by Jean Reno which was so striking that Besson based one of his next films around this idea, namely Leon (1994).

I think Nikita may be the best film that Besson ever made. The combination of an interesting central character, good concept and stylised direction add up to an action-thriller of significant pedigree. It was remade in America with Bridget Fonda in the lead role under the title of Point of No Return (1993), a film which many people seem to hate but which I actually thought was a very good alternative. So my advice would be, watch both and decide for yourself.

cool Luc Besson

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 9 October 2013]

Nikita (Anne Parillaud) is a drugged out violent criminal. When she and her cohorts end up in a drugstore shootout with police, she kills one of the officers. She's sentenced to life in prison. Then a secret organization breaks her out of prison, fakes her suicide, and Bob (Tchéky Karyo) trains her to be a secret agent.

This is Luc Besson as the cool french director. Sure it's not realistic, but it's super cool. One thing is sure. The man has style. And he has a few funny things to add. No where else is a guy getting slapped so hilarious. He's doing an action movie not with a muscle bound meat head, but with a skinny chick. The action looks good. The missions are memorable. They're over the top stylized ridiculousness.

Classy thriller

[Dandy_Desmond · 8/10 · 5 July 2010]

From the outset Nikita is a classy film. Luc Besson really knows his stuff and as I watched this film I could see the quality of character and direction he gives the movie. The lead actress I have read on here is apparently 'ugly' - well what does that have to do with the story? Did she have to be a hot piece of ass? No, she didn't she was cast as she is a great actress who was physically right and most believable for the role. Luc Besson is not interested in satisfying horny teenagers, he is making a 'proper' film that has stood the test of time. From the beginning the story grips you - Nikita is a teenage psychotic tear away with a group of friends equally as bad. After a cool shootout and the murder of a cop she is arrested and sentenced to life in prison. A story is fabricated that she committed suicide and she is given the option by the government to become their assassin or be killed. The whole first part of the movie is very strong, as Nikita develops from a miserable aggressive psycho into a human being again. Her relationship with her mentor is very understated and interesting. She is released into society again after passing her initial 'test' or first assignment. This is the real highlight of the film - a cool shoot out in a restaurant. Once back into society she meets a man and falls in love and basically starts enjoying life with a new perspective and value for her own life and that of others. However the government are not far away with more assignments for her. All this is still very entertaining, however as we edge towards the end I did feel it sagged a little. Her last assignment is not really gripping enough and I was getting a little bored, however the very end as the two men who fell in love with her meet just after she has gone on the run, is very satisfying and it stops at the right point to leave the viewer with an almost sad feeling. I like this film very much, the lead actress is brave, fearless and shows great range. I love the relationship with the mentor and the action is used at the right time. Apart from the end it would have been perfect. 8/10

Probably great for its time.

[cabrerar · 6 December 2002]

Nikita is well esconced in the '80s, even though it came out in 1990. The music, the clothing style, the hair styles, etc. For 80's nostalgia buffs, it works. My main problem with this film is in plot development. Some of the portions of the movie were disjointed. For example, when Bob informs Nikita she has 2 weeks to shape up or ship out in a box, nothing is shown of the transformation. All we see is Nikita being released to the outside world -- one has to make the assumption she has the skills necessary to be a spy/assassin and control of her psychotic nature. I also didn't believe Parraud's character falling for the checkout clerk in such a quick fashion and actually maintaining anything like a normal life (outside of her other life as an assassin). Parraud goes a little over the top in trying to portray a psychotic woman, and when she sings her song about the mouse or jumps up on a chair pretending to be a gondolier, it's just pretty awful. I did like the camera work where they follow a bullet from her gun to a wall where a man was hiding. If Luc Besson made this movie today, there would be a lot more details in Nikita's character and in her special training as an assassin (a la Neo in the Matrix). After saying all that, however, I think Nikita is worth checking out because of its originality and being ahead of it's time.

Fun but not León

[bkam · 7/10 · 5 July 2003]

Nikita, while good, does not approach the high art that is León. While the fact that this plot has been imitated so frequently must make it seem less original than at its release, it was never really ironclad to begin with. On the other hand, it fits perfectly the more character-driven progression that is the movie's aim. Like Besson's masterpiece, a strong character in difficult situations powers the film, yet Nikita, for all her gender issues, is simply not developed enough to support the considerable weight bestowed upon her by this director's dead-serious style. Yet this is structural and by no means the fault of Perillaud who is excellent. She pulls off many instances of double roles which are not easy: she is strong but unsure, brutal yet smart, masculine but feminine, animal yet human. To accentuate this is the artful but not annoying cinematography which has what seems like a fresh angle and style for all the various aspects of Nikita. While not entirely typical, neither was the score entirely memorable. And while this film has much more to offer, it must be said that the action scenes were first-rate. Never tame and often surprising, they gave a true sense of struggle rather than any glorification of gore. Overall, the film is excellent as action, strong as a film, and worth seeing in the original French. [7/10]

La Film Nasty

[kenjha · 2/10 · 7 August 2011]

After killing a cop and maiming others, a drug-addicted nut case is inexplicably trained to work as an assassin for the police. Nothing about this idiotic movie makes sense. Why isn't a cop killer punished? Why do the police pick such an unstable person to work for them? Why are the police in the assassination business? Parillaud turns in a surly performance in the title role, a character about as interesting as a wet rag. She veers from cold-blooded killer to whiny cry-baby to giggling schoolgirl, but no attempt is made to explain her bizarre behavior. Nikita's missions are executed so poorly that they are laughable. There's a dull romance with a grocery store cashier.

Almost perfect!

[jellyneckr · 30 March 2008]

On paper, Nikita doesn't sound to promising. In the wrong hands, the idea of a criminal being trained to become a top assassin sounds like a story that would be campy, ridiculous, and over-the-top, almost comic book like. Luckily, Nikita was in the right hands as the end result is way better than expected. The script is well written, the cinematography is beautiful, and the directing is exciting more often than not. That said, what ultimately makes Nikita work as well as it does is lead Anne Parillaud as Nikita. Parillaud doesn't have much dialogue in the first act. This leaves her to do most of her acting with facial expressions. With a lesser actress, this could have been disastrous. However, Parillaud is a strong actress and is able to pull the role off well. Perhaps it is due to her lack of dialogue that I find the first half of the picture far superior to the second half.

Once Nikita's relationship with Marco begins, the film loses the same momentum it once had. This shift in tone is necessary to some extent in order to show Nikita is able to love and be human. At the same time, the result makes the film feel a bit uneven. The romance-filled middle almost feels like it belongs in another movie altogether. The romance is helped by the good performances, but the tone isn't quite right. It's a problem that probably could have been fixed in the editing process. It would be fascinating to see another cut of Nikita, one where the romance is drastically edited with scenes rearranged and maybe a few minutes taken out. For me, that would be a better version. I'm sure there are people who find the romantic segments the best part of Nikita. I am not one of them.

There was never a sequel to Nikita, but the ending leaves room for one. Obviously too much time has gone by for a sequel to be made now, though I can picture one that begins right as Nikita ends. The perfect ending provides enough closure for the audience to be satisfied and just enough room for more. The ending is often the most important part in any storytelling medium, be it literature, theater, or film. The wrong ending can leave an audience frustrated. The wrong ending can even ruin the entire experience for an audience. With Nikita, Luc Besson has given the audience the most suitable ending, one that is completely satisfying. Nikita may not be perfect, though the material in the beginning and the end is so strong that only middle section prevents it from being a perfect movie.